Patient Handbook

Cafeteria Hours for Visitors:

Breakfast & Lunch: 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Dinner: 6:00 p.m. to 7:15 p.m.
Click here to view our cafeteria menu.

Holiday Gift Shop Hours:

Weekdays: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Weekends: 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
(Located in the front lobby).

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Caregivers During your Stay:

Physicians:

Your doctor is in charge during your hospitalization. He or she directs your care and orders your examinations, medications, treatments, tests and diet. Your doctor (or doctor's partner) will see you in the hospital everyday, usually in the morning.

Nurses:

Nursing care is provided by Registered Nurses, (R.N.'s), Licensed Vocational Nurses, (L.V.N.'s), and Nursing Assistants, (C.N.A.'s). Every patient's care is planned and supervised by a Registered Nurse.

Laboratory/EKG:

Lab assistants will draw blood for tests ordered by your doctor. Most blood draws are done very early in the morning so that the results are ready when the doctors make rounds.

Respiratory Therapy:

If ordered by your physician, a Respiratory Therapist may come into your room to administer treatments or therapy.

Medical Imaging:

If X-rays, ultrasounds or other scans are ordered, you will be cared for by the Medical Imaging team.

Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapy:

Therapy sessions may be ordered by your doctor as part of your rehabilitation.
Case Management/Social Services.

Case Management/Social Services:

Social services, discharge planning, and utilization review are some of the services provided by our Case Managers and Social Worker.

Pharmacy:

Barton’s Pharmacy serves the patient through convenient and competent service for medications. A pharmacist is on duty to answer questions.

Nutritional Services:

Patient's meals are planned specifically for their nutritional needs. Your comments and requests are welcome, and are honored when possible. A Registered Dietitian's services are available with a doctor's order.

Ancillary Staff:

Ancillary Staff are stationed on each floor and perform a variety of tasks, including housekeeping, transportation and dietary services. You can identify these employees by their name badges.

Engineering Services:

If you find that there is a problem with hospital room equipment, plumbing or room temperature, please notify your nurse so that engineering services can be contacted.

Staff Language Interpreters and Interpreter Phones:

Language interpreter phones are available, if needed. Please advise your nurse.

Barton University Resource Center:

Thanks to the Foundation, the Resource Center opened its doors in August of 2001. It was established for the purpose of providing assistance and information to our patients and their families about health issues. No matter what the patient's age or severity of diagnosis, we’re here to help. The Resource Center provides free internet use for health information, pamphlets, periodicals, books, lending library, video and viewing capabilities, support group listings, physician referral information, and monthly wellness lectures to help our visitors better understand a procedure or diagnosis. The Resource Center is located at 1113 Emerald Bay Rd., Ste. 5. For further questions or to request information, you can call the Barton University Resource Center, Monday – Friday, from8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at (530) 543-5537, or hospital extension 5537. You can also email the Resource Center at: ResourceCenter@BartonHealth.org.

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A Culture of Safety for our Patients:

Our first priority is promotion of safety and prevention of injury. Despite constant and committed efforts, it happens from time to time, that patients are harmed rather than helped by healthcare. While these outcomes are often unavoidable, at times, they result from preventable mistakes or errors in the provision of care.

To assist you in managing your care, we are providing information on medical errors, falls and reporting safety issues.

What are Medical Errors?

Medical errors happen when something that was planned as a part of medical care doesn’t work out, or when the wrong plan was used in the first place. Medical errors can occur anywhere in the health care system: hospital, clinics, outpatient surgery centers, doctor’s offices, nursing homes, pharmacies, or patients’ homes. Errors can involve: medicines, surgery, diagnosis, equipment, or lab reports. They can happen during even the most routine tasks, such as when a hospital patient on a salt-free diet is given a high-salt meal.

What Can you Do? Speak Up!

1. The single most important way you can help to prevent errors is to be an active member of your healthcare team.

2. Make sure that all of your doctors know about everything you are taking. This includes prescription and over-the-counter medicines, and dietary supplements, such as vitamins and herbs.

3. Make sure your doctor knows about any allergies and adverse reactions you have to medicines.

4. When your doctor writes you a prescription, make sure you can read it.

5. Don't be afraid to tell the nurse or the doctor if you think you are about to receive the wrong medication.

6. Ask for information about your medicines in terms you can understand, both when your medicines are prescribed and when you receive them.

7. When you pick up your medicine from the pharmacy, ask: Is this the medicine that my doctor prescribed?

8. If you have any questions about the directions on your medicine labels…ask.

9. Ask your pharmacist for the best device to measure your liquid medicine. Also, ask questions if you are not sure how to use it.

10. Ask for written information about the side effects your medicine could cause.

11. If you are in the hospital, consider asking all health care workers who have direct contact with you whether they have washed their hands.

12. When you are being discharged from the hospital, ask your doctor or nurse to explain the treatment plan you will use at home.

13. If you are having surgery, make sure the staff marks the area that is to be operated on, so that there is no confusion in the operating room.

14. Review "consents" for treatment with your advocate before you sign them and make sure you both understand what exactly you are agreeing to.

15. Make sure that all health professionals involved in your care have important health information about you, including your preferences for care and your wishes concerning resuscitation and life support.

16. Ask a family member or friend to be there with you and to be your advocate (someone who can help get things done and speak up for you if you can't).

17. Don't be afraid to seek a second opinion. If you are unsure about the nature of your illness and what treatment is best, consult with one or two additional specialists. The more information you have about the options available to you, the more confident you will be in the decisions being made.

18. Learn about your condition and treatments by asking your doctor and nurse and by using other reliable sources.

Falls... Are you at Risk?

Certain conditions make us more prone to falls and other accidental injuries. Here are just a few:

• Multiple Medications
  The more medications you take, the more likely you are to experience dizziness or other risky effects. Tell all of your health care providers about all of the drugs you take. Ask them about any side effects that might place you at risk for falls.

• Walking Difficulties
  Shuffling, weakness, stooped over posture, inability to walk a straight line.

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Smoking Policy:

Patients, visitors and staff are prohibited from smoking in any part of the facility. This is to reduce risks to patients and staff who do not smoke and to reduce the risk of fire.

Organizational Ethics:

Patient Self Determination Act:

By law, all inpatients admitted to the hospital must be asked about the presence of an Advance Directive (Living Will; Durable Power of Attorney for health care decisions). If you do not have an Advance Directive, information will be provided to you. Hospital staff and practitioners will comply with the directive which will be placed on your medical record.

Organ Donations:

Barton HealthCare System works in close conjunction, as prescribed by law, with Golden State Organ Procurement Agency. If you have any questions regarding this service, please contact your doctor, the nursing staff or Golden State (800) 762-8819.

Patient Concerns:

Although our goal is to provide the highest quality care to all patients and their families, occasionally, concerns are raised that we are committed to investigate. Please contact the department manager or nursing manager. In addition, you may also contact us by telephone, or in writing any of the following hospital leaders who will ensure that your concern is handled timely and to your satisfaction.

• Kathryn Biasotti, Quality Improvement Risk Management Director, (530) 543-5845

• Kathy Cocking, Director of Hospital Operations, (530) 543-5843

• John Williams , CEO, (530) 543-5840

• Barton Memorial Hospital, P.O. Box 9578, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96158

Grievances will be reviewed and investigated as soon as they are received. Response to significant complaints will be made in writing by the manager doing the follow-up within 30 days of receipt of concern.

Tipping and Gifts:

Employees are prohibited from accepting tips and gifts of significant value. We ask instead, that your gratitude is expressed in a letter to the staff, recommending our services to your friends, or making a donation to our Foundation.

Ethics Based Approach to Patient Care:

Consistent with our Mission, Vision and Values, we believe and actively encourage patients and their families/care givers to participate in patient care and decision making. We recognize that dealing with serious and vitally important health care decisions can be both stressful and difficult for patients and families and may sometimes cause conflict between family members or between family and members of the health care team. Barton’s Ethics Committee is structured to convene to handle any ethics issue that may arise during your hospital stay. This Ethics Committee is comprised of members of the hospital's medical staff (including your physician), nursing, social service, and clergy and can be convened at your request to address your issue with the utmost professionalism, dignity, compassion and confidence. Should you have a need for this service or to obtain further information related to the hospital's ethics and patient rights program, please feel free to contact your physician, nurse or other hospital employee, who will make the appropriate referral to an individual who will contact you or your family.

What is HIPPA?

Barton HealthCare System has always protected the privacy, security and confidentiality of patient information. This practice, however, is now part of the enforceable federal rules specified by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) that was passed by Congress in 1996.

HIPAA is designed to simplify sharing of electronic patient information. A huge portion of healthcare dollars are currently spent on the process of determining eligibility and processing claims for payment, and one of HIPAA's goals is to create national standards that can be used to expedite these processes and thus save money. Along with these goals, however, there is a realization that widespread dissemination of patient information in electronic format could create opportunities for inappropriate use of this information. Thus, HIPAA also includes strict provisions designed to protect confidential patient information in all its formats (electronic, paper and verbal).

As required under HIPAA's Privacy Standards, we provide each patient a copy of our Notice of Privacy Practices, which outlines patients' rights regarding their health information and our commitment to protecting and ensuring its confidentiality. This Notice is provided to each patient upon the first date of service at Barton Health. You may obtain a copy of Barton Health's Notice of Privacy Practices by clicking here, or from our Admitting or H.I.M. departments at Barton Health.

HIPPA Officers:

• HIPAA Privacy Officer – Barton Health, P.O. Box 9578, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96158, (530) 542-3000, ext. 4251, Privacy_Officer@BartonHealth.org

• HIPAA Security Officer – Barton Health, P.O. Box 9578, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96158, (530) 542-3000, ext. 5540, Security_Officer@BartonHealth.org

Medical Record Information:

Patients' medical records are the property of the hospital. Under Federal and California State Law patients are entitled to information contained in their records subject to applicable legal statues and hospital policy. All information is confidential and release is closely controlled to protect our patients' right to privacy.

All requests for medical records information, including information on patients currently under treatment, must be directed to:

Correspondence Unit – Health Information Services, Barton Memorial Hospital, P.O. Box 9578, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96158

Copying of medical records can be done for a nominal fee.

The telephone number is (530) 543-5900. Business hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except holidays.

Spiritual Care:

Spiritual support is part of your medical care. Knowing your religious preference information helps us meet your care needs. Pastoral visits are available.

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Patient Rights - California:

In accordance with Section 70702 of California Administrative Code, the hospital and medical staff have adopted the following list of patient rights:

These rights are exercised without regard to sex, culture, education, religious background or the source of payment for care.

Patients Have The Right To:

• Considerate, safe and respectful care.

• Knowledge of the name of the physician who has primary responsibility for coordinating the care, and the names and professional relationships of other physicians who will see the patient.

• Receive information from the physician about the illness, the course of treatment and the prospects for recovery in terms that can be understood.

• Receive as much information about any proposed treatment or procedure as may be needed in order to give informed consent or to refuse this course of treatment.
  
  Except in emergencies, this information shall include a description of the procedure or treatment, the medically significant risks involved in this treatment, alternative course of treatment or non-treatment and the risks involved in each and to know the name of the person who will carry out the procedure or treatment.

• Actively participate in decisions regarding medical care including managing pain effectively. To the extent permitted by law, this includes the right to refuse treatment.

• Appropriate assessment and treatment of pain.

• Formulate Advance Directives and have hospital staff and practitioners who provide care in the hospital comply with these directives.

• Full consideration of privacy concerning the medical care program. Case discussion, consultation, examination and treatment are confidential and should be conducted discreetly.

• The patient has the right to be advised as to the reason for the presence of any individual.

• Confidential treatment of all communication and records pertaining to the care and the stay in the hospital. Written permission shall be obtained before his/her medical record can be made available to anyone not directly concerned with the patient’s care.

• Reasonable responses to requests he/she may make for service.

• Leave the hospital even against the advice of the physicians.

• Reasonable continuity of care and to know, in advance, the time and location of appointment as well as the physician providing the care.

• Be advised if hospital or personal physician proposes to engage in, or perform human experimentation affecting the care or treatment. The patient has the right to refuse to participate in such a research project.

• Be informed by the physician or a delegate of the physician of his continuing health care requirements following discharge from the hospital.

• Have a family member or representative of their choice and their own physician notified of their admission to the hospital.

• Examine and receive an explanation of the bill regardless of source of payment.

• Know which hospital rules and policies apply to patient conduct.

• Have the right to be free from verbal or physical abuse or harassment.

• Have all patients’ rights apply to the person who may have legal responsibility to make decisions regarding medical care on behalf of the patient.

• Have unexpected or adverse outcomes explained by licensed independent practitioners or their designees.

• Designate visitors of his/her choosing, if the patient has decision-making capacity, whether or not the visitor is related by blood or marriage, unless:

  • No visitors are allowed

  • The facility reasonably determines that the presence of a particular visitor would endanger the health or safety of a patient, a member of the health facility staff, or other visitor to the health facility, or would significantly disrupt the operations of the facility.

  • The patient has indicated to the health facility staff that the patient no longer wants this person to visit.

• Have the patient’s wishes considered for purposes of determining who may visit if the patient lacks decision-making capacity and to have the method of that consideration disclosed in the hospital policy on visitation. At a minimum, the hospital shall include any persons living in the household.

• This section may not be construed to prohibit a health facility from otherwise establishing reasonable restrictions upon visitation, including restrictions upon the hours of visitation and number of visitors.

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Patient Responsibilities:

Provision of Information:

A patient has the responsibility to provide, to the best of his/her knowledge, accurate and complete information about present complaints, past illnesses, hospitalizations, medications, vitamins or dietary supplements and other matters relating to his/her health. He/she has the responsibility to report unexpected changes in condition to the responsible practitioner. A patient is responsible for reporting whether he/she clearly comprehends a contemplated course of action and what is expected of him/her.

Compliance with Instruction:

A patient is responsible for following the treatment plan recommended by the practitioner primarily responsible for his/her care. This may include following the instructions of nurses and allied health personnel as they carry out the coordinated plan of care, implement the responsible practitioner’s orders, and enforce the applicable hospital rules and regulations. The patient is responsible for keeping appointments and, when unable to do so for any reason, for notifying the responsible practitioner or hospital.

Pain Management:

Patients are responsible for reporting their pain.

Refusal of Treatment:

The patient is responsible for his/her actions if he/she refuses treatment or does not follow the practitioner's instructions.

Hospital Charges:

The patient is responsible for assuring that the financial obligations of his/her health care are fulfilled as promptly as possible.

Hospital Rules and Regulations:

The patient is responsible for following hospital rules and regulations affecting patient care and conduct.

Respect and Consideration:

The patient is responsible for being considerate of the rights of other patients and hospital personnel and for assisting in the control of noise and the number of visitors.

The patient is responsible for being respectful of the property of others and of the hospital.

Family, Significant Other, Guest Responsibility:

The family, significant other, or guest are responsible for being considerate of the rights of the patient, as well as other patients and hospital personnel and for assisting in the control of noise.

The family, significant other or guests, are responsible for being respectful of the property of others and of the hospital.

The family, significant other or guest, are responsible to respect the patient's privacy when treatments are being given, as well as at the request of the patient and/or health care member.

Additional Patient Services:

Rehabilitation Services:

Rehabilitation Services are available in acute care areas and offer short-term stays for patients who qualify by assessment.

Long-term Care Facility:

The 48-bed Long-Term Care Facility is Medicare and MediCal certified and will serve the needs of patients who require an extended stay with Skilled Nursing and long-term care services. A full-range of services is available including:

Social Service, Speech Therapy, Recreational Activities, Respiratory Therapy, Physical Therapy, Pain Management, Occupational Therapy.

Nursing care will be available for patients of any age who require an extended stay in a health care setting or patients who are terminally ill. A wide variety of activities are available to residents, including field trips in the department van.

Home Health Care:

Home Health Care is help at home when you need it most. Our skilled nurses, home health aides, therapists and social workers come to you in the privacy and comfort of your home, assisting patients with recovery from illnesses and injuries. All care and treatment is under the direction of the patient's physician.

Home Infusion Therapy is offered through Home Health and the Pharmacy as an alternative to extended hospitalization for the medically stable patient.

Anyone can request Home Health Care services for a person who is unable to take care of their own medical needs. A physician must approve the order and prescribe the service as necessary and beneficial for the patient. Contact Barton HealthCare System Home Health Agency or your physician to determine how your needs can be met.

Hospital Auxiliary:

The Barton HealthCare Auxiliary is an active volunteer group of men and women who mix service and social activities as a support to all patients.

The proceeds from the Gift Shop in the Hospital Lobby and The Attic Thrift Store on Lodi Avenue, help to provide state-of-the-art medical equipment. The reception desk Volunteers assist the public and staff. If you would like to become a volunteer, click here.

Hospital Foundation:

The Foundation was incorporated in 1990, as a non-profit entity. The 21-member volunteer Board of Trustees plans events and fundraising opportunities to secure additional funding for maintaining the highest level of health care for Barton patients. Recognition and donation opportunities are available. For more information on the Foundation, click here.

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When You Leave:

Discharge:

We hope that you've had a comfortable stay at Barton Memorial Hospital. Now that you are ready to leave the hospital, here are a few things you need to know:

• Your physician will decide when you will be discharged.

• You will be contacted by the business office if insurance or billing information is needed.

• Please arrange for someone to take extra items, such as gifts and flowers, to your home prior to your leaving. This will help make your discharge from the hospital more efficient.

• Make sure you have all personal belongings and your discharge prescriptions.

• A volunteer will take you to your vehicle in a wheelchair. Please arrange for someone to drive you home. The car may be parked outside the main lobby doors for loading.

Hospital Charges and Other Fees:

Barton Memorial Hospital will bill your insurance company(s) for you. Private payment schedules may also be arranged. Physicians and services such as anesthesiology, surgery, radiology, and pathology are billed independently. Hospital charges are itemized on the hospital statement and a Business Office representative can assist you with the interpretation, if needed (530) 543-5930.

Thank You for Choosing Barton HealthCare System!

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