St. Peter's Hospital ~ Patient Education

Patient Education

If you have a medical emergency or are in labor, you have the right to receive, within the capabilities of this Hospital’s staff and facilities

An appropriate medical screening examination
Necessary stabilizing treatment (including treatment of an unborn child) and if necessary
An appropriate transfer to another facility

Even if you cannot pay
Do not have medical insurance
Are not entitled to Medicare or Medicaid

This Hospital does participate in the Medicaid program.

YOUR HEALTH CARE TEAM

Your health care is of the utmost concern to every one at St. Peter’s -- physicians, nurses, therapists, technicians, volunteers, and a host of others who you may never see. The compassionate care we provide our patients is realized in consistently high scores that St. Peter’s receives on its monthly patient satisfaction surveys.

Your physician has admitted you because you require specialized care and observation by members of our nursing staff. Your treatment plan is coordinated with a team of health care professionals, you, and your family.

Medical Staff
A hospitalist or your physician is responsible for directing your care while you are in the hospital. The hospitalist or your physician, as the coordinator for your treatment plan, should be consulted if you have questions about your illness.

Nursing Staff
A team of professional registered nurses and licensed practical nurses provides 24-hour nursing care. A director is responsible for leading and coordinating nursing care on each unit. Please feel free to contact your nurse or the department director if you have questions or concerns.

Care Management
Care Managers are a team of registered nurses and social workers who are assigned to each patient care area. They work closely with your physician to assist patients and families in dealing with problems brought on by illness and hospitalization. Care Managers assist with post-hospital care referrals and coordinate services such as rehabilitation, home health care, Hospice, nursing home placement and obtaining medical equipment. Care Managers can also help you with any questions you have regarding finances such as insurance coverage, Medicaid application, Social Security/disability information or Medicare.

Accommodations
Your room assignment at St. Peter’s Hospital is based upon your admitting diagnosis and the bed availability on the day of your admission. There are private (single-bed) rooms available on the specialty units and on an available basis on the medical/surgical/pediatrics/oncology floors. Otherwise, semi-private (two-bed) rooms are available in the hospital.

Your Bed
Hospital beds are electrically operated, and your nurse will show you how to work your bed properly. Your hospital bed is probably higher and narrower than your bed at home. Bedside rails are for your protection. A siderail may be raised at night or during the day if you are resting, recovering from surgery or taking certain medications.

Your Menu
Your daily menu is a restaurant style menu. Each day, you will find a menu for upcoming meals on your breakfast tray. Please make your menu selections promptly and the patient service representative will pick it up. Your physician may change or restrict your diet as part of your care. Let your nurse know if you have concerns about your diet or you would like a guest tray for your visitor. Guest trays provide a full meal of the chef’s choice and should be paid for in advance of the meal services.

Breakfast: 7:30 - 10:30 a.m.
Lunch 11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Dinner: 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.

The Cafeteria is open to serve visitors and quests from 7:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. Coffee and hot tea are complimentary. Vending machines, offering a variety of snacks and beverages, are located on the upper level of the hospital in the Family Waiting Room, between the Obstetrics and Surgical/Pediatrics/Oncology wings, and on the Medical Floor. There is a microwave in the Family Waiting Room to heat food selections from the vending machine. There are also vending machines located on the west hallway of Surgical/Pediatrics/Oncology and outside the Medical Floor.

Using the Telephones
Telephones are provided in each room. Local and toll-free calls can be made at any time from the room by dialing 9 and the number. Long distance, collect and credit card calls can be made by dialing 8-0 and the number you are trying to reach. Long distance calls cannot be charged to your room. Your friends and family can call you in your room by dialing (406) 442-2480 and asking for you by name. Pay telephones are located throughout the Hospital.

Room Temperature
All rooms in the hospital are centrally heated and air conditioned, and all patient rooms have individual thermostats. Call your nurse if you need your room temperature adjusted.

Television
Color television sets are provided free of charge in each room. Please be considerate of other patients by playing your TV set softly, and by turning off your set at bedtime. Television earphones are available for the hard of hearing. The nurse will show you how to operate your television. Individual, personal television sets are available in patient care rooms. If you have any problems with your TV please notify your nurse.

Privacy
We understand that medical information about you and your health is personal and we are committed to protecting medical information about you. St. Peter’s “Notice of Privacy Practices” explains how we may use and disclose information and is posted in the hospital’s admitting areas. For a copy of the notice, please ask your nurse or contact the Medical Records Department.

Fire Drills
For your protection, St. Peter’s Hospital conducts fire and disaster drills regularly. If a drill occurs while you are here, please remain in your room and do not become alarmed. The hospital is a fire-resistant building and the staff are trained in fire protection.

Medications
All medications you take while in the hospital are prescribed by your doctor, prepared and dispensed by St. Peter’s Hospital Pharmacy and administered by a nurse to ensure your safety. Patients are not permitted to administer their own drugs unless a physician gives written permission. All medications will be stored by St. Peter’s and administered as ordered by your physician. Take home prescriptions are normally not filled at St. Peter’s Pharmacy.

Oxygen
Special regulations are in effect in areas where patients are receiving oxygen. Electrically operated equipment, open flames, and aerosol products are not permitted in these areas.

Wheelchairs
Wheelchairs are available throughout the hospital, but getting in and out of them without assistance may be hazardous. Please ask for assistance from hospital staff.

Valuable Items
Patients are asked not to bring items of value to the hospital. If you do bring a valuable item, it should be deposited in the safe upon admission. You will be given a written receipt for all items, which must be presented when you withdraw them. St. Peter’s Hospital does not accept responsibility for items of value unless they are deposited in the safe. It is your responsibility to keep track of personnel items, such as hearing aids and dentures that cannot be deposited in the safe. If you’ve lost something, please notify your nurse immediately and we will make every effort to help you find it. Unclaimed articles are kept at the main reception area for 30 days. To inquire about lost articles, call the receptionist at (406) 442-2480, extension 2362.

Visitors
We welcome your visitors as they make your stay more pleasant and help speed recovery. We have designated visiting hours from 8 a.m. - 8:30 p.m. in order for you to have time to rest, see your physician, receive treatments, and eat your meals. Please try to limit your visitors to two at a time and be considerate of others sharing your room. Remember, you can always refuse visitors. If your guests have colds or other transmittable conditions, encourage them to visit when they are well or after you return home.

To ensure your safety and comfort, security will ask visitors to leave the building at 8:30 p.m. During late hours, visitors may be disruptive to patients who are trying to sleep. Visitors arriving at the Hospital after 8:30 p.m. will only be able to enter St. Peter’s through the Emergency Room. Your nurse will ask you whether or not you feel well enough for a visit. If not, the visitor will be asked to return at another time. Families seeking information about patients during non-visiting hours may call the nurse coordinator at 442-2480. St. Peter’s Hospital will accommodate exceptions such as the birth of a baby or a critical patient.

AT YOUR SERVICE

A chaplain is available to help you and your family in the areas of prayer ministry, sacraments, counseling, ethical questions, and emotional support. To request a chaplain, ask your nurse or call the hospital operator by dialing “0.” Your priest, rabbi, or minister is always welcome to visit you. The Chapel, located on the upper floor south of the main elevator, is open to everyone. Visitors of all faiths are welcome to visit the chapel at any time for prayer and meditation.

Smoking
In order to maintain a safe environment for patients, visitors, physicians, and employees; St. Peter’s Hospital is a tobacco free environment. Use of cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, cigars, or any other tobacco products are prohibited at St. Peter’s Hospital.

Gift Shop
The Gift Shop, operated by the St. Peter’s Hospital Association and staffed by volunteers, is open daily. Located in the main entrance lobby, the shop sells gift items, jewelry, magazines, paperback books, greeting cards, candy, toiletries, and flowers. Flowers & Balloons - Flowers and latex-free balloons are delivered daily by florists and shops directly to the nursing units. Flowers are also available in the Gift Shop, however, they are not allowed in the Intensive Care Unit.

Mail
Volunteers deliver letters and packages for patients daily. Letters and parcels that arrive after you have been discharged are forwarded to your home. Stamps and stationery may be purchased in the St. Peter’s Hospital Gift Shop. Outgoing mail may be left at the nurses’ station or given to a volunteer.

Hospitality Cart
The Hospitality Cart, operated by the Hospital Association, offers coffee and tea at no charge and sells a variety of items including candy, toiletries, books, and magazines. Volunteers usually take the cart around the hospital in the afternoon and early evening hours.

Newspapers
Daily newspapers are available on each nursing unit upon request. Additional newspapers can be purchased from the vending machines near the main hospital entrance.

Going Home
After your physician has determined you can go home, a staff member will arrange for your departure and will provide any needed assistance. Remember to retrieve your valuables from the safe and collect all of your personal belongings and double check closets and drawers. The hospital is not responsible for personal belongings left behind in your room.

After Hospital Care
When you leave the hospital, your doctor and nurse will give you instructions about how to best care for yourself at home. If you or any member of your family has questions about diet, activities, or other matters, please be sure to ask your nurse.

Before leaving St. Peter’s, you should understand your condition, how long recovery may take, what you can and cannot do, and what you will need at home. Discuss your needs carefully with your physician, nurses, and family members. Care Managers are available to help you arrange for services that are available in your community such as counseling, durable home medical equipment, Medicare, and Medicaid coverage.

Care Managers can also help you make arrangements for referral to a nursing home or specialized outpatient treatment. If you have any questions, please let your nurse know and a Care Manager will be contacted.

WE VALUE YOUR OPINION

While you’re here, we’d like to hear your comments/concerns regarding the care you receive. St. Peter’s Hospital utilizes a Continuous Quality Improvement program and your comments/ concerns regarding the quality of your care is very important to us. Our goal is to provide very good service. St. Peter’s monitors patient satisfaction through a survey process and encourages you to let us know about any concerns or compliments. We suggest that you contact the Director or Supervisor in the department where your care is provided or call the complaint line at 447-2566 so that we can address any concerns in a timely manner. You may also write or call the Public Relations & Marketing Department: St. Peter’s Hospital, 2475 Broadway, Helena, MT 59601, (406) 444-2135 or the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services at (406) 444-4632 with a complaint/grievance.

ADVANCE MEDICAL DIRECTIVES
In compliance with state and federal law, St. Peter’s Hospital provides the following information to all patients and residents.An advance medical directive is a document, which allows you to give directions about your future medical care. Under state law, you have the right to accept or refuse medical or surgical treatment. If you are ever unable to express your wishes about your medical care, an advance medical directive will inform your family, friends, and health care providers of your wishes.

There are two types of Advance Medical Directives:

Living Will
This is a signed and dated document allowing you to state your wishes regarding health care. It will take effect if you have a terminal condition and can no longer communicate clearly.<br />

Durable Power of Attorney
This is a notarized document in which you name a person (called a proxy) to make your decisions for you if you are unable to do so. It is the policy of St. Peter’s Hospital to follow the guidelines set forth in the patient’s Living Will or Durable Power of Attorney provided that document is filed in the patient’s medical record.<br />

Information packets about advance medical directives are available on each nursing unit. Counseling regarding an advance medical directive is available from your physician or from Care Managers (444-2284) and Pastoral Care (444-2409). You can also download the forms from this page.

Click here for Advance Directives

FINANCIAL POLICIES
St. Peter’s Hospital will admit and render services to all patients, regardless of ability to pay.<br />

We can help you collect any insurance benefits due and help you obtain charitable or public assistance programs. Patient Business Services is happy to answer your billing or financial questions or concerns. Please call 444-2142 or stop by the department on the upper level of the Hospital near the main lobby.

Many different services can be associated with a hospital visit. St. Peter’s will record only hospital, ambulance, emergency services, and rehabilitation charges. All other chargeable services will be billed to you by the service provider-admitting physician, radiologists, pathologist, anesthesiologist, and other consulting physicians. Therefore, you may receive several different bills depending on the services you utilized in the hospital. One bill will be from St. Peter’s and the other providers will send separate bills.

If you furnish all the necessary health insurance information and sign the medical release and insurance assignment authorizations, we will submit complete insurance claims on the appropriate forms for the charges that we record. Keep in mind that insurance is a contract between you and your insurance company and that we are acting only as your billing agent. We cannot pursue payment from your insurance carrier(s) in the event of non-payment or benefit denials. If your insurance carrier(s) has not submitted payment within 30 days of billings, we expect you to pay the balance in full.

You will receive a monthly statement showing any activity on your account and the remaining balance due. All patients are expected to pay any balance not paid by insurance within 30 days of billing unless specific payment arrangements have been made with a patient business services representative. Patients covered by Medicare will be asked to pay only the deductible due within 30 days of billing.

St. Peter’s Hospital has a Patient Assistance Program available with eligibility based on the Federal Poverty Guidelines.

Accreditation
Because St. Peter’s is confident in the high quality of its staff, facilities, and equipment, it voluntarily seeks and receives accreditation from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations. A board of commissioners appointed by the American College of Surgeons, The American Medical Association, and the American Hospital Association governs the commission. The accreditation represents our commitment to provide outstanding health care for the people in our community.

St. Peter’s Hospital is certified by the United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (Medicare and Medicaid) and is licensed by the Montana State Department of Health and Environmental Sciences.

PATIENT BILL OF RIGHTS
St. Peter’s Hospital recognizes and respects the rights of the patients it serves and, therefore, has adopted the following Patient Bill of Rights and is providing these in advance of receiving care. The patient may appoint a representative to receive this information if he or she so desires.

The patient has the right:

To care, without regard to sex, cultural, economic, education or religious background, or the source of payment for care.
To have a family member and his or her personal physician notified promptly of his or her admission to the hospital.
To considerate and respectful care, provided in a safe environment, free from all forms of abuse/harassment.
To access clergy and to participate in spiritual/cultural affairs.
To obtain from the physician information regarding his/her diagnosis, course of treatment (including unanticipated results of care), and his/her prospects for recovery in terms that he or she can understand.
To the name of the physician who has primary care responsibility for coordinating his or her care and to the names and professional relationships of other physicians and health care providers who will see him or her.
To refuse treatment to the extent permitted by law and to leave the hospital even against the advice of his/her physician.
To privacy concerning his/her own medical care program and has the right to be advised as to the reason for the presence of any individual involved in his or her health care.
To confidential records and communications.
To access information contained in his or her medical record within a reasonable time frame.
To expect that the hospital will make a reasonable response to a patient’s request for service.
To information regarding the relationship of his/her hospital to other health and educational institutions insofar as his/her care is concerned.
To refuse to participate in research projects.
To appropriate assessment and management of pain.
To expect a reasonable continuity of care and to be informed by his/her physician of the continuing health care requirements following discharge from the hospital.
To examine and question his/her bill, regardless of the source of payment.
To know the hospital rules and regulations that apply to the patient’s conduct.
To access the hospital’s Ethics Committee.
To formulate advanced directives regarding his or her health care and have hospital staff and practitioners who provide care in the hospital comply with these directives (to the extent provided by law and regulations).
To voice his/her concerns regarding care received without recrimination and be advised of the hospital’s complaint grievance process.
To remain free from seclusion or restraints of any form that are not medically necessary or used as a means of coercion, discipline, convenience or retaliation by staff.
To have all rights apply to the person that has legal responsibility to make decisions regarding medical care on behalf of the patient.

PATIENT RESPONSIBILITIES
As the patient, you can play a vital role in making your care safe by becoming an active, involved and informed member of your health care team. Patients have a responsibility to report perceived risks in their care and unexpected changes in their condition to the responsible practitioner to help prevent health care errors. Patients are urged to “Speak Up.”

Speak up if you have questions or concerns, and if you don’t understand, ask again. It’s your body and you have a right to know.
Pay attention to the care you are receiving. Make sure you are getting the right treatments and medications by the right health care professionals. Don’t assume anything.
Educate yourself about your diagnosis, the medical tests you are undergoing, and your treatment plan.
Ask a trusted family member or friend to be your advocate.
Know what medications you take and why you take them. Medication errors are the most common health care mistakes.
Use a hospital, clinic, surgery center, or other type of health care organization that has undergone a rigorous on-site evaluation against established, state-of-the-art quality and safety standards, such as that provided by JCAHO.
Participate in all decisions about your treatment. You are the center of the health care team.

Reprinted with permission of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations

The patient has a responsibility to provide accurate and complete information concerning his or her present complaints, past illnesses, hospitalizations, medications and other matters relating to his or her health.
The patient is responsible for following the treatment plan established by his or her physician, including the instructions of nurses and other health care providers as they carry out the physician’s orders.
The patient is responsible for his or her actions should he or she refuse treatment or not follow his or her physician’s orders.
The patient is responsible for following hospital policies and procedures and being considerate of the rights of other patients and hospital personnel.
The patient is responsible for his or her personal property and to be respectful of the personal property of others.
The patient is responsible for assuring that financial obligations of his or her hospital care are fulfilled as promptly as possible.

ETHICS COMMITTEE

St. Peter’s Ethics Committee helps you look at “hard choices” you may have to make. Health care decisions are very complex today. Advances in medical technology have given us so many choices, and sometimes the decisions we face are difficult to make. The people involved in our care may also disagree over what steps to take.

Every person has the right to control the health care he or she receives. You exercise this right by making your own decisions. And if you aren’t able to act for yourself, you can still be in charge through your advance directives, where you give directions or name another person you trust to act on your behalf.

But if your wishes are not clearly understood, or if those involved in your care disagree over what should be done, you or your family may need help. That’s where the Ethics Committee comes in. It offers special expertise and experience in medial ethics. Whenever it gets involved, it does so with respect to patient’s rights, family privacy, and the personal nature of health care decisions.

Who Serves on the Ethics Committee?
St. Peter’s Ethics Committee includes persons from many different backgrounds. Members may include:
the administrator, or someone who represents administration of the governing body;
health care professionals such as: a physician from the medical staff, a registered nurse, and a clinical social worker; a chaplain or other person who assists in pastoral care;
others with special training or experience, such as an ethicist;
persons acting as a patient advocate or as a community representative.

What the Ethics Committee Does
St. Peter’s improves the ethical competencies of those delivering and receiving health care through consultation, research and publications, education and community outreach.

Education
We can’t all be experts on medical ethics. But learning about the building blocks of good decision making helps everyone . . patients, family members, and persons who work as care providers.
Our members have up-to-date education through: guest speakers; reports; discussions; and reading. They follow changes in the law; recent court cases; advances in medical technology; and other developments in medical ethics.

Next, the Committee helps the rest of us understand the basics of health care decision making. It takes part in both community education and inservice training for staff.

Help for Decision Makers
“Hard choices” can and do come up. That means that there are two or more paths to choose from . . . and it isn’t clear which is the “more appropriate.”

The issues vary. The question might be: What type of treatment to accept or refuse; whether or not a do-not-resuscitate (“no CPR”) order should be entered by the doctor or who should be the one to make decisions like these.

The circumstances vary. Family members may disagree about what to do; members of the care team may have different opinions; the ability of the patient to decide for himself or herself may be unclear.

The Ethics Committee is available to help, whatever the situation. Here is an example:

A patient has suffered a severe stroke. She’s being kept alive by “artificial means,” by a respirator. But her doctors say she has no real chance of coming out of her coma. Unfortunately, she has no advance directive. And to make matters worse, her son and daughter can’t agree on what to do.

With their consent, a referral may be made to the Ethics Committee to have some of its members sit down with the family. The meeting or “consultation” takes place in a personal, private way. The goal is to help the family understand the situation better so they can make an informed and wise decision based on such factors as: what the patient would want if she could say; the patient’s medical outlook; and how other families have dealt with the same issue.

In this example, two points are especially important:
the Ethics Committee member acts as a “consultant” and “facilitator” but the actual decision is still left up to the patient or the patient’s representative or family; situations like these are both personal and confidential. The Ethics Committee and its representatives will always respect the patient’s and family’s privacy.

Support for Care Providers
The Ethics Committee helps in other ways too. We assist the hospital, home care and hospice when they have questions or ethical dilemmas.
The Ethics Committee does not make policies and procedures. We do assist with:
reviewing and commenting on proposed new guidelines;
keeping existing policies current;
identifying issues or situations that may need to be addressed in the future.

Responsibility
The Ethics Committee plays an important role. It is available to you and your family as needed.
The rest of us can also help by replacing confusion with direction if you:

Take charge of your health care. Make sure you understand your options. Be clear in telling your doctor what your decisions are.
Learn how to use advance directives. Advanced Directives let you say ahead of time what kind of care you do or do not want. They let you appoint someone else to act for you in case you lose the ability to act for yourself. If you complete an advance directive, the chances are good an Ethics Committee consultation will never be needed.
Be willing to talk candidly about what you want. Let your health care representative . . . that’s the person you appoint in a durable power of attorney or health care proxy . . . know your views and how you would like decisions made. If you haven’t appointed anyone, have the same kind of discussion with a close family member or friend. Someday there may be a need for someone to step in and act for you.