During Your Stay

Admission & Accommodations

Upon your admission to St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center we will work to get you to your room and make you comfortable as quickly as possible. We will place an identification bracelet with your name and medical record number on your wrist for the duration of your stay.

Accommodations

Patients are assigned to a room dependent upon available bed space and the reason for hospitalization. We will make every effort to address any personal preferences you may have during your admission. Your healthcare team will quickly orient you to your surroundings, teach you to use the call bell, explain hospital routines, and discuss your plan of care with you and/or a designated family member or representative.

Your Team

Your comfort, rights and concerns are of the utmost importance to us. To achieve our goal of personalized patient care, our physicians, nurses, and other health professionals work as a team so that you receive the finest medical care in a supportive and caring atmosphere. The medical center has an outstanding staff of more than 600 physicians, 150 medical residents, 750 nurses, and 2,100 employees and volunteers who contribute their expertise toward your care and comfort. Some you will meet directly while others are working diligently behind the scenes. Together, our team provides an integrated network of care, working toward your rapid recovery.

Hospitalists Staff

As a patient at St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center, you may be cared for by our team of hospitalists, which are physicians specially trained in the care of hospitalized patients. Working in collaboration with primary care doctors, hospitalists care for patients from the time they are admitted to the hospital until they are discharged. Hospitalists review care, prescribe medications, order tests and treatments, and coordinate follow-up care after discharge.

Nursing

After admission to the medical center, patients are assigned to a registered nurse (RN). Your nurse will direct your care based on the care plan that your healthcare team has determined is right for you. Your nurse may be accompanied by nursing students in training. Please ask your nurse about any aspect of your care.

See our ICU staffing reports for more information about this area:

ICU Staffing Report 2024 Q1, Q2
ICU Staffing Report 2023
ICU Staffing Report 2022
ICU Staffing Report 2021

Interpreter and Translation Services

For patients with limited English proficiency (LEP), we offer both in-person medical interpreters and 24-hour telephonic interpretation in more than 204 spoken languages and dialects. For patients and/or visitors who are deaf or hard of hearing, a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) is available at the switchboard for patient or visitor use. Patients can arrange with their nurse to have TDD hooked up in their rooms. The TDD number is 617.789.2899. Video phones also are available by contacting Interpreter Services. For visually impaired/blind patients, we have large-print and Braille materials available. For more information, please contact Interpreter Services at 617.789.2899.

Patient Advocate

If you have care-related questions or concerns, feel free to speak with any of your caregivers at any time. Or, if you prefer, our patient advocate is available to discuss any concerns you or your family may have about your individual care or other issues. Call 617.789.2040 to speak with the patient advocate.

Visitors

St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center encourages visitors for emotional support and recovery. Visitors may be limited or restricted only when visitation would interfere with your care or the care of other patients.

Learn more

Patient Condition Reports

Your family and friends may check on your progress by calling the patient information center at 617.789.2780. This service will provide basic information on your medical condition. Your physician can provide more detailed information to your family. In addition, your nurse can arrange a specific time for a designated family member to call regarding your condition.

Smoke-Free Environment

Our hospital is a smoke-free campus. Smoking is not permitted anywhere on the premises.