You have been hospitalized at Rabin Medical Center – Beilinson and Hasharon Hospitals.
We would like to supply you with vital information for you and your family on hospital regulations regarding patient admission to Emergency and hospitalization, your stay in the inpatient departments and your discharge from the hospital.

Admission to Emergency and Hospitalization

A patient is referred to hospitalization in the following manners:

• Emergency hospitalization - Through the Department of Emergency Medicine (Emergency Room - ER); for birth through the Women's Emergency; or by direct referral by the hospital's outpatient clinics or institutes.
• Planned hospitalization – Pre-scheduled appointment by the inpatient department. 
• Ambulatory care – Hospitalization for procedure or treatment, with discharge on the same day. 

The Patient Admissions Office for Emergency and for Hospitalization

The Patient Admissions Office is responsible for admittance of patients to the hospital's ER, registration to inpatient departments and check-in of patients with pre-planned appointments for hospitalization or ambulatory care.

• Upon arrival at Admissions Office  the patient or escort  is requested to show:
  o An identity card, including a picture.
  o A valid letter of referral to Emergency from the health-fund doctor.
  o For pre-scheduled hospitalization – please show your letter of referral from the inpatient department and Financial Obligation Form for hospitalization from your health-fund.
• For emergency patients - the Admissions Office will register the patient and open an emergency file that will accompany him/her throughout his treatment at emergency.
• The patient will be requested to sign a consent form for admittance to hospital.
• One person may accompany the patient during his stay in the emergency room, and will receive a sticker (ER Escort).
• Admittance to Emergency is in accordance to the regulations of Clalit Health Services and the Ministry of Health as published from time to time.

Treatment Procedure at the Department of Emergency Medicine

The Emergency staff works 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to respond to emergency medical conditions and to save lives. The staff provides primary medical care and performs examinations to determine either the need for hospitalization, for further assessment or treatment, or if the patient can be discharged from hospital for continuation of medical care in the community.

The staff does its utmost to provide professional and high-quality care, dignified and humane service - with maximum efficiency and speed.

Due to the nature of hospital procedures, there is a lot of waiting time involved in an emergency room visit. This is due to the various factors involved in the care of emergency patients, both in the emergency room and throughout the different hospital units – examinations by nurse, doctor and consultant, blood tests, imaging tests (x-ray, ultrasound and more).

The staff does everything in its power to speed up and maximize the efficiency of the assessment process and treatment at Emergency – We therefore ask you to please be patient.

Please note – examination of patients is in accordance to medical urgency as determined by the staff, and not in accordance to time of arrival at emergency.

Treatment Stages in the Department of Emergency Medicine

• Primary examination by nurse – The patient will undergo primary examination by triage nurse. Vital signs will be checked (temperature, blood pressure, etc.) and a primary evaluation will be made concerning urgency for treatment.
• The patient will be referred to the relevant treatment area within the ER or out of it (e.g. ophthalmology, ENT or orthopedic emergency).
• Primary examination by physician – The patient will undergo medical examination by physician who will determine need for diagnostic tests and the course of treatment.
• Blood tests – Blood tests will be taken and sent to the laboratories.
  Please note it takes an average of two hours to receive test results from the labs.
• Imaging tests – When relevant, patients will be sent for imaging tests (x-ray, ultrasound, CT, etc.) to help assess his medical condition. Patients may have to wait at the site of these tests, and it may take time for the results to reach the Emergency Room. Please be patient.
• Examination by consultant – At times it may be necessary to receive medical consultation from a specialist (neurologist, oncologist, etc.) who will come to the Emergency Room from his department. Due to the heavy workload of these doctors and departments, it may be necessary to wait for his arrival.
• Decision-making regarding hospitalization or discharge from Emergency – A senior doctor from the Emergency Staff will summarize and assess all the test results and decide whether to discharge the patient from the hospital or hospitalize him in the relevant hospital department for continued treatment.
  o Either the patient being discharged or his escort will receive explanation on the contents of the discharge letter (medications, referral to family doctor, necessary tests, etc.). Please go to your family doctor with the discharge letter.
  o A patient being hospitalized will be referred to the Admissions Office to arrange hospitalization. An orderly will take him to the relevant inpatient department.
  At times, patient may have to wait before being transferred to the inpatient department and that is due to work-load in the department. Please understand and be patient.

Regulations and Routine in the Inpatient Departments
Upon your hospitalization in the hospital, we would like to supply you and your family with vital information regarding hospital regulations and routine during the course of your stay. Information brochures for specific departments are available (in Hebrew) at the department notice board or can be supplied by the nurses. Hospital staff does its utmost to provide the best possible medical care and hospitalization conditions. Please feel free to approach the staff with any question or problem.

Admission to Inpatient Department

• Upon admission to the department you will be met by a nurse and doctor.
• Please make sure to report any sensitivity to medications, food and/or blood products.
• Give the staff a list of the medications you use regularly.
• During hospitalization medications will be supplied by the nurse. Please do not take medications alone.
• Please supply as many telephone numbers as possible of family members or others.
• You will be requested to present former medical documents to help us get a complete medical history.
• The inpatient departments have different types of hospital rooms with a varying number of beds.
• Most of the departments have a large room across from the nurses' station with beds for both men and women, for patients in need of intensive surveillance. Some departments have Intensive Care Units.
• The patient is referred to a particular room in accordance to medical and professional judgment and departmental needs.
• A bell is located next to each bed and in washrooms and showers to page a nurse when necessary.

Daily Routine in Department

Meals:
Breakfast, lunch and supper are served in the departments. Meal-times are detailed in the department's information brochure.  The menu is in accordance to each patient's personal diet restrictions.
You can choose your lunch from a list of options that will be given to you at breakfast.
If you are sensitive to any foods or are in need of special nutrition, please notify the staff. If you do not know of any diet restrictions, you can consult with a nurse or dietician.
If you would like to receive Glatt Kosher meals, please inform the nurse or nurses' aid upon admission to department.

Doctors' Rounds:
Every day there are Doctors' Rounds. Specific hours are detailed on the department's notice board and pamphlet. During rounds, patients can be informed of their medical condition; please feel free to ask questions and to be a full partner in the treatment process. Instructions will be given to the medical team regarding continued medical care including: use of medications, necessary tests, and treatment, procedures or operations the patient must undergo.

Providing Medical Information:
The patient has the right to obtain full and detailed information regarding his medical care from the doctors – such as the procedures and operations performed or necessary medical tests.

Upon patient consent we will provide medical information to family members. If you object to sharing this information with relatives, please notify the doctors.

Medical information is provided by doctors at set times – as detailed in the department notice board or pamphlet.

• To meet with the Department Head, please set up an appointment with his secretary.
• To meet with the social worker, dietician or physiotherapist – please set up an appointment via the department secretary or nurse.

Visiting Patients in the Inpatient Departments:

Visiting hours in the inpatient departments: Every day until 9:00 p.m.

Visiting hours in the Maternity Departments: Every day from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. On Fridays and Saturdays also from 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Children under 3 years old will not be allowed to visit in the Maternity or Neonatal Departments in order to prevent spreading germs to newborns. Sitting and play areas are available at the entrance to the Maternity Departments. We ask for your cooperation. 

There are shorter visiting hours and other visiting restrictions in the Intensive Care Units and other specific departments. Please make sure to get the necessary information in the department.

• In order to respect the patients' needs for privacy and for rest, please restrict the number of visitors at any given time. Thus, you will also help prevent spread of germs in the department and hospital.
• Visitors should refrain from any interference in the care of the patient without receiving direct permission from the staff, including: taking the patient off the bed, pulling down the sides of the bed or feeding the patient.

Discharge from the Department:

On the day of discharge, the patient will receive instruction from the nurse and doctor, and will be given a discharge letter containing a detailed summary and recommendations. Please make sure that you understand the instructions in the letter, and don't hesitate to ask the nurse or doctor any questions regarding its contents. Please take this letter to your family doctor, in order to ensure continuous care.

When necessary, the patient will have an appointment for medical follow-up in the department's outpatient clinics.

General Information:

• Smoking is not permitted in any area of the hospital!
• The hospital is not responsible for any of your personal property. When necessary, you may deposit valuables for safekeeping at the Admissions Office in Emergency. The nurse can give you more information.
• Please respect the attending staff and listen to their instructions.
• Please keep the hospital clean, respect the need for quiet and respect hospital and personal property.  
• Please note the hospital is a teaching hospital for medical students, nurses and other medical professions, so we ask that you show understanding and patience for this important aspect of our work.