Patients & Visitors

Below is some general information for Patients and Visitors of Smith County Memorial Hospital. Please take a moment to read through this section and if you have any questions or comments, please contact us.

Visiting Hours
Open Visiting Hours – Children should not be left unattended in patient rooms or lobby areas.

Tobacco-Free Campus
For the health and well-being of our patients, visitors, and employees; Smith County Memorial Hospital is a tobacco-free campus.  Tobacco use is not allowed in the hospital's buildings, grounds or parking areas.

Vending Machines
There are several vending machines located throughout the Hospital, Clinic and LTC.  Please feel free to use these vending machines.

Wireless
Smith County Memorial Hospital is pleased to announce our Guest Wireless Internet Access.  Patients and Guest of Patients are welcome to “Surf” the internet.

Please read the Terms & Conditions before connecting to our Guest Wireless Internet.

**Please note that SCMH is in no way responsible for providing support in any form to connect to our Guest Wireless Internet Access. This service is offered “As Is” and there are no guarantees that the service will work on your wireless enabled device.  If you are having troubles connecting to our Guest Internet, you may consult the help desk of your computer/network adaptor manufacturer for assistance.

For more information, please read our Frequently Asked Questions.

What to bring when coming to the hospital:

• Current Medications (in the bottles) including herbal supplement, vitamins, etc.
• Copy of DPOA/Living will (if available)
• Insurance information
• Date of last vaccinations (pneumonia, flu, tetanus)
• List of Allergies
• Assistive devices (walkers, canes, splints)

Patient Rights and Responsibilities

Rights
Smith County Memorial Hospital respects the rights of the patient and is committed to providing care that recognizes and supports patients’ rights without regard to age, gender, cultural, economic, education or religious background or the source of payment for care.

Patients have the right to:

• Be treated with consideration and respect.
• Have the physician discuss their diagnosis and plan of treatment and recovery in a language they can understand.
• Receive any information about their treatment or procedure they may need to give an informed consent or to refuse treatment.  Exceptions may occur in emergencies.
• Information necessary to make treatment decisions reflecting their wishes and to request a change in their physician or transfer to another facility due to religious or other reasons.
• Refuse any treatment that the law allows and the patient will be informed how the refusal could affect could affect their condition.
• Personal privacy, to receive care in a safe setting and be free from all forms of abuse or harassment.
• Have a representative of their choice and to have their physician notified of their admission if not the admitting physician.
• Receive reasonable responses to any reasonable requests made for service.
• Consent to or refuse to take part in research affecting your care and to participate in the development and implementation of your plan of care.
• Reasonable continuity of care  and to know in advance the time and location of follow-up appointments as well as the identity of persons providing their care.
• Know about hospital rules that would affect them and their treatment.
• Retain and use personal possessions including some furnishings and appropriate clothing as space permits and does not infringe upon the rights of other patients or their health or safety.
• Share a room with his or her spouse if both have to be hospitalized and meets their plan of care and is consented by both spouses to the arrangement.
• The confidentiality of their medical record and to have access to that information.  They have the right to have that information explained to them by qualified staff or their physician.
• Examine and receive an explanation of their bills regardless of their source of payment.
• Be informed of continuing health care requirements following discharge from the hospital.
• Formulate advance directives and to have the staff comply with those directives.
• Be free from seclusion or restraints of any form that are not medically necessary.
• Report concerns regarding their care/treatment to the Hospital Administrator.

Responsibilities
The care a patient receives depends partially on the patient.  Therefore, in addition to these rights, a patient has certain responsibilities as well.  These responsibilities should be presented to the patient in the spirit of mutual trust and respect.

• The patient has the responsibility to provide accurate and complete information concerning his/her present complaints, past medical history, and other matters relating to his health.
• The patient is responsible for making it known whether he/she clearly comprehends the course of his/her medical treatment and what is expected of him/her.
• The patient is responsible for following the treatment plan established by his/her physician, including the instructions of nurses and other health professionals as they carry out the Physician’s orders.
• The patient is responsible for keeping appointments and for notifying the hospital or physician when he is unable to do so.
• The patient is responsible for his/her actions should he/she refuse treatment or not follow his/her physician’s orders.
• The patient is responsible for assuring that the financial obligations of his/her hospital care are fulfilled as promptly as possible.
• The patient is responsible for following hospital policies and procedures.
• The patient is responsible for being considerate of the rights of other patients and hospital personnel.
• The patient is responsible for being respectful of his/her personal property and that of other persons in the hospital.
• You are responsible for paying your hospital bill promptly or making arrangements for payment.