Inpatient Information & Support

What to Know About Your Hospital Stay

• Patients and Visitors
• Visiting Hours and Guidelines
• Television Channel Listings
• Hospital Phone Directories
• Inpatient Safety
• Patient Rights and Responsibilities

Hospital information for:

• Cox Medical Center South
• Meyer Orthopedic and Rehabilitation Hospital
• Cox Monett Hospital
• Cox Medical Center Branson
• Cox Barton County Hospital
• Cox North Hospital

Patient Information

Room

We assign patient rooms based on your diagnosis and beds available. Ask your nurse if you need items, such as a toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, or other items.

Hospital Bed

Our staff will show you how to work your bed. The side rails on the bed are for your safety. Ask your nurse for help to lower the side rails when they're up. Don't try to get out of your bed without help. Use your nurse call light to ask for help for getting out of bed.

Facility Directory

The facility directory is a list of people who are patients at CoxHealth. The directory helps staff direct visitors. Talk to your nurse if you want to have limited visitors. Patients must notify us if they want their presence known in the hospital. You can choose not to be in the directory and may change your status anytime during your stay. Status changes may take up to 24 hours.

If you choose to be unlisted in the patient directory, CoxHealth will:

• Not acknowledge you're a patient if someone calls to speak to you
• Not tell anyone your room or phone number
• Not deliver flowers or mail to your room
• Not transfer a phone call to your room
• Not tell anyone your new room number if you're transferred to a different bed or room
• Not provide your name and room number on a list available to visiting clergy

If you choose to be unlisted in the patient directory, you'll be responsible to:

• Let your friends and family know your room and phone number
• Notify your friends and family if you're transferred to a different bed or room

Security Status

Patient information may be restricted if the knowledge of your presence puts you or others at serious risk. CoxHealth will restrict your information if you or your legal guardian do not object to the security status. Law enforcement can request a security status for a prisoner in their custody. Prisoners don't have a say in the request.

Room amenities

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  Channel Listings

  View a list of television channels for the hospital you're staying at.

  Learn More
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  Hospital Phone Directories

  Use our phone directory to contact a department within the hospital you're staying at.

  Learn More

Discharge planning

Use this list frequently during your stay. Talk to your doctor and staff – discharge planner, social worker, or nurse – about the items on this list. Write down any important information, such as names and phone numbers, and ignore any items that don't apply to you.

• Ask where you'll get care after you leave the hospital. Do you have options such as home health care? Tell the staff what you prefer.
• If a caregiver will help you after discharge, write down their name and phone number.

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• Ask the staff about your health condition and what you can do to help yourself get better.
• Ask about problems to watch for and what to do about them. Write down a name and phone number of someone to call if you have problems.

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• Make a list of all your prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
• Review the list with staff.
• Tell the staff about drugs, vitamins, or supplements you took before you were admitted to the hospital. Ask if you should still take these after you leave.
• Write down the name and phone number of someone to call if you have questions about medication.

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• Ask if you'll need medical equipment, such as a walker. Who will arrange for this? Write down the name and phone number of someone to call if you have questions about equipment.

• Ask if you're ready to do the following activities. Identify the ones you need help with and tell the staff: bathing, dressing, using the bathroom, climbing stairs, cooking, food shopping, house cleaning, paying bills, getting to doctor appointments, picking up prescription drugs
• Make sure you have support (a caregiver) in place to help with these activities.
• Ask the staff to show you and your caregiver any other tasks that require special skills, such as changing a bandage or giving a shot. Then show them that you can do these tasks. Write down the name and phone number of someone you can call if you need help.

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• Ask to speak to a social worker if you're concerned about how you and your family are coping with your illness. Write down information about support groups and other resources.
• Talk to a social worker or your health plan if you have questions about what your insurance will cover and how much you'll have to pay. Ask about possible ways to get help with your costs.
• Ask for written discharge instructions that you can read and understand and a summary of your current health status. Bring this information and your completed "My Drug List" to your follow-up appointments.