A GUIDE FOR EXPECTANT PARENTS

A GUIDE FOR EXPECTANT PARENTS
MARY HORRIGAN CONNORS CENTER FOR WOMEN’S HEALTH
Welcome to Brigham
and Women’s Hospital
and the Center for
Women and Newborns
at our Mary Horrigan
Connors Center for
Women’s Health.
Ta b l e o f C o n t e n t s :
page
Family-Focused Care
2
Preparing for the Birth of Your Baby
3
Your Hospital Stay
5
Hospital Discharge
13
Additional Information
14
C
ongratulations. You have joined thousands of families each year
who choose to have their babies at Brigham and Women’s
Hospital. We believe that all of these people place their trust in us
not only because of the national reputation of our staff, but also
because of our commitment to personalized care.
As a major teaching facility for Harvard Medical School, our hospital is
widely considered among the best in the nation. Our medical staff have
achieved extensive recognition for patient care and
medical research in obstetrics and gynecology, and in
other areas as well. What often impresses people even
more, however, is the enthusiasm and compassion of
our professional and support staff. We consider every
birth, every newborn, and every family special.
We believe that the most satisfied patients are those
who are well-informed. This guide, therefore, provides
you and your family with helpful information before
coming to the hospital. You will find phone numbers if you wish to learn more
on various topics, and I encourage you to call.
Please know that we respect and appreciate
the trust you have placed in Brigham and
Women’s Hospital. Let us know if you have
any questions or concerns. We believe you
have chosen the best, and we pledge to
provide you with the best possible care.
For 14 years in a row
Brigham and Women’s
Hospital has been included
on the U.S.News & World
Report ® Honor Roll of
“America’s Best Hospitals.”
Brigham and Women’s
Hospital consistently
ranks in the top three in
the nation in Gynecology.
Gary Gottlieb, MD, MBA
President
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FAMILYFOCUSED CARE
Family-focused care at Brigham and Women’s Hospital is a comprehensive approach
to preparing and supporting each family. Fathers or partners (primary support
persons) are welcome 24 hours-a-day throughout the hospital stay, including
labor, birth and the postpartum stay. Nurses caring for you and your baby become
familiar with your specific needs and provide information and education that will
serve your family long after you go home. This approach is designed to be flexible,
understanding that each family has individual needs and wants.
The pleasures and demands of caring for a baby can be both extraordinarily
rewarding and challenging for even the most experienced parent. Family-focused
care begins preparing every family even before the arrival of their baby, with
prenatal care, information and educational programs, programs for siblings and other
services to ensure that they are well prepared for their new addition.
Our 12-story Mary Horrigan
Connors Center for Women’s
Health offers the most
comprehensive continuum
of obstetrical health care
services in the country.
It includes a full range of
outpatient gynecological care,
inpatient obstetrics facilities,
nurseries and newborn
intensive care. The Center
was designed with careful
attention to what patients told
us they would like, including
our Center for Women and
Newborns with all-private
postpartum rooms and baths
as well as accommodations
for partners.
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PREPARING FOR
THE BIRTH OF YOUR BABY
Admission Forms
Enclosed with this brochure is an obstetrical admitting packet containing a pink admitting
form, pediatrician postcard and additional educational information. It is important for
you to fill out the admission form and pediatrician postcard, and return them in a timely
manner so that we may prepare for the birth of your baby. If you have not already selected
a pediatric care provider, your obstetrician or midwife can help you select one. Also, some
insurance plans will provide you with a list of pediatric care providers in your area if you
have not yet chosen a doctor for your baby. You may also call the Brigham and Women’s
Hospital Physician Referral Service at 1-800-BWH-9999 for assistance.
If you choose a pediatric care provider who is on the medical staff of Brigham and Women’s
Hospital, that doctor can then see your baby while you are at the hospital. If you select a
doctor who is not associated with Brigham and Women’s Hospital, ask that physician or
your obstetric care provider for a referral to a provider on our medical staff, and put his or
her name on the postcard, so necessary care can be provided for your newborn while you
are at the hospital.
Note: Your baby must be examined by a pediatric care provider before being discharged
from the hospital. Thus, we need you to return the pediatrician postcard promptly so we
may prepare in advance for your baby’s care in the hospital.
Parent and Childbirth Education Classes
The birth of your baby is an exciting experience, and we offer a number of options that
allow you to participate fully and to be as prepared as possible. There will be many personal
decisions for you to make: How can the partner be most helpful at the birth? How can you
help your other children adapt to the new baby?
In order to arrive at the best answers for you, there are various childbirth preparation
programs and refresher courses, as well as breastfeeding, infant care and infant CPR classes
offered by Isis Maternity, our approved parent and childbirth education provider. Isis
Maternity is a prenatal and postpartum education center offering numerous classes for new
and expectant parents, and is conveniently located in Brookline, Needham and Arlington.
For a list of available classes at Isis Maternity, visit www.isismaternity.com or call
(781) 429-1500.
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Hospital Tours
Although Isis Maternity is providing parent and childbirth education classes, Brigham
and Women’s Hospital will continue offering hospital tours and sibling tours. We encourage
all expectant parents to tour the hospital’s obstetrical facilities before admission. We suggest
that you plan to tour the hospital by at least the eighth month of your pregnancy. To register
for a sibling class or a tour of the Mary Horrigan Connors Center for Women’s Health at
Brigham and Women’s Hospital, call (781) 429-1500 or register at www.isismaternity.com.
Financial Arrangements
The pink admitting form enclosed with your obstetrical admitting packet also requests
information about your insurance coverage. We ask that you please complete the form
and return it as quickly as possible.
Be aware that insurance plans differ regarding lengths of stay for obstetric care. Please check
with your insurance provider for their policy on length of stay. Massachusetts State Law allows
a hospital stay of up to 48 hours for a vaginal birth and 96 hours for a cesarean birth.
The Hospital’s pre-admission staff may contact you prior to admission to obtain additional
insurance information (such as current subscriber name, certificate number, effective date of
plan, policy number and company name) and to notify you of any estimated charges for which
you are responsible.
Participating insurance companies are billed on the patient’s behalf, but ultimately you are
responsible for payment of the hospital bill. Patients with no insurance will be asked for a
deposit, equal to their estimated charges, before their admission. The hospital accepts Visa,
MasterCard, American Express, and Diners Club charge cards. Please ask your insurance
provider about health care coverage for your baby.
Please know that no one is refused care at Brigham and Women’s Hospital for lack of the ability
to pay. If you have any questions about your admission or your ability to pay for your stay, call
our pre-admission counselors at (617) 732-7484. They will offer financial counseling and help
you investigate resources that may be available to you through government and private agencies.
Health Care Proxy
We often receive inquiries from patients and their
families about health care proxies or living wills, which
are legal documents that define an individual’s feelings
about the extent of care they wish to receive under
extenuating circumstances. Enclosed is a brochure.
For further information, call (617) 732-7453 or visit
us online at www.brighamandwomens.org/livingwills.
Interpreter Services
In keeping with the practice throughout
the country, Brigham and Women’s
Hospital has a volunteer blood bank.
For that reason, it is helpful when
someone you know donates a pint of
blood to the hospital. They may
call (617) 732-6620 for a donor
appointment. If it is more convenient,
donations may be made at a local Red
Cross organization. Rh-negative donors
are especially encouraged because that
blood type is relatively rare.
Brigham and Women’s Hospital offers interpreter
services for non-English-speaking and hearingimpaired patients. We have staff interpreters in
30 different languages, including Spanish, Russian,
Portuguese, French Creole, Arabic, Mandarin, Japanese, Vietnamese, French and American
Sign Language. You may also contact your nurse for help in obtaining interpreter services.
For additional information, call (617) 732-6639.
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YOUR
HOSPITAL STAY
Arriving at the Hospital
Valet
For both women in labor
and obstetric patients being
discharged, there is valet
parking at the Main Entrance
of the hospital at 75 Francis
Street. For the occasional times
when the valet attendant may
be unavailable, please see the
security officer at that entrance.
For more information on parking
and rates, visit www.brighamandwomens.org/security, or call (617) 732-5877.
Brigham and
Women’s Hospital
offers valet parking
for patients.
Rates are posted
at each entrance.
Obstetrical Admitting
When you arrive at the hospital in labor, enter through the main lobby at 75 Francis
Street. Check in at the Obstetrical Admitting office (next to the Gift Shop), and you will be
escorted to the Center for Labor, Birth and Recovery in our Mary Horrigan Connors Center
for Women’s Health. You or the person with you may supply the admitting information.
The obstetrical admitting staff are on duty 24 hours-a-day. The obstetrical admitting
staff will make all the arrangements necessary for a swift and comfortable admission
to the hospital.
Planning for Your Stay
What to Bring
During your hospital stay, we will provide you with sanitary pads and panties, and diapers
for your baby. Please bring only items that are essential, such as:
• maternity or nursing bra
• personal toiletry articles
• nightclothes, bathrobe, slippers
• eyeglasses
• list of current medications
• small amount of money for newspapers and expanded television service (see page 7)
• clothing for the baby to wear on the day of discharge (see "Going Home" on page 13)
• this brochure and the Pregnancy Planner brochure included in your obstetrical
admitting packet
• the father or partner should bring personal items to stay overnight.
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You may bring any light refreshments you prefer (such as fruit juices, sport drinks, broth and
ice pops) in a small cooler as well as a water bottle to use while walking in labor. Once labor
is active or epidural anesthesia is administered, only clear liquids are given.
The hospital cannot be responsible for personal property, so please leave large amounts
of cash, jewelry, unnecessary charge cards, checkbooks and other valuables at home.
If you need to bring valuables to the hospital, the admitting interviewer will assist you in
depositing them for safekeeping in the cashier’s office.
If your obstetric care provider does not specifically instruct you to bring your medications
to the hospital, please leave them at home.
CD/MP3 players, hair dryers and laptop computers are allowed, however, all other personal electric equipment should not be used in the hospital, as appliances intended for home
use do not comply with stringent hospital safety codes.
Center for Labor, Birth and Recovery
Labor and Birth Room
After you have been admitted, you will be assessed for labor in the triage area and then
admitted to a private labor and birth room which features special lighting and equipment,
including a birthing bed, rocking chair and television—allowing you to remain in this
room for both labor and birth. You will be moved to an obstetrical operating room located
on the labor floor only if you are having a cesarean birth or complicated birth. You will
then be moved to a private postpartum room after the birth of your baby. Your baby will
remain with you unless there is a complication.
You may wear whatever comfortable clothing you prefer while in labor, or hospital
clothing is available.
Obstetric Anesthesia Services
The Obstetric Anesthesia Service at Brigham and Women’s Hospital staffs the Center
for Labor, Birth and Recovery 24 hours-a-day, 7 days-a-week to provide specialized care
for you. Because each woman’s labor is unique and the amount of discomfort you may
experience is dependent on many different factors, it is hard for us to predict how much
discomfort you will have until you go into labor. There are many non-medical techniques
that exist that can help you during labor (breathing and relaxation techniques, warm
showers, massage, position changes, etc.), but for some women these measures may not
be enough. Our obstetric anesthesiologists are available to discuss with you the different
types of anesthesia that may be given during labor and birth, including intravenous
or intramuscular medications and regional anesthetics such as epidural anesthesia or
spinal anesthesia.
If you have concerns or questions, you may call the Division of Obstetrical Anesthesia at
(617) 732-4805 for a free consultation, or refer to the Obstetric Anesthesia Service
brochure included in your admitting packet.
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Nursing Staff
A registered nurse will be assigned to your care,
providing nursing and support. You may take
photographs or a videotape of the birth – please
ask the staff before including them.
Should your labor be premature, you will be initially
assessed and may be transferred to our special antenatal
unit for women with complicated pregnancies. There
you will be assigned a nursing care coordinator
who will coordinate your care with the medical and
nursing staff.
Telephones
A bedside telephone is available for each patient in
Labor, Birth and Recovery and in postpartum rooms. Telephone calls within Massachusetts
are free – excluding calls made to area code 413. To make telephone calls to area code 413
or to locations outside of Massachusetts you must dial 9+0+0 to access an MCI/Verizon
operator to charge long distance calls to your credit card or to make a collect call. If you
would like to use a calling card you must dial 9 and then follow the instructions provided
on your calling card. Your family and friends may obtain your bedside telephone number
by calling Patient Information at (617) 732-5500.
The hospital will not connect callers to you in the Center for Labor, Birth and Recovery.
However, if you choose, you may call from your bedside and give out that direct number.
When calling an extension within the hospital, only the last five digits of the hospital
number are necessary. If you need to page a Brigham and Women’s Hospital beeper, press
2-5656 and listen for instructions. People with hearing disabilities may request a volume
control handle for their phone or a TTY by calling extension 2-6642. Hospital phones do
not have access to local 411 telephone information, so bring phone numbers from home
that you will need.
Cellular phones and pagers are allowed in the Center for Labor, Birth and Recovery, and in
postpartum rooms. They are not allowed in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) on
CWN-6.
Television
Brigham and Women’s Hospital offers free broadcast of television channels WBZ (CBS),
WGBH (PBS), WABU (Independent), WUNI (Spanish) and patient education stations, such
as the Newborn Channel, that cover a variety of topics. Expanded television services are
offered at a cost of only $5 per day. These additional stations include WCVB (ABC),
WHDH (NBC), Fox-25, WLVI-56 (CWN), and cable stations, including The Discovery
Channel, BET, USA, TNT, The Learning Channel, ABC Family, The Cartoon Network, TBS,
AMC, and CNN. (Stations are subject to change.) A full listing can be found when you turn
on your television in your room. To order expanded television service call extension 2-6576.
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Meals
If you request a special diet, or if your obstetric care provider recommends one for
you, a dietitian will help you select the appropriate foods, and will be happy to comply
with special requests such as kosher or vegetarian meals. Each floor has two nutrition
stations where you may help yourself to light refreshments. In addition, a room service
menu is available by calling extension 2-8080, from 11 a.m-11 p.m. Refrigerators are
provided in each postpartum room.
No-smoking Policy
In keeping with our mission of providing the highest quality health care services,
Brigham and Women’s Hospital is a non-smoking institution. We ask your cooperation
in maintaining a consistently healthful environment throughout the hospital.
Postpartum Care
After a brief recovery period in the birthing room, mom, baby and partner will be
brought directly to a private postpartum room in the Center for Women and
Newborns—you will not need to be separated from your baby at any time under
normal circumstances. Having your baby nearby will help you become familiar with
your baby’s individual characteristics, observe their sleep and wake cycles and meet
their feeding needs. We encourage you to keep your baby in your room at all times.
However, a nursery is available for medical
observation or, if you request, to care for your
baby for a short period.
Family-focused care for the postpartum stay
provides many opportunities for first-time
parents to learn new skills, and a review for
parents who have already learned basic care
and safety.
Your nurse will respond to your learning needs
as you define them—from bathing and feeding
your baby, to caring for yourself. You may attend
daily classes in breastfeeding taught by certified
lactation consultants who are on staff for
consultation, if necessary. You will also find the
materials and booklets we provide helpful.
Your partner may stay overnight and
participate in the care of your newborn. If you
have other children, they may visit during
visiting hours, 1-8 p.m. Visiting children must
be healthy—no fever, or exposure to chicken
pox and other illnesses. In order to protect the
newborn, children other than the baby’s
brothers and sisters cannot visit in any of the
obstetrical areas.
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Additional Services for You
Care Coordinator/Social Work Department
Social workers are licensed professional counselors on the hospital staff. They help with personal and
family problems related to illness, housing, health benefits and income. Social workers are available to
all hospital patients and their families for counseling, evaluation and referral to a community agency.
The Care Coordinator meets with all patients to review the discharge process, discuss home care
options, and assist with any discharge planning. Counseling that focuses on concerns such as having
an infant in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) or having a stillborn infant is conducted by social
workers. Call (617) 732-6462 or (617) 732-6469 between 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Contact your nurse or obstetric care provider to reach a social worker who is on call for emergencies.
Patient/Family Relations
Patient/Family Relations staff will help you communicate concerns, complaints, suggestions and
compliments regarding your hospital stay. Please let them help in responding to your needs or in
providing information on hospital policies, procedures and services. Call (617) 732-6636, and they
will gladly visit you or help in any way possible.
Lactation Support/Breast Pump Rental
Your nurse in the hospital will assist you with breastfeeding. In addition, certified lactation consultants are
available for inpatient bedside consultations for diagnosis and treatment of problems and special situations
related to breastfeeding. Call (617) 732-8045 for information or to discuss any special concerns.
Additional supplies, such as nursing bras and breastfeeding support equipment are also available.
Please ask your nurse for any of these items.
Baby Photos
Growing Family/First Foto is the company that offers baby photo services at Brigham and Women’s
Hospital. A photographer is available in the mornings to photograph your new baby. The photographer
will give you a catalogue with various rate and package options if you choose to purchase any of your
baby’s photos. There will be information in your postpartum room about making an appointment, or
you may ask your nurse. Your baby’s photo, with your written permission, can be posted free of charge
on our web nursery at www.brighamandwomens.org/family/webnurseryintro.aspx after you are discharged. For more information on this service, visit www.growingfamily.com.
Services for Your Baby
Newborn Tests and Vaccinations
Screening tests and vaccinations will be based on requirements of the Massachusetts Department of Public
Health and your pediatric health care provider.
Hearing Screening
As part of our routine care, babies born at Brigham and Women’s Hospital will receive a hearing
screening test before being discharged from the hospital. Please let your nurse know if you do not
want your baby screened.
Please read the Newborn Screening brochure in your obstetrical admitting packet for additional information.
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Circumcision
Circumcision is the surgical removal of part of the foreskin of the penis. The decision
regarding circumcising a son is a personal one, and parents are encouraged to discuss this
decision with their obstetric and pediatric health care providers. Written information about
circumcision is available from the hospital by calling the Parent and Childbirth Education
Department at (617) 732-4081. Your obstetric care provider will ask you to sign a consent
form for circumcision before the procedure.
If you are interested in a ritual circumcision, our staff will be happy to help you arrange the
type of service you prefer. Please plan the service as early as possible so that a convenient
time may be arranged for the hospital and your family. If you wish, your own rabbi may be
invited to say the prayers while a member of our staff performs the circumcision.
Birth Certificate
After the baby is born, a birth certificate registrar will call you regarding your newborn’s
birth certificate. You will be asked for personal information about yourself and your child.
Following the interview, the birth certificate will be brought for your signature and then
forwarded to the Registry of Births in Boston. If you must leave the hospital before signing
the birth certificate, contact the
Birth Certificate Department at
(617) 732-6108 within five days of
the birth to make arrangements for
verification and signature. It is difficult
and costly to you to make corrections
or changes after a birth certificate has
been completed, therefore, accuracy of
information given is very important.
You may obtain a copy of the birth
certificate from the Registry of Births,
Boston City Hall, by calling
(617) 635-4175. You may obtain,
at no charge, a Social Security card for
your baby by calling 1-800-772-1213.
Infant Safety
When you walk in the halls, remember
to push the baby in a crib. The hospital
believes it is always wise to take safety
precautions. Do not leave the baby
unattended and make sure that anyone
handling your baby has a pink hospital
identification badge. It is also important
that anyone handling your newborn,
including visitors, wash their hands
prior to holding the baby to reduce the
risk of infection.
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Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
It is reassuring to know that if your baby needs intensive care, the Brigham and Women’s
Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit is one of the most progressive facilities of its kind in
the country and serves as a referral nursery with specialized care for newborns throughout
New England.
Premature infants and other newborns with various health difficulties stay in the NICU for
expert care and observation. Family-focused care and developmentally supportive nursing
care are practiced in the NICU, and parents are encouraged to touch, hold, feed and care
for their babies to the extent
allowed by the baby’s health. The
unit has family rooms located
adjacent to the NICU where families can spend time with their
babies. A number of supportive
programs for families are provided
including Kangaroo Care—an
innovative approach to encourage
newborns to thrive through skinto-skin contact with their parents.
Infants whose conditions are
stable, but require a continued
intermediate level of care prior to
going home, may be transferred
to an appropriate community
hospital closer to home when
they are medically ready.
Information for Your Visitors
Parking
Visitors may use the nearby parking garages during the day. After 5 p.m., visitors are
encouraged to park in the attached Ambulatory Services Building II Garage, which is
located underground at the 45 Francis Street entrance. For more information on parking,
visit www.brighamandwomens.org/security or call (617) 732-5877.
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Visitor Policy for Center for Labor, Birth and Recovery
Brigham and Women’s Hospital is committed to providing a safe and supportive birthing
experience for expectant mothers in a family-focused care setting. We understand that, for
some patients, sharing the birthing experience with family and friends provides additional
special support. We encourage participation of the partner, and an additional support
person, if you wish.
For a cesarean birth, only one person is allowed in the operating room and recovery room.
Family and visitors who are not participating in the birthing event are not permitted on
the unit. There are limited waiting areas in the Mary Horrigan Connors Center for
Women’s Health lobby and the Robert and Ronnie Bretholtz Center for Patients and
Families, but patients are encouraged to ask other family members and friends to wait at
home for notification of the birth. There are phones in the labor and birth rooms for you
and your support person to notify friends and relatives of the baby’s birth, or you may use
your cell phone.
Brothers and sisters of the baby are permitted to visit in the postpartum rooms. Through
special prior arrangements coordinated on an individual basis with your obstetric care
provider, siblings are permitted to visit during labor, birth and recovery. When siblings
do visit during labor, they must be fully supervised by an adult support person, other
than the patient.
By following this policy, patients can help ensure the hospital’s primary goal of providing
a safe, secure and comfortable environment for all expectant patients and their loved
ones while enjoying the celebration of birth.
Gift Shop
The Gift Shop is located in the main lobby and operated by the hospital’s Friends of BWH.
Profits are donated to the hospital to provide hospital equipment and services that otherwise would not be possible.
The Gift Shop is convenient for both you and your visitors. A variety of items can be
purchased including flowers, mylar balloons (latex balloons are not permitted in the
hospital), infant clothing (including premature baby sizes), greeting cards, stamps,
toiletries, candy, magazines, toys, camera film and batteries.
The Gift Shop is open Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Friday 9:30 a.m.-7 p.m.; Saturday
and Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; closed on holidays. For additional information, please call the
Gift Shop at (617) 732-7445.
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HOSPITAL
DISCHARGE
Going Home
Your obstetric and pediatric care providers must complete discharge exams and write
discharge orders before you and your baby can leave the hospital. Discharge time is 10 a.m.
When you are ready to leave, you may dress your baby in the clothes you brought from
home. Baby clothes should be washed in a mild detergent first and should include an
undershirt, stretch suit, booties, sweater, hat, two small receiving blankets (for support in
the car seat) and a heavier blanket, depending on the outside temperature.
Your nurse will check and remove one of the baby’s identification tags for the medical record.
You will be escorted in a wheelchair to your waiting transportation by a member of the
patient care staff.
Child Car Seats
Protection in an automobile is an important part of caring for your baby. Massachusetts
law mandates the use of child passenger restraints in private automobiles for infants and
children up to age 12. Even the smallest newborn traveling home from the hospital in a car
cannot be held securely in the arms of an adult if there were an accident. Infants should
always be placed in a rear-facing, infant car safety seat, and placed in the center of the back
seat, away from airbags.
It is best to familiarize yourself with the car seat in advance and have the base secured
in the car before discharge. For more information about safety seats, please contact the
Massachusetts State Police Department for certified car seat safety training. Your local fire
or police department may be another resource.
Postpartum and Infant Checkup
You should visit your obstetric care provider for a postpartum check-up four to six weeks
after delivery.
Your baby should be examined by the pediatric care provider or at a neighborhood health
center when he or she is four to seven days old so that weight and health can be evaluated
and a schedule of immunizations outlined.
Home Care
If you have special needs and would like support at home, please call your health
insurer, your obstetric care provider or care coordinator about a referral to a visiting
nurse association, a public health agency, or a private agency for a home visit.
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ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION
Your Rights as a Patient
Federal and state laws provide for specific patient rights. At Brigham and Women's Hospital,
we recognize our responsibility to respect these rights as well as to inform you of them. The
following summarizes both federal law and the Massachusetts Patients’ Bill of Rights.
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•
You have the right to obtain the name and specialty of the doctor or other person responsible for
your care.
•
You have a right to confidentiality of all records and communications concerning your medical
history and treatment to the extent provided by law.
•
You have a right to a prompt response to all reasonable requests.
•
You have a right to request and receive an explanation as to the relationship, if any, of this hospital
and your doctor to any other health care facility or educational institution, insofar as any such
relationship relates to your care.
•
You have a right to request and receive information about financial assistance and free health care.
•
You have a right to obtain a copy of any rules or regulations of this hospital which may apply to
your conduct as a patient.
•
You have a right upon request to inspect your medical records, request an amendment to, or
receive an accounting of disclosures regarding personal health information, and for a reasonable
fee, receive a copy of your record.
•
You have a right to receive a copy of your medical record free if you show that your request is to
support a claim or appeal under any provisions of the Social Security Act in any federal or state
financial needs-based benefit program.
•
You have a right to refuse to be observed, examined or treated by students or any other staff
without jeopardizing your access to care.
•
You have a right to refuse to participate as a research subject.
•
You have a right to personal dignity, to the extent reasonably possible, to privacy during medical
treatment and other care.
•
You have the right to have your cultural, psychosocial, spiritual, and personal values, beliefs, and
preferences respected.
•
You have the right to request pastoral and other spiritual services.
•
You have a right to prompt life-saving treatment without discrimination due to economic status or
source of payment.
•
You have the right, if you are a female rape victim of childbearing age, to receive medically and
factually written information prepared by the commissioner of public health about emergency contraception; to be promptly offered emergency contraception; and to be provided with emergency
contraception upon request.
•
You have a right, if refused treatment for economic status or lack of a source of payment, to
prompt and safe transfer to a facility that agrees to provide treatment.
•
You have a right to informed consent to the extent provided by law.
•
You have a right, if suffering from any form of breast cancer, to complete information on all
alternative treatments that are medically viable.
•
You have a right, if you are a maternity patient, to receive information about the hospital’s rate of
cesarean sections and related statistics.
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Patient Responsibilities
By taking an active role in your own health care, you can help your caregivers best
meet your needs. That is why we ask you and your family to share with us certain
responsibilities. They include:
• Letting us know your expectations about hospitalization and treatment.
• Asking questions and making sure you understand any instructions given to you so
that you can safely care for yourself when you leave the hospital or doctor’s office.
• Being open and honest with us about your health history, including all
medications you are taking and any legal or illegal addictive substances you use.
• Telling us about any situation at home or work that may affect your ability to care
for yourself, so that we can direct you to resources that can help.
• Letting us know if you feel you cannot follow a plan of care that has been
prescribed—or telling us when things do not seem to be going well—so that,
together, we can develop the right plan of care for you.
• Appointing a health care proxy and completing an advance care directive, so that we
can know what kind of care you wish to have should you become unable to tell us.
• Expressing concerns to your caregivers in a respectful manner. If you need additional
assistance or are angry or upset about your care, a Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Patient/Family Relations or Ethics Committee representative can help you. (See phone
numbers, page 16.)
• Being honest with us about your financial needs so that we may connect you
to resources that can help cover your medical expenses.
• Letting us know if you have objections to students or researchers participating in
your care. As a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women’s
Hospital trains health care professionals and medical investigators from all disciplines,
and your wishes always determine the extent to which they are involved in your care.
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Important Telephone Numbers
Main Number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (617) 732-5500
Bedside Phone Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (617) 732-5500
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (617) 732-5420
Patient Condition Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (617) 732-5500
Hospital Services*
Obstetrical Admitting Office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (617) 732-4005
Birth Certificate Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (617) 732-6108
Blood Donor Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (617) 732-6620
Care Coordination/Social Work Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (617) 732-6462
or 732-6469
Cashier’s Office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(617) 732-5545
Chaplaincy Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(617) 732-7480
Interpreter Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(617) 732-6639
Maternity Tours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(781) 429-1500
Nutrition Consultation Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(617) 732-6054
Parent/Childbirth Education Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(617) 732-4081
Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(617) 732-5877
Patient Billing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(617) 724-1914
Patient/Family Relations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(617) 732-6636
Physician Referral Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (800) BWH-9999
Pre-admission Counselors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (617) 732-7484
TTD/TTY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (617) 732-6458
* If you are calling from within the hospital, dial the last five digits of
the phone number.
Other Services
Registry of Births (Boston City Hall) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (617) 635-4175
Isis Maternity (Parent and Childbirth Education) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (781) 429-1500
Need a World-class Physician?
If you, a family member or friend needs a primary care physician or specialist located
at Brigham and Women’s Hospital or one of its convenient neighborhood sites, call our Physician
Referral Service at 1-800-BWH-9999, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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www.brighamandwomens.org
Map and Directions to Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Brigham and Women’s Hospital is located at 75 Francis Street between
Huntington and Brookline Avenues.
From the North:
Head south on Route 93, then head west on Storrow Drive. Take the Fenway
outbound 1-S exit (on the left). At lights, bear right onto Boylston Street. At
third set of lights bear left onto Brookline Avenue. At fifth set of lights, turn
left onto Francis Street.
From the West:
Head east on the Massachusetts Turnpike. Take Route 128 South for
approximately one mile. Take Route 9 East for six miles. Bear left onto Brookline
Avenue (Brook House apartments will be on right). At third set of lights, turn
right onto Francis Street.
— Or —
Continue east on Massachusetts Turnpike. Take Huntington Avenue/Copley
Square/Prudential Center exit. Take Huntington Avenue west for three miles,
take right onto Francis Street at Brigham Circle.
From the South:
Head north on Route 3 (Southeast Expressway), take the Mass Ave-Roxbury
exit. At the end of the ramp, cross Massachusetts Avenue onto Melnea Cass
Boulevard. Take a left onto Tremont Street. Take first right onto Ruggles Street.
Turn left onto Huntington Avenue at intersection of Ruggles Street and
Huntington Avenue. At second set of lights (Brigham Circle), turn right onto
Francis Street.
For information on traffic conditions, visit www.masspike.com and click
on travel services.
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75 Francis Street
Boston, MA 02115
(617) 732-5500
www.brighamandwomens.org
(7/06-30K)