General Information

Hospital Admission

Our goal is to make the admission process as quick and easy as possible for the patient at Pointe Coupee General Hospital. The following items and information will be requested upon your arrival:

Medical insurance card(s)
The insurance policy holder driver's license or photo identification card of the patient and policy holder
Emergency contact information of someone outside your home
Contact information for your primary care physician and specialists
Social security number
Copy of advance medical directive or living will

Pointe Coupee General Hospital does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion or financial status. Any further questions asked during the admission process are not intended as an invasion of privacy but are either necessary in providing healthcare to you and/or mandated by law. All admissions to the hospital are completed through the registration desk located in the Emergency Department.

Interpretive Services

Please notify the hospital staff if you are in need of interpretive services.

Electrical Devices

All personal electrical equipment must be inspected by the Maintenance Department prior to use to ensure it is working properly and will not interfere with hospital equipment. Promptly inform the staff of any equipment in your room that is not properly working.

No Smoking

Pointe Coupee General Hospital is a tobacco-free facility. Smoking is prohibited on the hospital’s campus. This includes e-cigarettes. If you smoke and need assistance with quitting, talk to a nurse about our smoking cessation program.

Express Concerns, Complaints, or Grievances

To express concerns, complaints, and/or grievances about any aspect of your care, treatment, and/or services please contact us.

If you feel you have not received a resolution by contacting us, you may file a complaint or grievance with:

Department of Health and Hospitals Hospital
Complaint Desk, Health Standards Section
P.O. Box 3767
Baton Rouge, LA 70821
(225) 342-0138

Medicare beneficiaries may call (800) 433-4958.

The Joint Commission Office of Quality Monitoring

Rooms, Visiting, and Meals

YOUR HOSPITAL ROOM

All hospital rooms at Pointe Coupee General Hospital are private. A nurse call light is located on the bed rail or on a cord extending from the call system in the wall. Please do not hesitate to call for the nurse when assistance is needed. All rooms are equipped with a remote-controlled, color television with cable service (view channel listings). A DVD library is also available. Ask the staff for a DVD list for your viewing pleasure.

Dialing a Room Number

A telephone is provided for your use at no charge. Calls can be made by dialing “9” followed by the number you are calling. For your convenience, patient rooms may be called directly by dialing (225) 638-58## where ## is the last two numbers of the patient room. To reach a specific department, dial “0” for the hospital operator.

Internet Access

Fast and free Wi-Fi is available for all patients and visitors. Simply connect to the wireless network named PCGH Guest to enjoy!

VISITING HOURS

Visiting hours are from 7:00 AM until 8:00 PM. This is to ensure adequate rest for all of our patients.

Free parking is available campus-wide, conveniently located near all public entrances.

Non-emergency areas of the hospital are open from 6:00 AM until 8:00 PM. Outside these hours, non-emergency areas are locked.

Individuals wishing to enter the hospital after locked times must check with the registration desk in the Emergency Department.

Families are encouraged to visit loved ones that are hospitalized. Please remember to be considerate of others when visiting. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

PATIENT MEALS

Patients are served meals beginning at the following times:

Breakfast – 7:30 AM
Lunch – 11:30 AM
Dinner – 5:30 PM

Patients will receive the diet prescribed by their physician. Please notify the nurse of any special dietary needs — dietary staff members are available to discuss food and nutritional concerns.

Our café menu is available online.

In addition to the Gift Shop’s various snacks, there are beverage and snack vending machines located throughout our facility (some machines also accept major credit cards and contactless payments like Apple Pay):

Outside the Emergency Department’s waiting room
Adjacent to Business Office’s cashier’s entrance
3rd floor’s solarium

Guests are welcomed to enjoy meals with patients in their room, in our dining room, or in our courtyard located west of the Sisters of St. Joseph Conference Room (AKA “the Chapel”).

“This is the best hospital in this area. We come from Avoyelles Parish just to go there when we have an emergency. We love the doctors and the staff are all so friendly.”

— Raymond Ray-Ray Smith

Patient Safety and Security

Your safety and security is very important to us at Pointe Coupee General Hospital. Security is available 24 hours per day, 7 days a week and can be contacted by calling the hospital operator or notifying your nurse. The hospital operator can be reached by dialing 0 from any hospital phone.

We are a designated Safe Haven. This means that any parent may anonymously leave their infant child, up to 30 days old, with the intent of placing the child up for adoption, without fear of prosecution. In order to meet the criteria for Safe Haven, the child must be given to a hospital employee and not simply left unattended.

Firearms, smoking, illegal drugs, and alcohol are prohibited on the hospital’s campus. This includes e-cigarettes. If you smoke and need assistance with quitting, talk to a nurse about our smoking cessation program.

Periodically, fire and disaster drills are conducted to ensure the safety and well-being of our patients. If a drill occurs during your hospital stay, calmly remain in your room and follow instructions by the staff. Patients and visitors do not participate in these drills. You will expect to hear alarm bells and overhead pages. Fire doors will close automatically, and at night overhead lights will come on. An “all clear” will be announced when the drill is over.

Patient safety is extremely important. Falling can be a very serious problem for hospitalized patients. In order to ensure a safe stay while in the hospital, patients and families are asked to follow the following fall prevention guidelines:

Ask for help when getting out of bed, especially at night. The hospital is an unfamiliar place and most falls happen when the patient tries to get out of bed on their own to go to the bathroom.
Make sure the nurse's call bell on the bed is within reach.
Call for help before the need to go to the bathroom becomes really urgent.
Make sure the light is on at night when walking to the bathroom or around the hospital room.
Keep eyeglasses within reach.
Ensure that any furniture or equipment is moved out of the path to the door.
Wear footwear with nonskid soles to prevent slipping.
Inform the staff of any fluid spills or obstructions that might trip people.
Ensure that the brakes are locked on the hospital bed and wheelchairs.
Ensure that children are supervised around raised equipment such as beds.

Patient Rights

We consider you a partner in your hospital care. When you are well informed, participate in your treatment decisions, and communicate openly with your doctor and other health care professionals, you can help make your care as effective as possible. Pointe Coupee General Hospital respects the personal preferences and values of each individual. While a patient in the hospital, your rights include the following:

You have the right to privacy, to considerate, respectful and safe care, and to be free from verbal or physical abuse or harassment.
You have the right to choose a personal attending physician.
You have the right to be well informed in a language you can understand about your illness, possible treatments, and likely outcome and to discuss this information with your doctor.
You have the right to know the names and roles of people treating you.
You have the right to refuse treatment and participate in experimental research.
You have the right to confidentiality of your medical records and the ability to obtain information contained in your records within a reasonable time frame.
You have the right to form an Advance Directive, such as a Living Will or Health Care Proxy. These documents express your choices about your future care or name a representative if you cannot speak for yourself. If you have a written Advance Directive, you should provide a copy to the hospital, your family, and your doctor.
You have the right to be free from restraints and seclusion of any form used as a means of coercion, discipline, convenience, or retaliation. Restraints are only used as a last resort to protect a patient from injury as per a doctor's order.
You have the right to use personal belongings within reasonable limits that do not pose a safety risk.

SUMMARY OF PRIVACY PRACTICES NOTICE

Pointe Coupee General Hospital implements policies and procedures to accommodate patient privacy rights as required by and specified in the Privacy Rule of the Administrative Simplification provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). Patients cared for have the following rights with respect to the privacy of their health information:

To receive a paper copy of the agency's Notice of Privacy Practices.
To lodge complaints about the agency's privacy practices.
To request restrictions on the uses and disclosures of health information.
To request to receive confidential communication.
To access their protected health information for inspection and/or copying.
To amend their health care information.
To request an accounting of disclosures of health information.

The privacy policies of Pointe Coupee General Hospital detail the requirements for each of these rights and provide procedures for implementation.

The following are not explicit requirements of the Privacy Rule but have been added to facilitate compliance efforts at Pointe Coupee General Hospital:

Staff members are provided with annual training regarding patient rights with respect to their health information.
Information related to patient privacy rights is included in the orientation program for new staff.
The Patient Rights and Responsibilities Statements include patient privacy rights.

Protecting your confidential health information is of utmost importance to our Administration and the Pointe Coupee Parish Health Services District № 1.

If you are concerned that we have violated your privacy rights, our privacy policies, or if you disagree with a decision we have made about access to your health information, please contact Pointe Coupee General Hospital's Privacy Officer or send a written complaint to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Infection Control

PREVENTING THE SPREAD OF INFECTION

While you are a patient in our hospital, for your protection and the protection of our employees, standard infection control practices are used. This means our employees may wear gloves, masks, gowns or goggles while caring for you. These safety measures may be taken any time there is a possibility of exposure to blood or body fluids. Please do not let this frighten or upset you – these are simply standard precautions taken in all hospitals to prevent the spread of infection.

Visitors who are sick should avoid visiting patients. We are concerned about preventing infection and avoiding the spread of germs not only while you're in the hospital but when you go home, as well. Your recovery and continued good health are important to us.

Visitors, please help us prevent the spread of infection:

Get a flu shot.
Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer before entering and when leaving the patient's room.
Cover your sneeze or cough with a tissue or your upper arm.
Avoid touching anything used to care for the patient.
Stay home when you are sick.
Read and follow any instructions posted outside the patient's room.

Learn more about how to prepare for the flu season.

Miscellaneous

GIFT SHOP, FLOWERS, & MAIL

Our Gift Shop, Trinkets and Treasures, is located on the first floor near the Emergency Department’s waiting room and is operated by the Pointe Coupee General Hospital Auxiliary Members. Our Gift Shop has numerous items including greeting cards, snacks, toys, collectibles, jewelry, and balloons.

Gift Shop's contact information and hours →

Flowers are delivered by the local florists.

Mail and other correspondence is brought to the nurse's station and delivered to the patient by the nursing staff.

PAIN MANAGEMENT

It is important to the staff of Pointe Coupee General Hospital that you understand the pain scale as an important part of pain management. We will ask you to rate your pain on a scale of 0 to 10 with 0 meaning “no pain at all” and 10 meaning “worst pain imaginable”. You may also be asked to refer to other scales to assist us in managing your pain.

MEDICATIONS BROUGHT FROM HOME

You should bring a complete list of medications, including prescription and over the counter medications, with you to the hospital. This list will be checked and your physician will determine which ones you will take while hospitalized. Any medications that are brought from home should be sent home with a relative or sent to the hospital pharmacy to be stored. Exceptions to this include medications brought from home and approved for use in the hospital by your physician.

If you have unused, unwanted, or expired medication, please consider safely disposing of it by using our Take-Back Kiosk.

PASTORAL CARE SERVICES

The Pointe Coupee General Hospital chapel and meditation room is located on the 2nd floor, between the nursing station and 2-West areas. If you wish to receive a visit from a clergy member, please notify Case Management, a social worker, or your nurse.

Eyeglasses

To prevent loss or damage to your eyeglasses, never leave your eyewear unprotected on the bed or bedside tables.

Valuables

It is recommended that you leave valuables and large sums of money at home or send them home with family or friends. If this is not possible then please notify hospital staff who will securely store your belongings.

Dentures

You will be asked if you wear dentures and if so a denture cup will be provided for your use. When you do not have your dentures in place, please put them in the denture cup. To avoid losing your dentures do not wrap your dentures in towels or tissues, place them on your meal tray, or under your pillow, etc.

PATIENT EDUCATION

The Pointe Coupee General Hospital staff will teach you information about your illness, medications, treatment, and what to do when you are discharged. We will give you information in a way that is easily understood by you and/or your significant other(s). Remember, if you do not understand something about your care, please ask us. It is important to us that our patients are well-informed.

CASE MANAGEMENT, SOCIAL SERVICES, DISCHARGE PLANNING

The impact of disease and injury can be overwhelming for many patients. A registered nurse and a social worker are available to assist you in dealing with the stress of illness. They can help you in securing services by arranging for community resources, offering guidelines for financial assistance, and arranging for medical supplies.

Our active discharge planning program offers help with securing nursing home placement, home health visits, or other services.

ORGAN AND TISSUE DONATION

There are over 2,100 people in Louisiana awaiting life-saving organ transplant. Twenty-two people die each day in the United States waiting for a transplant. More than 118,000 people in the United States are awaiting organ donation. Organ and tissue donation does not prevent open casket funerals, no major religion opposes donation, and there is no additional cost to the donor's family for organ or tissue donation.

If you are interested in learning more about tissue and organ donation contact Case Management. You may also contact:

Louisiana Organ Procurement Agency (LOPA)
3501 N. Causeway Blvd. Suite 940
Metairie, LA 70002
1 (800) 521-4483

Grievance Policy and Procedure

Pointe Coupee General Hospital, under the guidance of the Governing Board, will protect and promote individual rights by all means available and according to the federal and state standards. Pointe Coupee General Hospital believes that it is a positive benefit to the patient's outcome if the patient or patient's representative is informed of treatment, services, possible outcomes, and alternatives of care.

Pointe Coupee General Hospital, under the direction of the CEO and the Governing Board, supports a patient's right to file a grievance if there is a question or concern regarding aspects of quality of care. The patient shall be informed on how and to whom the grievance can be submitted.

A "patient grievance” is a written or verbal complaint (when the verbal complaint about patient care is not resolved at the time of the complaint by staff present) by a patient, or the patient's representative, regarding the patient's care, abuse or neglect, issues related to the hospital's compliance with the CMS Hospital and Conditions of Participation or Medicare beneficiary billing related to rights and limitations provided by 42 CFR489. All written complaints are considered grievances.

Pointe Coupee General Hospital policy is to provide a prompt and reasonable response to a question or request. To file a grievance or complaint, contact one of the following:

Hospital Compliance

The State of Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals
P.O. Box 3767
Baton Rouge, LA 70821
(225) 342-0138
1 (866) 280-7737

The Joint Commission
One Renaissance Blvd
Oakbrook Terrance, IL 60181
patientsafetyreport@jointcommission.org
www.jcrinc.com

Medicare Beneficiaries
(800) 433-4958