For your convenience, automated teller machines (ATMs) are located on the first floor of the North Tower and on the second floor of the Mellon Pavilion.
A registration representative or financial counselor will ask you for your insurance information. After verifying your insurance with your insurance carrier, it may be determined that you owe a co-pay, deductible, co-insurance or any combination of these. Payment of these liabilities is expected and will be requested at pre-registration or the time of your visit/admission.
Requests for private rooms can be paid in advance during the pre-admission process or on the day of admission. We require a three-day payment. If you are already admitted to a semi-private room and request that you be transferred to a private room, a three-day payment is required prior to your transfer.
Hospital payments may be made via cash, personal checks or credit cards. We accept MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Discover.
The hospital will bill your insurance company for the cost of supplies, equipment and the support staff involved in your care. If the services of certain hospital-based physicians or specialty services were required during your stay, you will be billed separately for these professional services. These physicians will bill your insurance directly for professional services rendered. The bill, which is for the reading and interpretation of test results by a physician, will be sent to you by the physician billing department. In some types of examinations, you will have met the physician who interprets your test. However, even if you have not seen this physician in person, he or she will have studied your examination and sent a written report to your physician. This procedure applies to:
If you do not have insurance coverage, hospital financial counselors are available to help you. They can help you complete medical assistance applications and provide information on Help Loans and other applications for patient financial assistance. Our financial counselors can be contacted by calling extension 5031 from your room.
Billing questions after discharge should be directed to Customer Service at 1-800-547-0540.
Your doctor and healthcare team will decide when you are well enough to leave the hospital. Departure on the day of discharge is most often before 11:00 AM.
Your doctor or hospital staff will notify you of your potential discharge. In many instances, they may be able to give you advance notice of your impending discharge.
You should make arrangements for a family member or friend to accompany you home upon discharge.
Your doctor or doctor's designee will tell you that you will be discharged and give you final discharge instructions. At this time, ask your doctor any questions you have about your discharge instructions or care after discharge. Your departure time is to be within 3 hours of the time your doctor/designee told you of your actual discharge.
When told of your discharge, collect your personal belongings and ask your nurse to get anything you may have secured in the hospital safe. Be sure to check your bedside stand, closet and bathroom for any items. If you need additional bags or a cart for your belongings, please ask your nurse.
On your discharge day, free parking in the Parking Complex is available for the person picking you up. Please tell this person to use this service, because you will be transported through the Skywalk.
Your nurse will arrange for a hospital escort to help you get safely to your vehicle.
You may be discharged to an extended care facility for further care. A social worker will be assisting you and your family through that process once your post-discharge needs are known.
Should you need the services of a wheelchair van, call the Social Services Department at extension 5105 for assistance. You and/or your family are responsible for payment of this alternative transportation.
Ambulance service is arranged by your social worker. However, insurance only reimburses for this service in exceptional cases with physician authority and medical necessity.
If your healthcare team believes that you qualify for an inpatient rehabilitation stay, West Penn Hospital offers a comprehensive acute inpatient rehabilitation program with 24-hour nursing care located on the third floor that is designed to return patients to the community with maximal function and independence as quickly and safely as possible. Drawing on the many resources available through West Penn Hospital, a comprehensive, individualized care plan is developed and followed according to your unique recovery needs. This plan emphasizes early intervention and a team approach to rehabilitation involving you, your family and the primary physician as active members of the team. Should you need an inpatient rehabilitation stay, the Social Services Department will arrange this next step for you.
We are committed to following patients' wishes concerning medical treatment whenever possible. The Hospital's Medical Ethics Committee is available to offer supportive counsel and information to assist you and your healthcare providers in making difficult treatment decisions for yourself or a loved one when complex ethical issues are involved.
When an ethics consultation is requested, representatives of the Medical Ethics Committee will meet with the patient, family members, and the patient's physicians, nurses and social worker to provide confidential assistance. Through careful and thoughtful discussion, this diverse group of professionals with expertise in medical ethics will identify the ethical problems and offer assistance in resolving them. Please remember that the Ethics Committee offers advice only, and that competent adult patients or substitute decision-makers always retain the right to make their own decisions.
Generally, an ethical problem exists when the right thing to do is not clear or when people disagree about what is appropriate. Some examples are:
An ethics consultation may be helpful when:
Patients and family members may ask any member of the healthcare team to initiate a consultation or may call the Social Service Department at (412) 578-4696. An Ethics Committee representative will discuss the process with you, determine if you wish to pursue an ethics consultation and answer any questions you may have. There is no charge for ethics consultations.
The Dietary Services Department staff strives to ensure that you are satisfied with your food services during your visit. To fulfill your expectations, we have made the commitment to:
Patient meals are served during the following times:
You will receive a menu daily to make your selections for the following day's meals. Please circle your choices clearly, and remember to include such items as butter, margarine, sugar and cream for coffee. A dietary technician will help patients on a modified diet make the proper menu choices.
If you do not receive a menu or if you have any comments, please call Dietary Services at (412) 578-5222 and a representative will assist you.
You should make your menu selection by 9:30 AM each morning. Your completed menu will be collected daily. At times, laboratory, X-ray and other tests will require that a meal be delayed or omitted. Whenever possible, you will be served after your test or examination.
Should you have dietary restrictions for personal or religious reasons, please tell your nurse or Dietary Services representative when you are admitted to your room.
At your request, the Dietary Services Department can also prepare the following for you and/or your guests:
* provided at an additional charge
If you and/or your guest would like to order a special request noted above or have any other questions, please call Dietary Services Nutrition Hotline at (412) 578-5222.
We take pride in providing you with the highest quality of services and food. It is through your honest feedback that we are able to continually improve our services.
If you believe we have not met our commitment to you and you are not satisfied with our service or food, we want to know. Please inform a Dietary Services representative immediately by dialing (412) 578-5222. Please tell us why you are dissatisfied and allow us the opportunity to make the appropriate corrections or adjustments.
Your guests are welcome to eat in the hospital's cafeteria or in your room with you. West Penn's cafeteria, called the Friendship Dining Room, is located on the First Floor of the North Tower.
The menu and hours of service are posted daily in front of the cafeteria entrance. Your family members or guests are also welcome to listen to a recording of the cafeteria's daily menu by calling Dial-A-Menu at (412) 578-5780.
A vending area on the Second Floor of the North Tower is open 24 hours a day. There are vending machines with snacks, sandwiches, and hot and cold beverages, and the area has a microwave oven.
Guest meals can be served in your room. Guests can choose from your daily menu or order special entrees (Note: There may be an additional fee for special entrees).
Guests can place their order when the Dietary Services representative collects your daily menu or by calling [a] (412) 578-5222 at least one hour before they would like to be served.
The charges for guest meals must be paid in advance in the cafeteria, and are as follows:
Charges for guest meals will appear on your West Penn Hospital bill. Guest meals are not covered by your medical insurance and the hospital cannot accept payment upon delivery. Special arrangements have been made for guest meals for parents of patients in the Pediatrics Unit; please ask your nurse for details.
Patients and visitors are invited to tour West Penn Hospital's Gallery of Art. Located in the upper lobby of the main entrance to the hospital on South Millvale Avenue, the gallery is a showcase for regional artists with exhibits changing every month.
For more information or to purchase any of the works of art on display, visit the Volunteer Services Office on the Forth Floor of the North Tower or call (412) 578-5313. A portion of the proceeds benefits Junior and Senior Volunteer Programs at West Penn Hospital.
The Gift Shop is located on First Floor of the North Tower. It is open weekdays from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM and on Saturdays and Sundays from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM. It is closed on holidays.
The Gift Shop offers a wide selection of greeting cards, wrapping paper and gift items, as well as snacks and candy. All proceeds are used to fund hospital projects, such as purchasing new equipment or establishing new programs. Call the friendly staff at the Gift Shop at (412) 578-5507, and they will assist with your selection and deliver it.
During your stay at West Penn Hospital, you will be cared for by physicians, professional nurses, and other healthcare team members who are dedicated to providing excellent care and service with competence, compassion and courtesy.
Your healthcare team members include people who are specially trained to care for you and contribute directly and indirectly to meet your needs. Most of the care you receive from the healthcare team will take place at your bedside.
Members of the healthcare team generally involved in your daily care include:
The service you receive is important to us. If you have concerns or see opportunities for improvement during your stay, please see your caregiver or ask to see the nurse manager. You may also call the Department of Patient and Guest Services at (412) 578-5648.
The patient library has a variety of used books and magazines for your enjoyment during your stay. To borrow a book or magazine, please call the Volunteer Services Department at (412) 578-5313. If a volunteer is on duty, he/she will come to your room with the book cart. Books and magazines do not need to be returned. Patients and visitors are welcome to take home whatever they are reading at the time of discharge.
To inquire about lost items, call the Security Office at (412) 578-1800 or ask your nurse for assistance. For lost items of clothing, please check with the nurse manager on your unit.
Mail is delivered Monday through Friday to each patient unit. Registered mail and telegrams are delivered as soon as possible. If your mail is received at the hospital after you have been discharged, it will be forwarded to the address you provide upon discharge. Addressing mail as follows will help prevent postal delays:
(Patient's Name)
West Penn Hospital
(Patient's Room Number)
4800 Friendship Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15224
Postage stamps can be purchased at a stamp machine located on the first floor of the North Tower. Stamped, first-class mail can be deposited in the mailbox near the patient elevators on the first floor of the North Tower.
Flowers and packages are delivered directly to your room by the florist or a hospital volunteer. Flowers and live plants are not permitted on critical care units. Plants and flowers delivered to these units will be retained by the staff for families to pick up and take home.
You and your guests are welcome to visit the hospital's all-faith chapel, located in Suite 1511 on the first floor of the North Tower. Please tell us on admission how we may help meet your and your family's spiritual needs, and tell your nurse if you wish to speak with a chaplain at any time.
Representatives from the Department of Patient and Guest Services identify and act upon improvement opportunities presented by hospital patients and guests. Physicians, patients, families and visitors rely on Patient and Guest Services to address special needs, identify and seek solutions to problems, and represent their interests. You can reach a department representative by calling (412) 578-5648. After regular business hours, please notify the unit supervisor if a situation requires immediate attention.
After your discharge, a self-addressed, stamped patient survey will be mailed to your home. Please take a few minutes to complete and return the survey. Your comments help us evaluate and improve our services to effectively meet our patients' needs.
Your physician or your family may request the services of a private-duty registered nurse. Licensed practical nurses and nurses aides also are available for private duty. Requests for private-duty nursing assistance should be directed to your nurse, who will provide you with names and phone numbers of agencies to contact. You or your family are responsible for paying private-duty services, which will be billed separately from your hospital bill.
To help ensure the safety and security of our patients and visitors, Hospital security officers are on duty 24 hours a day. People needing assistance with car problems or other security or safety issues may call the Security Office at (412) 578-1800.
Help keep yourself and our patients safe from the spread of infection by using hand sanitizer when you enter or leave the hospital or a patient's room. Please look for and follow any "special precautions" that may be posted outside the patient's room. Always ask a nurse if you have any questions or concerns about precautions for infection control and prevention.
The services of professionally trained social workers are available to all patients and their families for crisis intervention, counseling, discharge planning and to help with any problems related to your hospitalization or discharge. Social workers can also provide information about healthcare resources in the community.
If you wish to speak with a social worker, call the Social Service Department at (412) 578-4696.
Hospital employees who are bilingual or are experienced in sign language are available to assist patients who require these services. In addition, a translator phone, interpreting more than 200 languages, is available.
The hospital can also provide a telecommunication device for the hearing-impaired.
Please ask your nurse for help with any communication need.
The hospital automatically provides a combined cable television and unlimited local-call phone usage service. The combined service is billed automatically as a single charge to your home phone bill. The cost is $5 per day. There is no charge for television/telephone service in the following units:
There is a maximum charge of $99 for the combined service for your entire stay. You may decline the service by signing a form upon admission.
Port Authority Transit (PAT) buses stop near the hospital along Liberty and Friendship Avenues and provide convenient transportation to and from downtown Pittsburgh, Oakland and the North and South Side. Schedules are available in the Mellon Pavilion Lobby (4815 Liberty Avenue) and the Friendship Avenue Lobby on the First Floor of the North Tower (4800 Friendship Avenue).
For taxi service, telephones that directly dial the Yellow Cab Company are in the Mellon Pavilion Lobby and the Friendship Avenue Lobby.
Every room at West Penn Hospital has a bedside stand, closet and tray table for each patient. Because storage areas cannot be locked, we encourage you to keep valuable items at home. Please be aware that the hospital is not responsible for loss or damage to personal property.
For your safety, your hospital bed is equipped with side rails. Controls to raise or lower the top and middle of your bed are built into the side rails.
Each patient also has a call button that rings for the nurse. Be assured that your call will be answered promptly. If you have questions about the call button, please ask your nurse.
