Patient Care & Resources

Our patients now have the ability to pre-register online. We want to make preparing for your hospital visit as simple and stress-free as possible.

Who can Pre-Register?

• Patients with a procedure already scheduled
• OB/Maternity patients who would like to pre-register for Labor and Delivery
• Patients who need to request a screening mammography appointment

Please pre-register online at least 48 hours before your visit to the hospital to allow adequate time for processing your information.

What you'll need to Pre-Register:

• Your personal contact information including occupation information
• Emergency contact information
• Insurance information, group name and number, policy number, address and telephone number
• Physician name
• Date of procedure

Patients may pre-admit once admission has been scheduled. Admissions are processed via the registration clerks in the front lobby; after-hours admissions are processed at the registration desk in the Emergency Department. Once you arrive on the nursing unit, the staff will help you get acquainted with your room and your surroundings.

Patients undergoing outpatient surgery or outpatient testing of any kind should report to the registration desk in the front lobby. Outpatient registration hours are from 7:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.

We will need a complete list of medicines you are currently taking, including those not prescribed or ordered by your doctor. While in the hospital, please take only the medicines administered by your nurse. If the medicines are not given at the same time as you normally take them, please let us know, and we will try to do things as you do at home. Sometimes meals or tests may hinder your normal routine.

We use generic medicines when possible to keep costs low. Because of this, some medicines may look different from your usual pills. If you have questions about the pills or other medicines you are taking, do not hesitate to ask your nurse or physician.

You will need to bring a small number of personal items to the hospital, such as pajamas, a robe, slippers, and personal toilet articles including cases for glasses, contact lenses, hearing aids, and dentures. If you bring with you or any of the prior-mentioned items are brought to you after your admission, please make sure your nurse is aware that you have them in your possession. These items are your responsibility to keep up with. Bring your driver’s license, insurance card, claim forms, and your co-pay and deductible amounts.

Do not bring watches, jewelry, cash, or other valuables to the hospital. Parkview Regional Hospital will only be responsible for these items if they are deposited into our safe. Ask your nurse about safe deposits upon admission. If you are having surgery, please give your eyeglasses to a loved one for safekeeping. Please avoid leaving dentures and eyeglasses on your meal tray, and do not wrap them in tissue.

Please do not bring medications to the hospital. Your physician and the hospital pharmacy will provide all of your medication while you are in the hospital. However, it is important to provide your physician with a list of all medications that you are currently taking. 

For fire safety and infection control reasons, please do not bring sleeping bags, blankets, coffee pots, coolers, furniture, etc., into the hospital. Also, please do not bring radios, heating pads, portable heaters, coffee pots, or other similar devices as they are not permitted in patient rooms. 

Valuables

We encourage you to entrust your valuables to a friend or relative while you are in the hospital. If you have valuables at the hospital, please ask the nurse for a Special Valuable Envelope. Your valuables can be placed in the hospital safe by the House Supervisor once you have sealed them in the Special Valuables Envelope. The envelope must be filled out and signed by you or a responsible relative and your nurse. The content list will remain with your hospital chart, and a copy of the list will be sealed inside the Valuables Envelope. Ask your Nurse about this hospital policy if you would like to use it. The hospital cannot be responsible for lost items unless they are placed in a Valuables Envelope. Glasses, contact lenses, hearing aids, and dentures must be documented in your chart. 

When your doctor feels that you are ready to leave the hospital, he or she will authorize a hospital discharge. The discharge process is just that – a process that requires patients. Once your physician determines that you are ready to be discharged, the process is set into motion. Your nurse and case manager will put together information that you need, and you will have an opportunity to ask any questions you have. If you want clarification about anything, don’t be afraid to ask. It is important that you understand the instructions before you leave the hospital. The discharge process can take time – often more than an hour – to ensure that all of your instructions are available and your physician has time to fill out any prescriptions.

Here are some tips to make the process run smoothly:

• Be sure you and/or your caregiver have spoken with a discharge planner and they you understand what services you may need after leaving the hospital.
• Have someone available to pick you up. Patients can be picked up from the drive-through at the front of the hospital.
• Double-check your room, bathroom, and bedside table carefully for any personal items.
• Make sure you or your caregiver have all necessary paperwork for billing, referrals, prescriptions, etc.
• If your doctor gives you a prescription, please be sure to have it filled and complete the doses as prescribed.
• If the Financial Counselor did not visit with you while you were a patient, you can make your co-pay, settle your bill, or make payment arrangements by calling extension 1213.
• If you have any questions at all about the discharge process or your post-hospital instructions, please don’t hesitate to ask.

The hospital bill covers the cost of your room, meals, 24-hour nursing care, laboratory work, tests, medication, therapy, and the services of hospital employees. You will receive a separate bill from your physicians for their professional services.

As a service to you, Parkview will submit bills to your insurance company and will do everything possible to expedite your claim. You should remember that your policy is a contract between you and your insurance company, and you have the final responsibility for payment of your hospital bill. You should familiarize yourself with the terms of your insurance coverage.

Coordination of Benefits

Coordination of Benefits, referred to as COB, is a term used by insurance companies when you are covered under two or more insurance policies. This usually happens when both husband and wife are listed on each other’s insurance policies, or when both parents carry their children on their individual policies, or when there is eligibility under two federal programs. This can also occur when you are involved in a motor vehicle accident and have medical insurance and automobile insurance.

Most insurance companies have COB provisions that determine who is the primary payer when medical expenses are incurred. This prevents duplicate payments. COB priority must be identified at admission in order to comply with insurance guidelines. Your insurance may request a completed COB form before paying a claim, and every attempt will be made to notify you if this occurs. The hospital cannot provide this information to your insurance company. You must resolve this issue with your insurance carrier in order for the claim to be paid.

Medicare

This hospital is an approved Medicare provider. All services billed to Medicare follow federal guidelines and procedures. Medicare has a COB clause. At the time of service, you will be asked to answer questions to help determine the primary insurance carrier paying for your visit. This is referred to as an MSP questionnaire and is required by federal law. Your assistance in providing accurate information will allow us to bill the correct insurance company.

Medicare deductibles and co-insurance may be covered by your secondary insurance. If you do not have secondary insurance, you will be asked to pay these amounts. If you are unable to pay these amounts, we will help you determine if you qualify for a state-funded program.

Please be aware that the Medicare program specifically excludes payment for certain items and services, such as cosmetic surgery, some oral surgery procedures, personal comfort items, and others.

You will need to show a copy of your Medicare card to verify eligibility and process your claim.

Medicaid

This hospital is an approved Medicaid provider. All services billed to Medicaid follow federal guidelines and procedures. We will need a copy of your Medicaid card. Medicaid also has some payment limitations on a number of services and items.

Commercial Insurance

As a service to you, we will forward a claim to your commercial insurance carrier based on the information you provide at the time of registration. It is very important for you to provide all related information, such as policy number, group number, and the correct mailing address for your insurance company. We will ask for this information each time you are registered with us to ensure that we have the most updated information available. We will need a copy of your insurance card to process your claim.

Uninsured Patients

If you are in need of assistance with your hospital billing, you can contact the Financial Counseling Department at extension 1213.

The Financial Counselor will likely visit with you to make payment arrangements for your hospital bill. The Financial Counselor will work with you to determine if you qualify for financial assistance. Parkview offers a number of medical assistance programs for which you may qualify. If your bill is not settled while you are a patient, the Patient Billing Department will contact you for payment of your accounts. If payment arrangements are not established and no payment is made during the initial 90-day period, the account will be placed with a collection agency. If you have any questions regarding your billing statement, you can contact the Billing Department at (254)562-0408, extension 1520.