Patients with private health insurance are usually covered for procedures or surgical interventions at Maryvale Private Hospital.

Your health fund will be billed directly for these and hospital accommodation fees.

However, some insurance policies do have an excess. This will be confirmed prior to admission and is to be paid on admission to the hospital. This excess is often required on each admission to the hospital.

Our admission staff will contact you prior to your admission and explain any costs not covered by your Health Insurance Fund.

All accounts are to be finalised at the time of discharge. (Any out of pocket expenses may be paid by cash or eftpos.)

Self-insured patients are welcome but required to pay in full for their visit prior to admission.

Please note that while Medicare will contribute 75% of the government’s scheduled fee for the surgeon and anaesthetist; it does not contribute to the hospital fees (theatre and accommodation).

Time your arrival to be about 15 minutes before the scheduled time. This will mean you are not rushing, nor are you kept waiting too long.

If all the paper-work is up to date (see above) you will be taken to your room. There will be a pre-anaesthetic examination and any other test/s that may be required.

We structure our operating lists to meet the needs of all of our patients. Unfortunately there will sometimes be some complications, that means some patients may be kept waiting a bit longer.

It is suggested that comfortable, casual clothing be worn for both adults and children. Please do not wear hair pins, make-up or nail polish and remove all jewellery. Wedding rings can be left on.

You should have with you:

• Health Fund Insurance details, pension cards, DVA details, Medicare Card and Safety Net Number
• Current Medications in original packets
• Current X-rays and Pathology Tests

If you are staying overnight:

• Dressing Gown/ comfortable proper fitting foot wear
• Night wear / pyjamas and toiletries

(If you suffer from Sleep Apnoea and use a CPAP machine, please bring that with you too.)

Ensure you shower before leaving home but do not use talcum powder if your surgery is scheduled for that day.

Please do not smoke for at least 24 hours prior to surgery.

It is vital that all medications you are currently taking are brought into hospital in their original containers and given to the admitting nurse. Tablets will be locked in the medication locker in your room and dispensed as ordered by your doctor.

Any new admission related medication that is prescribed by your doctor will be provided by the hospital until your discharge.

Prior to discharge, the nursing staff will ensure that you have an adequate amount of medication to take home. This may require sending scripts to pharmacy. You will receive an invoice from the pharmacy for discharge medications.

A pharmacist visits the hospital regularly to review medication charts. If you would like any additional information regarding your medications, please notify the nursing staff and they will arrange for the pharmacist to visit and talk with you on a personal basis.

Maryvale Private Hospital is committed to safe patient care. This is reflected in infection control principles and practice. The prevention of infection is uppermost in all areas of care.

A simple way to ensure this is for all patients and visitors to practise Hand Hygiene (wash your hands before meals, before and after using the toilet) whilst in the hospital.

The Maryvale Private Hospital healthcare team will work with you planning your discharge and making arrangements for post-operative appointments.

Planning for discharge actually commences on admission to the hospital, so the transition from hospital to home / community is well planned and as smooth as possible. Home services will be arranged as where and when possible.

Our Discharge Coordinator will be in touch with you early in your hospital stay.
On discharge, you will be given a comprehensive discharge information sheet, which will describe any specific instructions to your recovery such as medications, wound care and activities.

Please do not hesitate to ask us if you have any questions regarding this information or any other matter. This medical/nursing discharge summary will also be forwarded to your referring general practitioner once you have left the hospital.

Some Important notes:

• Patients are advised not to drive for 24 hours after receiving a general anaesthetic.
• Patients are requested to arrange to be collected between 10.00am and 10.30am.
• Please ensure all out of pocket costs are paid prior to discharge.

Visitors are not only welcome but also encouraged as they are important to our patient’s recovery.

Visiting Hours at Maryvale Private Hospital are between 10.00am and 8.00pm.

We try to be as accommodating and flexible as possible but we will always act in our patients’ best interests first.

Please check with nursing staff if you would like visitors outside the official times.

Parents are welcome to stay with their children from admission to discharge.

Please ask your visitors to show consideration not just to you but also for other patients in the hospital. Any restrictions we do make are made solely for the benefit of the patient.

Children are welcome to visit but must have adult supervision at all times. Patient lounges are available in each ward for use of patients and their visitors and there is a small pantry for patients and their visitors to make a cup of tea or coffee.

Maryvale Private Hospital is renowned for its gourmet, fine food menu. Our chefs create seasonal menus that include special meals to meet dietary requirements. Visitors are welcome at Maryvale, and may dine with you during your hospitalisation. A charge does apply to visitor meals.

Meal times are as follows:

A trained food service monitor distributes and collects the menus each day and can assist you with your meal selection.

The service of a dietitian is available to provide a nutrition counselling service and can assist you with any nutritional or special diet queries should your doctor request this service.

Maryvale Private offers a wide range of in-patient services to make your stay as comfortable as possible.

These include:

• Telephone; A telephone for patient use is adjacent to every bed. For outside calls ‘Dial 0’ and wait for dial tone before proceeding to dial required number. Local calls are free to overnight patients who are in participating Health funds.
  Local and distance calls may also be made from the public telephone located in the foyer of the hospital.
  A charge will be made to all patients for IDD and STD calls. Day patients and those in non- participating health funds will be charged for local calls. Telephone accounts must be paid on discharge. GST is applicable to telephone charges.
• Television / Radio; A television is provided free to all in-patients. This includes free-to-air television stations and two radio stations.
• Mail; Incoming mail is distributed daily. Our mailing address is:
  Maryvale Private Hospital
  P.O. Box 348 Morwell 3840 Vic
  If you have any mail you would like us to post for you, please have it delivered to reception before 8.00am.
• Newspapers; Overnight patients will receive a free Herald Sun/Age.
  Day case patients are able to purchase a paper at reception.
  Alternative publications may be ordered by phoning reception Ext 9. These publications will be charged to your account at cost price.
• Laundry; Family/friends will be required to attend to your laundry needs. A local laundry offers a pick-up and delivery service for those unable to make other arrangements. A fee is charged for this service.
• Flowers / Gifts; Any flowers or gifts will be delivered to your room as they arrive. Please note potted plants are not permitted in the hospital.
• Hairdresser; Arrangements for a hairdresser to visit you can be made by the nursing staff. The patient is responsible for paying the service fee at the time of the appointment.
• Podiatrist; Arrangements for a podiatrist to visit you can be made by the nursing staff. The patient is responsible for paying the service fee at the time of the appointment.
• No Smoking Policy; In the interests of the health and safety of patients and staff, Maryvale Private Hospital has a non- smoking policy. Smoking is not permitted within the hospital or immediate internal surrounds, within 10 metres of the front entrance or near any exit door, including the courtyard.

In keeping with our continuing commitment to our patients and delivering quality outcomes, Maryvale Private Hospital respects each patient’s right to participate in health care choices that affect them.

If you are unable to make your own decisions, Maryvale ensures that your interests are the focus of any decision that affects you. Maryvale Private Hospital, your doctor and other health care professionals will work with you and your family to ensure that, at all times, your rights will be respected.

It is your right:

• To be informed about services which are available in the hospital
  To bring a friend, relative or support person during consultation and where there are language difficulties. Where necessary to seek assistance from trained and accredited interpreters for essential communication
• To be provided by your doctor with a clear, concise explanation in non-medical terms of your condition, problem or disease
• To be given a clear explanation of the procedure/treatment including risks, after effects or side effects associated with the procedure/treatment
• To give your informed consent before treatment begins
• To withdraw your consent and refuse treatment at any time
• To be fully involved in decisions about your care and be given the opportunity to ask questions
• To seek a second opinion. We will endeavour to meet such requests whenever possible, although in some emergency situations this may not be feasible
• To be involved with the decisions regarding your discharge, including information about further available services. Your referring General
• Practitioner may also be involved in this process. You may choose to discharge yourself at your own risk, however you will be asked to sign a form accepting responsibility for this decision
• To have access to the hospital’s Compliments, Comments and Complaints process
• To gain access to your medical record under the Information Privacy Act 2000 (Victoria)
• Access to visitors
• To know the identity and professional status of any staff caring for you
• To have your cultural and religious beliefs respected
• To be free from any form of discrimination
• Confidentiality

It is your responsibility:

• To be concise and correct in explaining your own medical history and to include any details of medications you are taking
• To answer questions about your health frankly and honestly and to discuss and make decisions with your doctor regarding any problems which you feel may be affecting your health or medical condition
• To inform the doctor involved in your care, if you are currently in consultation with or under treatment from another health professional or alternative medicine/therapy, in connection with the same condition
• To query any issues you don’t understand with the doctor before you consent to any procedure/treatment
• To accept the consequences of your own informed decisions about your treatment and discharge planning
• To comply with prescribed treatment or inform the hospital professionals that you do not intend to do so
• To conduct yourself in an appropriate way and respect the well being and rights of other patients and staff
• Not to behave in a way that may interfere with current medical treatment, such as consuming alcohol or drugs whilst on hospital premises
• To raise questions or discuss any problems that you may be experiencing as soon as they occur with the Doctor, Nurse Unit Manager or the nurse looking after you
• To inform the hospital when asked if you do not wish your information to be forwarded in relation to the continuation of your care after you leave hospital
• To know the name and address of your local doctor
• If you are a private patient to pay your attending doctor’s fees and the hospital’s charges as billed

Patient Satisfaction Surveys are conducted at regular intervals with patients undergoing specific procedures, e.g.: hip procedure, endoscopy. You will be given the survey by the Discharge Coordinator or on admission if you are having a Day Procedure.
If you wish to complete a survey please ask staff for a survey form, or if you have already left the Hospital please download the form here.

The Maryvale Private Hospital staff is committed to high quality health care. Should any issue arise that does exceed/or does not meet your expectations, bring it to the attention of the nurse looking after you who will then refer it to the Unit Manager. The Unit Manager will either address the issue or refer it to the Complaints Officer as we wish to continually improve our service.

A sealed box is situated at reception desk for comments/complaint forms.

A complaints brochure is given to all patients and details of the hospital Complaints Officer are detailed on the board in the hospital foyer.

Maryvale Private has a Consumer Advisory Committee that meets twice a year to review patient documentation and processes and systems that may improve patient care.

If you are interested in providing feedback, ideas or suggestions, please contact Executive Office on Ext: 201.