Calvary Health Care ACT

Patients

Rights and Responsibilities
Based on our values of hospitality, healing, stewardship and respect, the management and staff of Calvary Hospital recognises, protects and promotes the rights of each person receiving care, the partnership with health care providers and ensures that personal dignity and autonomy are upheld at all times.

For further information about your Rights and Responsibilities please refer to our brochure. View the Calvary Rights & Responsibilities brochure.

Your stay at Calvary Hospital
Most patients at Calvary in the medical and surgical wards will be either emergency admissions or elective admissions.

Emergency admissions are patients who present at the Calvary Emergency Department, either by their own transport or ambulance, and are then admitted as inpatients to Calvary Hospital.

Emergency admissions will be given the opportunity to elect to be:

A private patient in Calvary Public Hospital – you can choose your own doctor (as long as they have clinical practising privileges at Calvary) to see you but you will be accommodated in the Public Hospital. Your health insurance will cover your medical costs in accordance with the details of your coverage. You will not be charged for your hospital accommodation although a gap payment on some medical costs may apply depending on your insurance.

Most people who elect to be private patients have private health insurance. If you are using health insurance please find out what your insurer will reimburse for your procedure and check that against the estimate of your surgeon or procedure list. Also make sure you have been advised of anaesthetist fees and other charges.

There are a limited number of single rooms in Calvary Hospital. Single rooms are allocated solely on the nature and acuity of the patient’s condition. Some patients who are initially accommodated in a single room are later transferred to a shared room.

A public patient – you will not have a choice of the doctor or specialist caring for you and you will not be charged for hospital accommodation or medical costs.

Elective public admissions for an operation or procedure generally involve a patient who has seen a GP or specialist and been referred to a specialist who is clinically privileged to work in Calvary Hospital.

That specialist will assist you to complete the hospital admission forms, and those forms will be transferred to Calvary Hospital and your name will go on that specialist’s procedure list. Calvary Hospital will inform you of the intended date for your procedure and then book the required time in a Calvary operating theatre or procedure room.

Some time before your procedure you will receive additional admission documentation and advice of tests and anything else needed before your admission to Calvary. It is important you complete and return this material, and attend any pre-admission appointments and tests.

You will also be advised of exact times to present for admission and given instructions about fasting in advance of your procedure. Failure to follow the fasting requirements or presenting late to admission may cause your procedure to be postponed.

Prior to your arrival as an elective patient, and as soon as possible after your admission as an emergency patient, the Calvary Hospital clinical team will establish a target date for your discharge from hospital. This target date enables you to make plans for your recovery and also enables Calvary Hospital to develop a working timetable for other patients’ admissions and surgery.

Your care team may talk to you about Hospital In The Home (HITH). HITH involves you still being a Calvary Hospital patient but being treated in your home (HITH is explained in more detail later in this guide).

If you require additional treatment leading to your stay being extended, you will be informed of the revised discharge date as soon as possible.

Discharge involves you, your family or carer, and the whole health care team in determining your needs on return to your usual life following hospitalisation.

Before you are discharged these needs will be organised, and if they are not provided from Calvary Hospital the proper arrangements will be made with other service providers.

On the day you are due to leave Calvary Hospital, every effort will be made to complete your discharge before 10am. The preferred arrangement is that patients are discharged into the care of a family member or friend, and it is advisable this person transports you from Calvary Hospital to your home or the selected place for your recovery. Please organise your transport to home arrangements for 10am on the day of your discharge.

If you do not have a person to support you through the discharge process, or transport is a problem, please let someone from your clinical team know well in advance that you may require assistance.

As your discharge time approaches, you will receive a final visit and assessment from the specialist doctor or registrar managing your treatment. During this visit you should raise any questions you have about your recovery, and you should also discuss follow-up treatments (as a Calvary Hospital outpatient) or appointments with the doctor in their rooms.

Your discharge usually begins with you leaving your bed and transferring to the discharge lounge. This is located on the eastern end of Level 4 of the Xavier Building. Seating is available for you and any people supporting you through your discharge. Make sure you take all the personal items you had with you during your stay at Calvary.

An experienced nursing team manages the discharge lounge. They will attend to all the medical and administrative things that have to be done before you leave.

A critical element of your recovery will be medications. A limited quantity of the medications that you need to continue to take at home will be given to you on your discharge. Normally, medications are only dispensed in sufficient quantity for 3 days supply after discharge. This can be lengthened if requested by your treating hospital doctor. If you need more medication once you are home, your local doctor (GP) can prescribe it for you.

Make sure you understand your medication. If you are unsure of anything, please ask your doctor or your ward pharmacist. A list of your medications can be supplied on discharge if requested.

Calvary Hospital will provide you with a medical certificate for the duration of your stay and also for the following period recommended by your treating doctor. You need to request this certificate prior to your day of discharge. If the duration of your certificate needs to be extended you should ask your GP or specialist to do so after they assess your recovery.

Calvary Hospital provides information to your local doctor and treating specialist by way of an electronic discharge letter. This is completed by your treating medical team within days of your discharge and a copy is sent electronically to your GP. Please notify your ward staff if you do not want your GP to receive this discharge letter.

During your stay and through the discharge process your need for follow-up treatment and Community Health assistance will be discussed with you by your care team. These services include:

• Community nursing
• Meals on Wheels
• Equipment loans
• Rehabilitation services
• Home care
• Respite care
• Speciality clinics
• Outpatient appointments
• Specialist referrals/appointments.

Before you leave Calvary Hospital, please make a final check that all your personal possessions are with you. This should include any X-Rays and any other medical images you brought to hospital with you. Medical images undertaken during your stay will be retained at Calvary.

A critical part of your recovery and discharge is that you follow the lifestyle advice and directions from your clinical team. This may require you to avoid lifting or exertion; following a certain diet; not driving; not consuming alcohol; maintaining an exercise regime; or seeking follow up services.