Arriving at Tri-City Medical Center
Our admitting department is here to greet and take care of you and your loved ones before surgery. We provide a private setting where patients and hospital representatives can meet, which is vital when discussing insurance and other sensitive information about your stay. We walk you through expectations, medical consent forms and regulatory information, ensuring you are at ease. If you have any questions about being admitted to Tri-City Medical Center, please call our main hospital line at 760.724.8411.
For both our records and patient safety, we require patients to complete and sign several forms. If a patient is unable to complete the forms, a designated family member or legal guardian is required to complete all requested information.
Patients receive and are required to wear an identification bracelet around their wrist at all times. This provides critical information for our medical staff to keep you safe. Staff reference your bracelet before administering any medications or treatment. Information on this bracelet includes name, date of birth and medical record number.
Members from our medical team will meet with patients and go over medical information as well as answer any questions a patient may have. All staff members are required to wear a name badge with their picture and job title. If you see someone not wearing a name badge, notify an employee who has a name badge. Our highly-trained staff is here to help you.
Staying at Tri-City Medical Center
Patients are assigned a room with state-of-the-art beds and a nurse call bell system to provide for comfort and easy communication. Our experienced nurses and highly-trained health care team are there around the clock to care for you. Some rooms do have multiple beds to accommodate our many patients, we work diligently to ensure the comfort and privacy of our patients is maintained.
When you are admitted, you will talk with a team member about your medication regimen to ensure your safety at the hospital. While you are here, medication will be administered at appropriate times by our nursing staff under the direction of your doctor.
Our professional health care team will work with our patients to explain and discuss a treatment plan. This is the best time for patients to ask questions about the care they will receive and what to expect during their stay at Tri-City Medical Center.
Some questions to ask should include:
- What is my main health problem?
- What will I need to do to get better?
- Why is this important for me to go through?
All patients will be required to give consent for any medical procedure or surgery performed at Tri-City Medical Center.
If a patient is unable to make decisions for him or herself, a designated representative will be required to make decisions on their behalf. These decisions will impact the health care treatment of the patient.
Our Case Management department will be assigned to patients during their hospital stay and will facilitate the hospital discharge process. The department consists of social workers and nurse case managers who monitor a patient’s hospital stay from the time they are admitted until they are discharged. They work with physicians and the care team to ensure proper care and treatment are taken on behalf of the patient and to prevent unnecessary or prolonged hospitalization.
We ask patients to continually update their nurses and other health care staff on their feelings, and if their condition betters or worsens. If at any time a patient is in need, our staff will quickly assist to ensure a safe and healthy environment.
Leaving Tri-City Medical Center
The doctor responsible for a patient’s care during their hospital stay will coordinate and approve a discharge from Tri-City Medical Center. Patients will also receive final instructions and a discharge packet that includes a treatment plan and medication schedule from the medical team. At the time of discharge, patients will be transported via wheelchair to the main entrance where family members can pick up the patient.
Patients needing special arrangements can speak with a case manager or social worker. In some situations, our case managers can work with a patient’s doctor and insurance to arrange for home care to allow for specialized care. Our case managers or social workers can also assist patients with placement in rehabilitation facilities, nursing homes, or counseling services.
Patients will receive a bill, or multiple bills, after receiving and leaving Tri-City Medical Center. Costs are divided into separate groups – professional and technical.
- Professional costs – this group includes the cost of doctors who cared for the patient.
- Technical costs – this group includes the cost of equipment and other professional support staff such as nurses or technicians.