Patients and Guests

Health Science Campus • The University of Toledo Medical Center
3000 Arlington Avenue • Phone: 419.383.4000 •  utmc.webmaster@utoledo.edu
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About Your Stay

At The University of Toledo Medical Center, we welcome you to our hospital and hope your stay with us will be pleasant and comfortable.

Your Room

Your Hospital Team

Your Comfort, Safety & Security

Going Home

Your Room

Call Light
If you need to get out of bed or need help for any reason, push the nurse-call button and our patient care staff will respond as quickly as possible.

Electrical Equipment
For your safety, our staff must check out all personal electrical equipment brought into the hospital for patient use. Check with the nursing staff to have this done.

Food: Ext. 3838
Your physician may order a special diet for you to assist in your recovery. If you are on a special diet, please check with your physician or nurse before accepting any food brought into the hospital by family or friends. Menus for the next day will be delivered on your breakfast tray. Please complete these and give them to the nursing staff.

Housekeeping: Ext. 5008
Your room is cleaned once a day during your stay. This occurs between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. If you have any issues with the condition of your room, please call Environmental Services.

Medications
It is recommended that you bring a list of medicines you are currently taking, including dosage and frequency of each. If you do bring actual medications with you, the staff will take note of them and ask you to send them home with a family member. Your physician will prescribe any medicine you need during your hospital stay.

Newspapers
Newspapers are available daily through vending machines located on the first floor of the Hospital in the cafeteria near the doors to Dowling Hall.

Television
Each patient room offers television services. The programming includes all local stations, hospital information channels, and selected cable channels. All television functions can be controlled by the remote control unit by your bed.

Patient Education Television - Video on Demand
Patient Education Television programs have been chosen by health professionals at The University of Toledo Medical Center to assist our patients and families in understanding your health problems. This is a free service provided on the television set in your room on channels 64-72. Using the phone in your room, you can call up a video title and watch it at your convenience. Any concerns re­lated to content should be discussed with your physician. Also available on channel 73 and 76 is The Patient Channel and TIP-TV.  

Phone Service
Each bed has a telephone number (excluding the ICUs). Your phone is a direct line from the outside, and incoming calls can be received between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. Your phone number is listed on the ceiling above your bed. Please do not use cellular phones in patient care areas. These phones affect patient care equipment.

For Hospital Operator Assistance: Dial 0.
To Call Inside the Hospital: Dial the last 4 digits of the number.
Local Calls: Dial 9 + Area Code + Number.
Long-Distance Calls: Charged to your home phone or a credit card-Dial 88 + 0 + Area Code + Number.

Hearing-impaired patients may request special equipment (Pocket Talker, TTY). For further information, contact the Customer Care Center at Ext. 3606.
Click here for information on language assistance.

Smoking
We are a Smoke Free facility. Smoking is prohibited throughout our entire campus, in the hospital, and in any buildings.
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Your Hospital Team

Physician
Your physician has admitted you because you need professional services and care. Your physician directs your treatment and may involve others.

Consulting Physicians
Specialists in a medical area who have been requested by your physician to participate in your care.

Residents/Medical Students/Students
Residents are medical physicians training in a specialty area. Medical students are enrolled in medical school. Students are training to become physicians, nurses and physical therapists and are working under the direction of experienced professionals.

You may also see other professionals involved in your care (such as physical therapists, dietitians, physician assistants or paramedics). Your physician assumes responsibility for your care and is the head of the health care.

You may be asked similar, sometimes identical questions. You may perceive this to be duplication of effort, but this actually provides more opportunity for higher quality health care for you. If you prefer that certain professionals not participate in your care, please discuss this with your physician.

Nursing Staff
Nursing care is provided 24 hours a day. A professional Registered Nurse (RN) will be assigned to coordinate your care according to your nursing needs. You may also receive care from other nursing support staff such as Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN), Medical Assistants (MA), Patient Care Aides (PCA), Nursing Assistants (NA), Rehab Technician (RT) and nursing service clerks.

Allied Health Professionals
Allied Health Professionals include therapists and technologists who perform various tests and treatment procedures that you may need. You may see these people in the laboratory, the pharmacy, the heart station, the EEG laboratory, respiratory care, physical therapy, X-ray and clinical nutritional service areas.

Care Coordinators: Ext. 3872
Registered Nurses (RN) and Social Workers (SW) are available to assist you and your family during and after your hospital stay. The Care Coordination staff is trained to identify problems and issues that may arise during your stay and, together with you, your family, your physician and the other members of your health care team, help to resolve them. Care Coordinators can help arrange for needed care after your discharge and can help resolve financial problems that may arise from your illness.

Clinical Nutrition: Ext. 4585
Staff includes Registered Dietitians (RD) and Diet Technicians (DT). They provide nutrition assessments and diet education. If you feel you would benefit from education on a special diet, you may wish to consult with your physician.

Pastoral Care: Ext. 3851
Pastoral Care is available by calling ext. 3851 or by dialing the hospital operator and requesting Pastoral Care. Pastoral Care clergy and trained volunteers are available to you, but your own pastor is welcome to visit you at any time.

Support Departments
Numerous other hospital support departments contribute to your experience at The University of Toledo Medical Center and help make your stay here efficient, safe and pleasant. Among these include Admitting, Dietary, Medical Records, Housekeeping, Linen Services, Central Service, Maintenance, Campus Police, and the Business Office.

Volunteers: Ext. 3835
Volunteers may also be part of your health care team. Our volunteers and members of the Satellites Auxiliary donate their time and talent to escort patients, deliver mail and assist in the patient and family waiting rooms. They also operate the Gift Shop on the first floor near the cafeteria and raise funds to support hospital services and patient programs. If you are interested in receiving information on becoming a volunteer or a member of the Satellites Auxiliary, call Ext. 3835.
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Your Comfort, Safety & Security

Managing Pain
Pain is an unpleasant feeling. After surgery, some procedures, or tests, you may experience pain. Only you can feel this pain. Your input is important. If your pain is not controlled your hospital stay and recovery may be longer. You, your doctors, and your nurses are the pain management team and you are the most important member.

Advance Planning
  • Ask questions regarding your surgery, procedure or tests that are scheduled to be performed.
  • Ask about the types of pain control available to you.
  • Ask when and how often you can take pain medication and what the side effects are.
  • Tell your doctor/nurse all the medicines you are currently taking (bring a list).
  • Tell your doctor/nurse about allergies (drug, food, etc), sensitivities or other similar problems
While in the hospital, describe your pain:
  • Location(s)
  • How the pain feels to you; burning, stabbing, etc.
  • What makes your pain worse; walking, lying in bed, etc.
  • What relieves your pain; distractions, using hot/cold compresses, etc .
  • When does your pain occur; all the time, only in the morning, etc.
  • How the pain has affected your daily activities; appetite, sleep, etc.
  • You will be asked to describe your pain before and after receiving pain medicine. 
    Staff will use the pain scale of 0 to 10.  A rating of zero indicates the absence of pain and ten represents the worst. 

     
Going home:
  • If you are still having pain, check with your doctor for treatment options.
  • If pain gets worse with activity, take your pain medicine before doing the activity. 
  • Tell the doctor if the medicine is not managing your pain.
Safety
We continuously work to provide safe, quality care.  Doctors, administrators, nurses, and staff all have a role in making your health care safe.  As a patient, YOU can also help to make your care safe by becoming an active, involved and informed member of your health care team. Speak up if you have questions.  If you don’t understand, ask again.  You have a right to know.

Pay attention to the care you are receiving regarding treatments and medications.
  • Identify yourself and the reason for your care.
  • Talk with your nurse or doctor if something doesn't seem safe or quite right.
  • Expect staff to introduce themselves, wear ID badges and check your ID band.
  • Request hand washing by staff in order to help prevent the spread of infections.
Learn about your diagnosis, the tests and your treatment plan.
  • Gather information from your doctor, the library, respected web sites and support groups.
  • Ask your doctor for written information and write down important facts as you learn them.
  • Ask your doctor or nurse to explain any forms you are asked to sign.
  • Learn about equipment used in your care.
  • If you are on oxygen at home, do not smoke or allow anyone to smoke near you.
Know what medications you take and why you take them.
  • When receiving new medications, remind your doctor/nurses of allergies you have had.
  • Ask about reasons for the medications, side effects, and ask for any written materials.
  • When taking many medications, ask your pharmacist if they are safe together. Including vitamins, herbal supplements and over-the-counter drugs.
  • Bring a list of your current medications with you for easy reference.
Participate in all decisions about your treatment.
  • Ask your doctor what a test or medication is likely to achieve.
  • Upon discharge, know your plan of care, have a list of medications to take and what you can and cannot do at home.
  • If interested, ask about support groups with others who have had similar treatments.
Security
Patients are urged to send valuables (jewelry, expensive watches, items of sentimental value) home with family. If this is not possible, please contact Campus Police at Ext. 3770 and the items will be placed in the safe. Please make use of this procedure to safeguard your valuables. DO NOT KEEP THESE ITEMS IN YOUR HOSPITAL ROOM. The hospital will not be responsible for the security of these items.

Campus Police: Ext. 3770
The Campus Police Department is here to serve you. If you have any questions or notice anything of a suspicious nature, please call Ext. 3770.
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Going Home

Discharges
Your physician decides when you are eady to go home. Your physician will write the order on your chart and give you instructions for follow-up care.

Before you leave, check your nightstand, bedside tray and closets for any items you may have missed when packing. When you are ready, ring the nurses’ station with your call light. A nurse will discuss follow-up care with you and then you will be asked to sign your discharge instructions.

Making Appointments
If your physician wants to see you in the office for follow-up care, the nursing staff may assist you with making appointments at your request. Ask the physician or nurse for the direct telephone number to the office in case the appointment cannot be made before you leave the hospital. You may also call our operator at 419.383.4000 to obtain your physician’s telephone number.

Medical Alert
A help button, worn either as a necklace or bracelet, activates an emergency response system 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The message is automatically sent over telephone lines to a 24-hour monitoring center. Professional staff at the response center will immediately answer your call for help. Call VRI Lifeline at 800.860.4230 for further information.

Please click here for information regarding concerns about your care.

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