Services
Patient Information
Located
on first floor of Mercy Medical Center - North Iowa. Use the south entrance
at 1000 4th Street SW. The entrance to Patient Registration is the first
left past the lobby.
Admission to Mercy Medical Center - North Iowa is arranged by a physician who is a member of our Medical Staff. Each patient is placed in the appropriate level of care based on assessed needs. No person will be denied treatment or accommodations which are available and medically indicated on the basis of race, gender, age, beliefs, disability, diagnosis, color, creed, national origin, or ability to pay.
We encourage patients with prescheduled admissions to complete the preadmission registration forms which are mailed to you to hasten the admitting processing upon arrival. In some cases, Patient Registration staff may call and pre-register you over the phone prior to admission. In addition, some patients may participate in preadmission testing for laboratory or radiology tests on a day prior to admission. These tests will be arranged by your physician.
Most patients are scheduled for admission between 7 a.m. and 1 p.m. Emergency and maternity cases are admitted at any hour.
ID Bracelet
You will be issued an identification bracelet during admission. This ID is used frequently by nursing and other professional staff to ensure the you are receiving the care ordered for you. The bracelet must be worn at all times while you are a patient in the medical center.
Your Rights
Each individual admitted to the medical center has the right to privacy of all medical and personal information. To insure continuity of care, agencies affiliated with the medical center, or directly/indirectly involved with the patient's care, will be permitted access to the patient or patient information, for the purpose of assessment, interviewing, questioning, or observing him/her, with the patient's express consent. Those agencies which do not meet this criteria will be denied access, except as required by law. (See the HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practice.)
Patients have the right to communicate with anyone responsible for their care, to receive adequate information concerning the nature and extent of their medical problem, and to have the planned course of treatment and prognosis explained. All your rights as a patient are explained in the Patient Rights and Responsibilities ( Notificación de las Prácticas de Privacidad ) document.
Your Room
Your room assignment is made with consideration of available staff and your specific needs, including medical condition, isolation status, gender, and individual requests. Patient rooms are either private or semi-private. Private rooms have an additional cost to the patient when not medically necessary.
Your room is equipped with telephone, radio and television. Dialing instructions appear on each phone. You may provide your friends and relatives with your phone number so they may call you directly from outside the medical center. Telephone devices for the deaf (TDD), speaker phones and amplifiers are available upon request.
Cable TV is available in all patient rooms however, not all channels are available in every room due to television capabilities. A weekly television schedule is provided for you.
What to Wear
You may wear your own pajamas or clothing while at Mercy Medical Center - North Iowa. If you prefer, hospital gowns will be provided at no extra cost. Your nurse will help you decide what is most appropriate to wear during your stay.
What You Can Bring
It is important to bring your insurance card. If your insurance plan includes a deductible or copay, please be prepared to pay this at the time of service.
All personal valuables should be left at home. Any valuables brought to the medical center will be placed in a personal belongings bag upon admission and sent home with a friend or relative. If this is not possible, valuable items will be locked in a safe in Patient Registration. Please remember to take this items home when you are discharged. Mercy Medical Center - North Iowa cannot be responsible for personal possessions left in your room. Please do not keep more than $5 in cash for personal needs.
You are not allowed to bring personal therapeutic equipment to the hospital. Any equipment needed during your stay will be made available.
Regulations of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations state that patients may bring one hair dryer/blow comb, electric razor or curling ironto the medical center. Each patient room is equipped with a radio and television.
Medications
While hospitalized, you will receive all your medications from the hospital pharmacy so staff can monitor and control the medications taken by patients. Medications brought to the medical center will be noted on the patient record and if possible sent home or stored until your discharge.
Patient Meals
You are allowed to order from a hospital menu after the first day, even when treatment demands a modified diet. Soft drinks are available 24 hours a day.
Meals are served to patients three times a day beginning at
East Campus: 7 a.m., 11:15 a.m. and 4:50 p.m.
West Campus: 7:30 a.m., 12 noon, and 5:30 p.m.
Discharge Planning
The discharge planning process and instruction begin early in the course of treatment for illness or injury and includes the involvement of the patient, family, physician and multidisciplinary team of health professionals. Medical center personnel will provide information about the various providers offering skilled care, homecare, and hospice services, and must reveal which are affiliated with the medical center. You may choose the provider that best meets your needs.
Upon Discharge
Before leaving the medical center, please check all drawers, the closet, and the bathroom for personal belongings. Ask your nurse for any medications or personal valuables, which were stored for you. A member of the nursing staff will accompany you from your room to your transportation.
We Welcome Your Comments
A comment card is available in your bedside drawer and periodic phone surveys are conducted to learn if we are meeting your health care needs. Please fill out a card and should you be called, we hope you will take the time to share your opinions. We welcome your input so that we may improve upon our services.
Director
Laura Olander
641.422.7193
Supervisor
Lisa Rogers
641.422.7748