Q: Why are visiting hours scheduled/designated?
A: Patients are in the hospital to receive medical care, nursing care and to participate in a therapeutic environment in order to strive towards their optimum health. It is important for the patient to participate in as many of the program activities while hospitalized. Limiting visits to our designated visiting hours allows the patients to fully participate in all aspects of their therapy. Please remember, if the patient refuses to have visitors, Newport Bay Hospital is obligated to respect these wishes and cannot allow visitation, even during regular visiting hours.
Q: Why can only one family member or friend be designated as the family contact person?
A: Newport Bay Hospital’s priority is to provide excellent patient care. Part of that care is to provide appropriate and timely information to patients’ family and friends. However, we are limited to the number of people we can talk to everyday. We ask that only one family member or friend be designated as the spokesperson for the patient’s loved ones. This individual will be the primary contact for the patient’s physicians, social worker and staff to communicate information. Unless otherwise specified, the person listed as the “emergency contact” will be the primary person to receive information.
Q: What communication may I expect from my loved one’s physician?
A: Your loved one’s physician will contact the designated individual if he/she requires essential information to assist in treatment planning and discharge planning. The physician directs the care for his/her patient and works with the interdisciplinary team of nurses, social workers and therapists. If family and friends have general questions, contacting the patient’s social worker is the best option to obtain the information.
Q: Should patients keep any valuables at the hospital? What if personal possessions are lost during the hospitalization?
A: We ask that items such as cash, credit cards, jewelry and all other valuable be left at or taken home. In the event that valuables cannot be sent home, arrangements may be made to place the patient’s valuable in the hospital safe. Newport Bay Hospital is not responsible for lost or stolen items including glasses, contact lenses, hearing aides and dentures. However, hearing aides, dentures and glasses may be securely locked for safe keeping when patients retire for the night as requested.
Q: How will the hospital be paid?
A: The Business Office at Newport Bay Hospital provides a variety of services as a courtesy, including verification of benefits, billing the guarantor or applicable third parties for services received at the hospital. The charges for your physician(s) services are not included in your hospital bill. These professionals will bill you separately.
Q: Can diagnostic tests and procedures be performed at Newport Bay Hospital?
A: Routine laboratory studies, X-rays and EKGs can be completed while the patient is hospitalized at Newport Bay Hospital when ordered by the patient’s doctor. We are not a diagnostic center, so procedures such as CT Scans, MRIs, etc. are usually performed after discharge.
Q: Can I bring special food or beverages to my loved one?
A: Please check with the nurse's station for information regarding dietary restrictions prior to bringing in any food. Family/friends may bring favorite foods in, including ethnic specialites to a patient. It is especially encouraged for a patient who is eating poorly and may benefit from favorite food items. Please bring food items in disposable containers labeled with both the patients name and date.
Q: Can family and friends take the patient off-grounds at any time?
A: Unfortunately, no. Patient outings with family or friends are not allowed due to preserving the safety of the patient during their stay under our care at Newport Bay Hospital. We encourage family and friends to utilize NBH’s visiting hours to spend time with patients.
Q: Should family and friends bring the patient’s current medications upon admission?
A: Yes. The admitting Registered Nurse will want to review these medications on admission in order to assist the attending psychiatrist to provide the best continuum of care possible for the patient. However, due to regulations, the only medications we may administer within the hospital must be prescribed by the patient’s physicians and must be dispensed from the Newport Bay Hospital pharmacy. Therefore, we will ask family and/or friends to bring in the patient’s current medications at the time of admission, but will then ask family and/or friends to take back home the patient’s medications after they are reviewed by the admitting RN.
Q: Can a representative sign the admission papers?
A: There are two forms of general conservatorship:
• Probate with dementia power
• LPS
Only court-appointed conservators are allowed to sign admission & consent papers. A Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care is only applicable for medical issues and does not apply to mental health treatment including inpatient psychiatric hospitalization and psychiatric medication.
