Patient Guide
Your Admission
Except in emergencies, your doctor will make prior arrangements for your admission to Parkview. When your doctor has planned for you to be admitted to the hospital, please contact your insurance company to ask whether or not a second opinion is required by your insurance plan and to find out whether or not you need to complete any authorization forms prior to your admission. You may be asked to come to the hospital for pre-admission laboratory tests, x-rays or EKGs. Patients who are eligible for Medicare benefits or any other federal, state, or local assistance programs should present their membership cards and/or proof of eligibility upon admission.
Advance Directives
Advance Directives, or a Living Will, informs your physician as to what kind of care you would like when you are unable to communicate because of serious illness or injury. If you are interested in completing Advance Directives, you may Click here for a copy, or contact Health Information Services personnel who will provide you with the necessary information and documents by calling 207.373.1260.
Care Management
Care management is a hospital-wide process of coordinating care during your hospitalization. A Parkview Registered Nurse will work with you and your family to evaluate your individual situation and plan for needs after hospitalization. For more information call 207.373.2270.
What to bring
It's best to pack as simply as possible for your hospital stay. Here is a list of recommended items.
- Personal toilet articles
- Nightgown or pajamas
- Hard-sole slippers
- Protective containers for eye glasses, contact lenses and dentures
- Reading material and a small amount of money to purchase items such as newspapers
What not to bring
The hospital is not responsible for lost or stolen articles and personal items. For this reason, we ask you not to bring large sums of money or other valuables. If you wish to have a wallet, keys or other personal valuables kept in the hospital safe, please inform the admitting clerk during your admission or ask your nurse to contact the admitting clerk. You will be asked to provide a receipt to reclaim your valuables. Any battery-operated audio equipment must be used with earphones.
Mail and Flowers
Mail and Flowers are delivered to your room by a volunteer. Your friends and family may send you email using our patient mail system. These are also delivered by our volunteers. Should mail arrive after you are discharged, it will be forwarded to your home address. Flowers are not permitted in the Intensive Care/Coronary Care Unit.
Meals
Our menu offers patients a wide array of healthy meal options including meat, vegetarian, and vegan options. Our staff Diet Techs will help you satisfy any of your special dietary needs. Your dietitian will periodically consult with you and your caregivers to improve your nutritional condition and help prepare you for going home. Questions regarding your diet or nutritional progress can be referred to either the Dietitian or Diet Tech, as they work closely together to provide the best nutritional care for patients. Call 207.373.2170.
Newspapers
Newspapers are available daily in vending machines outside the hospital main entrance. If you would like a newspaper delivered to your room each day, notify your nurse and a volunteer will deliver your paper.
Notary Public
Notary services are available within the hospital. Please notify your nurse if you will need documents notarized. However, wills or personal financial documents cannot be notarized by hospital personnel.
Patient Representative
The opinions of our patients are very important. To help guide improvements in care and services, you will be given a patient survey to complete. We encourage you to answer the brief questionnaire to let us know how you were treated during your stay at Parkview. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Parkview's Patient Representative at 207.373.2343.
Patient Rights and Responsibilities
We respect the rights of our patients and make every effort to help you understand these rights and responsibilities. Download our Statement of Patient Rights and Responsibilities.
Notice of Privacy Practices
Parkview respects the privacy of our patients. Download our Notice of Privacy Practices to help you understand how your medical information may be used and disclosed and how you can get access to this information.
Smoking Policy
In the interest of better health and safety for all of our patients, Parkview is a smoke-free campus. Smoking is prohibited inside all hospital buildings and on hospital grounds. Please ask your nurse for further information about nicotine replacement therapy or smoking cessation counseling.
Telephone Service
Telephones are available in each patient room and there is no charge for local calls. Dial "9," wait for the second dial tone, then dial the desired number. Long distance calls may be placed collect or charged to your telephone credit card by dialing "8-1-0." A telephone company operator will complete the call for you. If you have any difficulty, dial "0" and our hospital operator will help you.
Visitors
Visits with family and friends are an important part of your healing and recovery process. Click here for a Visitor's Guide.
Going Home
The Discharge Instruction Form, that was given at the time of discharge, will contain a detailed list of instructions you will need to follow after you leave the hospital. The instructions will have been agreed upon by you, your doctor, your nurses and other health professionals. Should you have any questions about these instructions, please ask your nurse to go over them with you again.
Your Bill
We follow Medicare's requirements for patient friendly billing.
Charges
The charge for your room accommodations includes nursing service, meals, laundry, housekeeping and utilities.
Additional Charges
Special services such as medications, dressings, laboratory, X-ray, and other tests and treatments ordered by your physician, will be listed as separate charges.
Physician Charges
Your bill will not include charges from most consultant physicians such as Pathologists, Radiologists, Anesthesiologists, Emergency Department Physicians and your personal physician. Each will bill you separately and payment will be made directly to the consultant's office.
What is a Statement of Services?
You will receive an initial notice called "Statement of Services." This notice is not a bill. On the back of the notice, you will have a general itemization of your charges. This is meant to verify your billing information.
Your next statement will be mailed to you after your insurance makes payment on your account. At this time, you may owe a portion of the statement that was not paid by insurance. If your insurance company does not process payment after 45 days, you will receive monthly statements indicating the status of your account.
If you have no insurance coverage, and anticipate some trouble paying your hospital bill, please contact the Patient Accounts Manager, who will be happy to assist you. Call 207.373.2290.
Any further questions or concerns with your bill, please call our business office for assistance at 207.373.2257.
