We appreciate the trust and faith you have placed in White River Health by allowing us to provide your medical care.
When you are admitted to the hospital, your nurse will review all of the equipment in the room including the bed, nurse call button, telephone and television.
Your physician may prescribe a special diet for you based on your medical condition. When possible, you will be able to choose entrees from a menu for the next day’s meals. Your meals will be delivered by our dietary staff.
Our housekeeping staff will clean your room each day. If you need extra linens or towels, please ask your nurse and someone will assist you.
If your hospitalization is scheduled in advance, we’ve listed items you may bring with you to complete your registration and to make your stay more comfortable.
We cannot be responsible for lost or damaged personal valuables during your hospital stay. If you are unable to send valuables home with family or friends, please ask your nurse about securing your valuables in the hospital safe.
These documents could be a living will or a durable power of attorney for health care (also called a health-care proxy). They allow you to give directions about your future medical care. Having an advance directive is good for everyone young or old, since accidents and illness can strike at any time. It’s your right to accept or refuse medical care. Advance directives can protect this right if you become mentally or physically unable to choose or tell someone your wishes.
Before making an advance directive, think about what’s important to you. How would keeping or losing the ability to do things you value affect your choice of treatment? Find out about all the treatments open to you. Then you can decide the level of care that you would want. Advance directives can help you protect your right to make medical choices, help your family avoid the stress of making hard decisions, and help your doctor by giving him/her guidelines for your care.
Once you know what level of medical care you want, you can protect your wishes by putting them in writing. With an advanced directive, you can name someone else to make medical choices for you (durable power of attorney for health care) or you can state the treatments you would choose or not choose (living will). A sample of a living will, healthcare proxy and optional organ and tissue donation form can be found here.
Think about what’s important to you in life. This is the first step in deciding what medical care you’d want if you were near death. Answer the questions below and talk about the answers with family and friends...
You may decide not to be put in the hospital if you are terminally ill or permanently unconscious. You may decide against any treatments that will not cure you. Advance directives can help you make known your feelings about:
Who is qualified to make an advance directive?
An advance directive will be honored if:
What if I change my mind?
What can be done if my wishes are not being carried out?
At White River Health, we believe the basic rights of human beings for independence of expression, decision and action and concern for personal dignity and human relationships are of great importance. Further, we believe that a prime responsibility for us is to endeavor to ensure these rights are preserved for our patients. It is in recognition of these beliefs that the following patient rights are affirmed:
In order to provide high quality patient care that meets your satisfaction, White River Health respectfully requests behavior on the part of patients, their relatives and friends, which considering the nature of their illness, is reasonable and responsible. Areas where we need your assistance and understanding are as follows:
It is our goal that you are always satisfied with the care you receive.
However if we fail to meet your expectations during your visit at a White River Health facility or clinic, please contact our Patient Grievance Hotline at ext 1254 to file a complaint or grievance. To access from outside the hospital, dial (870) 262-1254.
This number can be used to report any concerns, incidents or grievances without fear of reprisal. This is a Hotline checked every morning, Monday through Friday. A representative will return your call. Messages left over the weekend or on a holiday will be returned on the next business day.
If you need immediate assistance in regard to your concerns, you may contact White River Medical Center's House Charge Supervisor at (870) 262-1200 or our hospital Administrative Team at (870) 262-1450 and a hospital representative will address your concerns.
For immediate assistance at Stone County Medical Center, please speak to your nurse or dial 0 to ask the Operator to contact the Administrator on call.
You may also direct complaints to the Arkansas Department of Health at the following address:
Arkansas Department of Health Facility Services
5800 West Tenth Street,
Suite 400 Little Rock, AR 72204
Phone: (501) 661-201
Prior to your surgery, a professional from our Surgical Services Department will call you for a pre-admission interview. During the interview we will ask for information about allergies, medications, and general health. We will also provide important information for how to prepare for your surgery and what you should bring with you on the day of surgery. If laboratory tests and/or diagnostic imaging are ordered by your physician before your surgery, we will make appointments for you as needed. Patients are encouraged to ask questions and to let us know about any concerns during the pre-admission interview.
We will also call you before your surgery to verify your insurance information, confirm precertification if required, and discuss your financial responsibility.
After your surgery, the surgeon will speak to your family. As soon as possible, a member of your family will be allowed to see you. If you are to be discharged, your nurse will give you and your family detailed instructions about your care at home.
Please follow this list of instructions during your first 24 hours at home.