Patient and Visitor Information - During Your Stay

While You Are A Patient

All of us at Caritas Carney want your stay to be as comfortable as possible. If you should require any additional services, please ask your nurse. We'll be happy to make the appropriate arrangements.

Patient Comfort

Our goal at Caritas Carney is to ensure that patients are comfortable and that any pain that might accompany an illness or procedure is managed effectively. People used to think that pain was “something they had to put up with”. Today, that is no longer true. While a patient at our hospital, we encourage you to work with your doctor and nurse to prevent, relieve, or manage pain so that you will heal faster and feel better sooner. Talk with your doctor and nurse about any pain you are experiencing, and together this concern can be addressed.

Room Assignments

The Admitting Office will assign you a room following your arrival at the hospital. When assigning a room, consideration is given to your medical problem, your doctor's preference and room availability. Unlike a hotel, it is difficult to predict exactly when patients are ready to go home. Room assignments can, therefore, be unpredictable. As a result, it may be necessary at times to place you in a temporary room until your assigned room is ready. Private rooms are assigned upon request and when available at an extra charge. There is no extra charge if there is a medical necessity or a private room is the only one available.

Meals

A variety of foods are available on our patient menu. Meal selections are based on your doctor's orders. On the morning following your admission, a nutrition assistant will help you with your meal choices. If you are unable to select menu choices, selections will be made for you.

Meals are served during the following hours:

Breakfast: 7:30 am - 9:30 am
Lunch: 11:30 am - 1:30 pm
Dinner: 4:30pm - 6:30 pm

Televisions and Telephones

Televisions and local telephone calls are provided free of charge in patient rooms. To contact a patient directly, call 617-296-4040 and the patient's telephone extension. We provide these services for free to make your stay at Caritas Carney a more pleasant experience. It is the policy of Caritas Carney to manage the use of cellular phones and other wireless communication devices. The use of cellular phones and similar devices by patients and visitors is prohibited in highly instrumented clinical areas and should only be used in common areas such as the lobbies, cafeteria and waiting areas.

Newspapers

Newspapers are delivered to your floor every morning. If you would like newspaper service, you can pay the deliveryman personally at the time of delivery, or you may pay in advance for as many papers as you would like delivered.

Patient Mail

Patients receive mail on a daily basis. All cards and letters should be labeled with a patient's first and last name and room number. Mail that is received after discharge will be forwarded to your home.

Smoking Policy

Caritas Carney Hospital is a smoke-free facility. No smoking is allowed anywhere on the hospital property. This includes patient rooms, the cafeteria, public waiting rooms, restrooms, conference rooms, private offices, all hospital entranceways and areas near entranceways.

Discharge

As soon as you know the date and time of your discharge, please make arrangements for your transportation. Prompt discharge is extremely important in order to facilitate admission for incoming patients who are awaiting rooms.