Miners Patient Guide

We are committed to your care.

Our goal is to provide the best quality care. To do so, we ask for feedback from patients like you. You may be contacted by phone, email or text and asked to complete a confidential survey. Please take the time to complete the survey. Your feedback will help us know what we’re doing well and where we can improve.

Privacy Practices Patient Rights & Responsibilities Concerns About Your Care

Fast facts about your stay.

Support for Caregivers

We encourage patients to pick a key person to support them during their hospital stay. Whether you are that primary support person, or just one of many people caring for and supporting your loved one, you can play an important role in making sure your loved one gets the safest and best care both here and beyond the hospital.

Patient and Family Care
We participate in patient- and family-centered care. We believe that family plays an important role in ensuring the health and well-being of patients of all ages. Our goal is to create partnerships among healthcare practitioners, patients and families that will lead to the best outcomes and enhance the delivery of safe, quality, efficient, effective, and timely care.

What to Know Before You Leave
Caregivers can help ensure the best outcome for their loved one after a hospital stay by getting the answers to these three questions:

What is the next step for medical care (home or facility, follow-up with primary care physician or physical therapy, etc.)? Help your loved one arrange the details to make this happen—financial plan, transportation, scheduling, etc.
What new and former medicines does my loved one need to take? Help your loved one understand the details—timing, dosing instructions, side effects, prescription refills, etc.
What health warning signs do I need to watch for and what do I do if they happen? Help your loved one by writing these symptoms down as well as the name and contact number to call.

If you feel like you need a break or help, reach out to friends and family. And consult the resources listed here: National Alliance for Caregiving | Family Caregiver Alliance | Caregiver Action Network

Facts About Your Stay

Bedside Shift Report

We want you to feel comfortable and cared for throughout your stay, so at each nursing shift change—about every 12 hours—your nurse will introduce your new nurse to you. The team will discuss your progress, medicine, and tests scheduled for the day. Ask questions. The more you’re involved, the better and safer your care.

Bedside Technology

During your stay, you may notice your doctors and nurses using computers or tablets. These tools play a vital role in your care by enabling 24/7 monitoring, providing access to a wide range of resources, and ensuring seamless communication with the entire healthcare team. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask your doctor or nurse.

We also offer the MyChart Bedside application for your convenience during your hospital stay. This tool allows you to stay informed and engaged in your care. Simply ask your nurse to help you get started.

Cafeteria

Open Tuesday and Thursday

Hours:

Breakfast: 7 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Lunch: 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Dinner: 5:15-6:15 p.m.

All visitors are welcome to dine in the cafeteria.

Calling Your Nurse

Your room is connected to the nursing station via an intercom system. To call for your nurse, press the NURSE call button at your bedside. If you have any questions about using the call button, ask a staff member to show you.

Cellphones & Video

During your stay, you may see members of your care team using mobile phones. At Conemaugh Miners Medical Center, our staff can use phones for work-related activities, such as communicating with doctors or other care team members. Employees are not allowed to use phones for non-work-related activities. There are many work-related benefits of cellphones and other communication devices, including access to medical references, clinical tools and patient information.

Channel Listing for TV

Conemaugh Miners provides a list of channels for your viewing pleasure.

Click here for a complete channel listing.

Chaperone

Please let us know if you would like a chaperone to be present during your examination.

Concerns About Your Care

Please speak with your nurse or nursing supervisor if you have any questions or concerns about your care. If your issue still is not resolved, then contact the hospital patient advocate. You also have the right to file your complaint with either:

The Pennsylvania Department of Public Health
Health and Human Services Building, 8^th floor West
625 Forster St. Main Street
Harrisburg, PA 17120
Email: www.health.pa.gov

Office of Quality and Patient Safety
The Joint Commission
One Renaissance Blvd.
Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181
Website: www.jointcommission.org, then click “Report patient safety event”

Medicare beneficiaries also may call Livanta Quality Improvement Organization at +1 866-815-5440 or use their website: www.livantaqio.cms.gov/en

Sometimes a healthcare choice can involve an ethical concern—such as a wish to refuse life-saving treatment or a disagreement over advance directives. Our Patient Safety Officer can help you, and those here to support you make difficult decisions. For help, contact: Patient Safety Officer Nicole Bougher at 814.247.3375.

Electrical Appliances

For your safety, we reserve the right to inspect any electrical appliances brought into the hospital.

Fire Safety

We conduct fire drills from time to time. If you hear an alarm, stay where you are. In an actual emergency, hospital staff will tell you what to do.

Flowers

Flowers are delivered to patient rooms by individual florists.

Hearing Impaired

We offer services for the deaf or hearing impaired. If you need these services, don't hesitate to contact your nurse.

Hospital Safe for Valuables

If you need to secure your valuables, a safe is available in the Nursing Administration office. Please ask your nurse for assistance.

Hourly Rounding

A nurse will visit you every hour during the day and every two hours at night to check on your comfort, help you change positions in bed, assist with trips to the bathroom, and ensure that you can easily reach your phone, call light and personal items.

Housekeeping Services

A member of the housekeeping staff will visit you daily. If you have a specific need, please dial extension 1040 for assistance.

Interpreters and Translation Services

Interpreter services are available. Conemaugh Miners Medical Center has made provisions to provide interpretation services for our patients. Please ask your nurse for assistance.

Lost and Found

Please get in touch with the Nursing Administration office for lost items.

Mail

All letters, packages, and flowers addressed to you will be delivered directly to your room. Tell your family and friends your hospital room number to avoid confusion so your items can be delivered promptly.

Mail received after discharge will be forwarded to the patient’s home. Outgoing mail may be taken to the nurse’s station or given to your attending nurse.

Medicines

Please do not bring any prescription or over-the-counter medicines to the hospital. All medicines you take in the hospital must be prescribed, filled out, and given to you by hospital staff. Tell your doctor about any medicines you regularly take. If you still need them, hospital staff will give them to you.

Parking

For your convenience, free parking is available in several hospital locations.

Pastoral Care

If you would like spiritual care and comfort, your pastor may visit. The chapel is always open for prayer and meditation. Your loved ones may also fill out a request card in the chapel, which is located on the first floor, near the registration area.

Patient Meals

Meals are provided for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. These diets are tailored to your medical needs. Please check with your nurse before bringing in food from the outside.

Personal Belongings and Valuables

Personal care items such as contact lenses, eyeglasses, hearing aids, and dentures can be stored in your bedside stand when not in use. Please do not put them on your bed or food tray to help avoid them being lost or damaged. Leave valuables like jewelry or cash at home or give them to a trusted relative or friend to watch over. Conemaugh Miners Medical Center cannot be responsible for replacing personal belongings.

Pharmacy

An onsite pharmacy is available for patient use only. Most major insurances are accepted.

Hours of Operation

Mon. to Fri.: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Photography

Using any audio or video recording capable devices within the hospital may constitute an invasion of patients’ and employees’ privacy and may breach the confidentiality of the patient, hospital, or hospital-related information. Because of this, audio and video recording are not allowed in the hospital without approval from hospital staff and the patient’s written permission

Public Restrooms

For everyone's health and safety, we ask visitors not to use patient restrooms. Public restrooms are located throughout the hospital. Ask hospital staff to direct you to the nearest one.

Quiet Time

Conemaugh Miners Medical Center recognizes that our patients need to get as much rest as possible to promote their healing process while understanding hospitals can be noisy and busy places. A quiet and restful environment promotes healing, whereas noise can add stress and harm their healing process. To allow our patients to rest during the day, we will have quiet hours from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m. and after 8 p.m.

Rapid Response Team

If you notice a condition worsening, you can call a critical-care response team. Dial extension 222 on the bedside phone. Tell the operator your name, room number, patient’s name, and your concern. The Rapid Response Team will be sent to the room. Ask a staff member to learn more.

Smoking

Given the serious health hazards of tobacco use, we have chosen to become a 100 percent tobacco-free campus. No smoking or tobacco products will be used on CMMC property, parking lots, associated buildings, or vehicles. Patients and visitors are asked not to smoke during their hospital visits.

If You Smoke or Use Tobacco
While you are in the hospital, please do not suffer from nicotine withdrawal. You can receive nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) or other appropriate support during your hospital visit. Please ask your nurse for more information.

Staff Recognition

We are proud to offer two recognition programs to celebrate our exceptional team members. The DAISY Award is dedicated to recognizing outstanding contributions by our nursing staff, including RNs and LPNs. For all other staff, the Laurel Award highlights their exceptional efforts.

Nomination forms for both awards are available throughout the hospital. We encourage you to nominate a team member who has made a positive impact.

Telephone

All patient rooms have telephones. To place a call within the hospital, dial the four-digit extension. For local calls, dial 9 followed by the ten-digit number. Long-distance calls must be made collect, charged to your home phone, or paid by credit card. Phone charges cannot be added to your hospital bill.

TV

Each patient room has a television. Please be considerate of others by keeping the volume down. Please ask your nurse for headphones that plug into your pillow speaker/call bell at bedtime. The TV is controlled by the bedside pillow speaker. Closed captioning is available for the hearing impaired. Ask a staff member if you have any questions about using your TV.

Your Room

Information on room assignment, private rooms, room temperature, hospital bed, etc., will be provided by our staff on admission and at your request.

Vending Machines

For your convenience, snacks and beverages are available 24/7 near the cafeteria.

Visiting Hours

Visiting hours are subject to change. Please ask your nurse for official hours during your stay.

Some units may limit the number of visitors they can receive at one time to promote healing, safety, and infection control.

General Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Note: Patients have the right to choose to receive visitors from among family, friends, or other individuals at any time during their stay.
ICU: 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Note: Children under 12 may visit for 15 minutes and must be accompanied by an adult.

Do not visit if you have a cold, sore throat, fever, or other illness. Adhere to isolation precautions posted outside patient rooms. Sanitize your hands before entering and leaving a patient’s room. Ask before bringing foods, drinks, or other items like balloons, flowers, or perfume that might trigger allergies into patient rooms.

Visiting Overnight

Overnight visitation with a patient must be coordinated with the supervisor and/or nurse manager and is only permitted under certain circumstances. We request you remain in the waiting room or the patient’s room at all times during your overnight visit. You may pre-order a guest tray from dietary for a nominal fee. Please see your nurse for information. We reserve the right to revoke overnight privileges.

Wifi

Complementary Wi-Fi is available through the CHS Guest network.