Thibodaux Regional Medical Center

At Thibodaux Regional, we're centered on our patients. We believe in providing you with all the information you need before you arrive to help you enjoy your stay with us. It is also important to us that your family and visitors are comfortable. We hope you will study the following information on patient rights and responsibilities, admission procedures, financial arrangements, information on policies and tips on how to prepare for your stay. If you need any additional assistance during or prior to your stay, please call Case Management at 435-4813.

Right to Respect

To considerate and respectful care.
To exercise religious, cultural and spiritual beliefs that does not interfere with the well-being of others, and within the Hospital’s resources.

Right to Privacy and Confidentiality

To security and personal privacy and confidentiality of information.
To expect that treatment records are confidential unless you have given permission to release information or reporting is required or permitted by law. When the hospital releases records to others, such as insurers, it emphasizes that the records are confidential and should not be released to the public.

Right to be involved in Care Decisions

To be well informed about your illness, possible treatments and outcomes of care, including unanticipated outcomes, and to discuss this information with your doctor.
You have the right to know the names and roles of people treating you.
To be involved in all aspects of care planning and treatment.
To have a family member or representative of your choice and your own physician notified promptly of your admission to the hospital and to have your family participate in your care decisions, if you so choose.
To be told of realistic alternatives when hospital care is no longer appropriate for you.
To receive information necessary to give informed consent before a treatment or service has begun.

Right to a Safe and Secure Environment

To receive care in a safe setting.
To be free from all forms of abuse or harassment.
To be free from any physical and chemical restraints and seclusion of any form used as a means of coercion, discipline, convenience or retaliation by staff.

Right to Refuse Care

To consent or refuse a treatment, as permitted by law, throughout your hospital stay. If you refuse a recommended treatment, you will receive other needed and available care.

Right to an Advance Directive

To have an advance directive, such as a living will or health care proxy. These documents express your choices about your future care or name someone to decide if you cannot speak for yourself. If you have a written advance directive, you should provide a copy to the hospital, your family and your doctor.
To make decisions regarding the withholding of resuscitative measures or the foregoing of or the withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment.
To receive information regarding organ donation, and the right to consent or refuse to participate.
Right to Information about the Risks and Benefits Related to Treatment, Research, and Investigational Studies
To consent or decline to take part in research affecting your care. The hospital will provide information about potential risks and discomforts that you may experience as a participant in the research project. Additionally, the hospital will provide you with a full explanation of the procedures to be followed, especially those that are experimental in nature. The hospital also will inform patients asked to participate in research projects a description of alternative services that might also prove advantageous to them. If you choose not to take part, you will receive the most effective care the hospital otherwise provides.

Right to Information

To review your medical records and to have the information explained, except when restricted by law.
To know if this hospital has relationships with outside parties that may influence your treatment and care. These relationships may be with educational institutions, other health care providers or insurers.
To know the immediate and long-term financial implications of treatment options, insofar as they are known.
To ask and be informed of the existence of business relationships among the hospital, educational institutions, other health care providers or payers that may influence your treatment and care.
To know about hospital rules that affects you and your treatment and about charges and payment methods. You have the right to know about hospital resources, such as patient representatives or ethics committees, which can help you resolve problems and questions about your hospital stay and care.
To know that expressing a complaint does not compromise your present or future access to care at Thibodaux Regional Medical Center. If at any time during your stay, you wish to make a complaint, please let a hospital employee know. A Case Manager will investigate your complaint. If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of a complaint, Thibodaux Regional has a formal grievance process to establish prompt resolution of your concern. To register a grievance you should contact the hospital’s Chief Quality Resource Officer in Administration. She will assist you in following the grievance process.

Your name, room number and physician's name will be displayed on a patient roster board on your assigned unit. No diagnostic information will be displayed. If you have any objections, please let your nurse know immediately.

Your physician will make all preliminary arrangements for your admission to Thibodaux Regional. It is important that the office of Patient Registration receive complete financial and insurance information before you enter the hospital.

If you have insurance, the following verifiable guarantees will be needed, depending upon your type of coverage:

In addition, please check with your insurance carrier on other specific requirements they may need, such as second opinions on surgeries, before care is provided.

If you are critically ill or being admitted as an emergency patient, a relative or family friend may register you with the help of your admissions representative.

You are ultimately responsible for all hospital charges incurred. As a courtesy, we will file all claims for our services to your primary insurance company and secondary carrier when noted. Once your insurance(s) have paid their portion of the bill, you will be responsible for paying the remaining balance.

All persons are eligible for admission by a member of Thibodaux Regional Medical Center's medical staff regardless of race, sex, color, religion, age, national origin, financial status, sexual orientation or handicap.

Toothbrush, toilet articles, bathrobe, slippers, nightgown or pajamas. Maternity patients should include an infant car seat as well as an outfit for the baby to wear home.

Jewelry, money or anything of value. The hospital cannot be responsible for lost or stolen items. There is a vault available for emergency situations when valuables cannot be sent home with family members. Please speak to the nurse on duty if you must store articles in the vault. In the interest of patient and staff safety, the use of all privately-owned electrical appliances, coffee pots, hair dryers, electric toothbrushes, televisions and radios is strictly prohibited.

Room assignments are made based on your preference, your physician's recommendation and room availability. If your first choice is not available but becomes available during your stay, we will make every effort to transfer you. Thibodaux Regional has private and semi-private rooms, as well as a critical care unit (CCU) for patients requiring special nursing care.

For your good health and personal safety, Thibodaux Regional Medical Center is a smoke-free facility. Smoking is not permitted within hospital buildings.

To speak to a nurse, please press the nurse call button at your bedside. A sound at the Nurses' Station will alert the staff that you need assistance. The staff will speak to you over an intercom to take your request.

In the event of a fire drill or "CODE RED" alert, patients and visitors should remain in their rooms with the doors closed until the "ALL CLEAR" is given or until an authorized staff member comes to evacuate you.

All rooms are equipped with telephone service except those located in special care areas. To ensure patient comfort, no calls will be transferred by our operator before 7 am or after 9 pm.

Thibodaux Regional is not responsible for any patient long distance charges. All long distance calls must be charged to your home or business number or made collect. The local phone company for Thibodaux Regional is Bell South. Charge calls within the 985 area code will be billed by Bell South. Long distance calls outside of this area code will be handled by Metropolitan Interconnect. Calls may be made collect or charged to your home number or telephone credit card. You have the right to reach other long distance carriers to service your call. You can do so by dialing the access code provided by your preferred carrier. All charges you incur will be billed by the long distance carrier.

If you are scheduled for surgery or an ambulatory care procedure, members of your family may be present in the Surgery Lobby, on the first floor of the hospital in the Medical Mall. Family members should register with the volunteer when they arrive. The volunteer will keep them informed of your progress with your consent.

Located in the Inpatient Services Lobby, the Gift Shop is operated by Volunteer Services. The Gift Shop is open Monday through Friday; hours are posted on the door. If you need assistance in the purchase and delivery of personal items not stocked on the nursing unit, call the Gift Shop, ext. 1181. A volunteer will assist you.

Thibodaux Regional subscribes to AT&T Language Line services for telephonic interpreters and Sign Language Services International along with a volunteer list for signing interpreters. Additionally, we can assist you in obtaining telephonic devices or a volunteer reader if needed. If you need assistance, please contact your Case Manager or Nurse for assistance.

All mail, packages and flowers addressed to you will be delivered to your room. Mail received after your discharge will be forwarded to your home. Flowers delivered after your discharge will not be accepted. Flowers are not permitted in CCU.

You will receive a complimentary copy of The Daily Comet each weekday during your stay.

Television service is provided free of charge. To report a problem with your set please inform your nurse.

Security A uniformed security guard is on duty at all times. Additionally, video cameras are located strategically to ensure your personal safety. Please cooperate with Security and help safeguard your personal property while in the hospital. To report an incident anywhere on the medical campus, call the Switchboard at ext. 1100. Also, if the hour is late and you wish to be escorted to your car, please call the Switchboard at ext. 1100.

Vending machines and a change machine are located near the Inpatient Services Lobby on the first floor and are accessible for snacks and cold drinks on a 24-hour basis.

Cafe Bon Manger is open to visitors and hospital staff seven days a week from 7 - 9:30 am for breakfast, from 11 am to 1:15 pm for lunch and from 4:30 - 6:00 pm for dinner.

If a family member or sitter is unable to leave a patient's room for meals, guest meals are available and can be delivered to the patient's room. To place an order from the menus below, dial ext. 4711. Please pay for guest meals when they are delivered.

You will be served three meals per day or as scheduled by your physician. Breakfast between 8 and 8:30 am; lunch between noon and 12:30 pm; dinner between 5 and 5:30 pm. Selective menus will be sent to you at breakfast for the next day's meal selection. Menus are planned and coordinated by our Food and Nutritional Services staff. If you are not able to select because of scheduled tests or other procedures, please call ext. 4711 and we will bring you a menu. If your physician orders a special diet for you, a clinical dietitian will explain the diet and assist you in making the right selections. Before discharge, the dietitian also will give you instructions for following your diet after you are home. Classes for diabetics are taught on an individual basis by our clinical dietitian. We encourage interested patients and their families to use this service.

The hospital Meditation Room is located near the Inpatient Services Lobby and is open 24 hours a day. Ministers visit the hospital daily and may be reached through the nurse on duty.

Area clergy are available for spiritual and emotional support, and providing the sacrament of the sick and final blessings upon patient and family requests. The hospital's Meditation Room is located near the first floor Inpatient Lobby.

Nutritional consultations are available Monday through Friday from 8 am to 5:30 pm for a minimal charge. Information about this service can be obtained by calling the Scheduling Department, 493-4304.

Before your discharge from the hospital, you, a relative, or a friend must contact Patient Financial Services, 493-4739, or ext. 4739, to finalize your financial arrangements.

If you foresee any problem settling your account, contact a financial counselor immediately by calling 493-4739, or ext. 4739. Your final bill will be mailed to you. Any unpaid patient balance should be paid upon receipt of your bill, unless other arrangements have been made.

Your final bill will not include fees for professional charges of your physician, surgeon or any consulting physicians. In addition, the bill does not reflect fees for professional services of the anesthesiologist, cardiologist, oncologist, pathologist or radiologist. These fees are billed directly to you from the physician's office.

Visitors play an important role in patient recovery. Thibodaux Regional's visiting hours end at 9 pm. We ask that children with contagious illness not be allowed to visit, in order to prevent the spread of infection. All visiting children should be supervised by a responsible adult.

The use of cellular telephones is discouraged in high technology areas such as the Emergency Center and Critical Care Unit. If you have questions about cellular phones, please call 493-4326.

Thibodaux Regional is committed to providing quality health care. The are Case Managers available to assist you with a complaint or problem. The Case Management Department can be reached at 435-4813. If your complaint is not handled to your satisfaction you have the right to file a grievance. For assistance in filling a grievance contact the Chief Quality Resource Officer at 493-4761, or ext. 4761.