Coming to St Joseph Hospital as a Patient

Before your visit

Your doctor will make all the arrangements for your outpatient or inpatient visit with us unless it is an Emergency Department visit. These arrangements might include a pre-admission testing appointment before your scheduled visit. It is always a good idea to call your insurance company to inform them of your planned visit to our hospital in case an authorization is required. Your doctor’s office may be able to help you with that.

St. Joseph Healthcare is “Tobacco Free for Life”
To promote wellness and wholistic healing in accordance with our mission, the use of tobacco products (cigarettes, cigars, pipes and smokeless tobacco) is prohibited within and outside all St. Joseph Healthcare-owned buildings. If you have a nicotine addiction, you should discuss this with your admitting physician before your hospital stay. Alternatives to smoking use are offered at our facility, such as bedside intervention, medications, nicotine patches or gum.

The Day You Arrive

Patients who are scheduled for surgery, endoscopy procedures, surgical clinic, pain management or cardiac catheterization lab should use the Ambulatory Surgery Entrance on Center Street. All other visits, such as direct admits, radiology, cardiology and respiratory testing should come to Central Registration located off the Main Lobby at the Broadway entrance. Complimentary valet parking services are available at both entrances:

• Ambulatory Surgery Entrance on Center Street from 5 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
• Main Entrance on Broadway from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

You will meet with a Registration representative who will complete the necessary paperwork associated with your visit, such as the Hospital Consent to Care form, and you will be offered information about privacy, patient rights and advance directives.

Information You Should Bring

• Current health insurance information
• All medications you are currently taking, both over-the-counter and prescription medications. During your stay, hospital staff who provide your care will need to know all pertinent information about the medications you are taking, such as the dosage and frequency of all prescribed and over-the-counter medications and herbal products.
• A driver if required for outpatient surgery
• A copy of your Advance Directive (Living Will and/or Durable Power of Attorney)
• Medicare Part D Coverage plan information

If you are expecting to stay overnight, please pack lightly. A personal care kit and hospital clothing are provided for those patients who are staying overnight, but for your own comfort you may wish to bring the following items: Personal toiletries such as soap, toothbrush, pajamas, robe and slippers. A small amount of money, such as $5 to purchase a newspaper.

Items Better Left at Home

Valuables and large amounts of cash. We cannot be responsible for lost personal articles, and we suggest that you leave valuables at home. Arrangements can and will be made for emergency situations.

Electrical Appliances For the safety of our patients, St Joseph Hospital does not allow electrical appliances to be brought from home. Arrangements would need to be made for any special circumstances. Please discuss these circumstances with your admitting physician and he or she can facilitate the arrangements prior to your hospital stay.