Before patients arrive at Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital, we want to be sure they know what to expect. Here are some tips to make sure the transition from an acute care hospital to our rehabilitation hospital goes smoothly.
Patient/family checklist
- Have you told your employer you are hospitalized? If employed: Has your employer/human resources department been contacted to decide whether you have or are eligible for disability benefits and whether you will continue to have insurance coverage while you’re unable to work?
- Do you have a primary care physician? If not, please get one immediately for your after-care needs. If you are not sure how to get a primary care physician, please contact your insurance provider and/or see your care manager.
- Please tell your rehab physician, your nurse or the unit coordinator about any follow-up appointments you may have.
- Please make sure that you get a copy from nursing of all of your MRIs and/or Cat scans done during your stay upon discharge from Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital. The films are your property.
- Please tell your care manager if there are any changes to your insurance benefits as soon as you become aware.
- Please alert your care manager to any special needs, concerns about insurance or discharge planning needs.
What to bring
Your stay here will be very different from the time you spent in the acute care hospital. Recovery at Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital is an active process. Your rehabilitation program focuses on therapy and includes exercise and mobility training; therefore, you will wear your own clothing during your stay. It is important for you to wear comfortable clothing—sweat suits and exercise clothes are best. Please mark your clothes with your name in case they become misplaced.
To make your stay as comfortable as possible, you should bring:
- A list of the current medication you’re are taking, as well as any special assistive devices or equipment, including artificial limbs, splints, eyeglasses, hearing aids and dentures
- Toilet articles, cosmetics, shaving supplies
- Underwear and socks
- Pajamas, bathrobe and bedroom slippers
- Loose-fitting exercise clothes
- Sweater
- Sneakers or other low-heeled, rubber-soled shoes
- A coat in cold weather
- Clothes for non-therapy hours
- Small amount of cash for purchases (newspapers, beauty salon services, gift shop items)
Patients should consult Bryn Mawr Rehab staff before bringing hair dryers or any sharp objects into the hospital, including razors, scissors or nail clippers.
Medications from home
Please do not bring any medications (prescription, over-the-counter or illegal drugs) to the hospital. All medication you take while a patient at the hospital have been prescribed by your physician, are dispensed by the hospital pharmacy and administered by a trained professional. Patients are not permitted to administer their own medication or to keep personal medications unless approved by their physician.
All medication brought with you from home need to be sent home with a family member or caregiver. If you are unable to do this, alert your nurse and the medications will be checked into the hospital lock box. Medications will be returned upon discharge from the hospital.
If you are concerned that you are not receiving medication you regularly take at home, please ask your nurse or physician.
During your stay
Below you can find information specific to your stay at Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital. For more information on your stay at this and any of our other hospitals, please visit the during your stay section of the patient hospital guide.
Your room assignment
Your room assignment at our hospital is based upon your admitting diagnosis and the bed availability on the day of your admission. Private (single bed) and semi-private (two beds) rooms are available.
Patient meals
Nourishing, well-balanced meals are an important part of your rehabilitation. We make every effort to provide nutritious meals that are prepared according to your special needs.
Meals are served three times daily. Breakfast is served in your room. A menu will be provided to order your meals for the next day. Please mark your menu so it will be ready for pickup. If you are on a special diet prescribed by your doctor, you will receive menus tailored to your specific needs. If you have difficulty selecting from the menu, a member of our dietary staff will be happy to help you. For assistance, you can call 484.596.5496.
The patient dining room, on the first floor of the hospital, is open for lunch and dinner and available to patients who are independently able to feed themselves. You can make arrangements with your nurse to have your lunch and dinner delivered to the patient dining room.
Housekeeping services
Patient rooms are cleaned and sanitized daily by our Environmental Services staff. In addition, every effort is made to make sure you are comfortable and that everything in your room is in proper working order. If you experience any problems with your room or the equipment in it (e.g., lights, TV, shower, air-conditioner, bed), please contact Environmental Services at 484.596.5470.
Laundry
You are responsible for your own laundry while you are a patient here. A washer and dryer, along with detergent, are available on each unit for use during your stay. Please label all of your clothing.
Calling your nurse for assistance
A button to call your nurse is located at your bedside and in your bathroom. When you press the button, the nursing station is alerted that you need assistance and a light flashes on above your door. A staff member will respond to your signal as soon as possible. There is a speaker in your room and the nurse may answer your call from another location. If you answer verbally, he or she will be able to hear your request.
Condition H
Main Line Health is dedicated to making our hospitals the safest place for patients to receive care. As a result, we’ve created a Condition H line—the “H” stands for help—for patients, family or visitors to call for immediate medical help. Learn more about Condition H.
Healthy and safety
Main Line Health is committed to your safety in every aspect, from knowing who your care team is to your ID bracelet to the Zone of Silence for medication safety.
Learn more about safety awareness
Preparing for discharge
Below you can find information specific to your discharge from Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital. For more information on your discharge from this and any of our other hospitals, please visit the preparing for discharge section of the patient hospital guide.
Staff from our care management department will work with you and the hospital team to coordinate services for your post-hospital care. Call the care coordination department at 484.596.5510.
Going home
When your doctor feels that you are ready to leave the hospital, he or she will authorize a hospital discharge. Please speak with your nurse about our discharge procedures.
Here are a few tips to make the discharge process run smoothly:
- Be sure you and/or your caregiver have spoken with a care coordinator and that you understand what services you may need after leaving the hospital.
- Verify your discharge date and time with your nurse or doctor. Please plan to be picked up by 9:30 am to give us a chance to prepare your room for the next patient. If you cannot leave by this time, please notify your care manager so alternate arrangements can be made.
- Have someone available to pick you up. A member of the staff will escort you to the front entrance and help you into the car.
- If you are being discharged by ambulance, please limit the number of bags to two.
- Check your room, bathroom, closet and bedside table carefully for any personal items.
- Retrieve any valuables you have stored in the hospital safe.
- Make sure you or your caregiver has all necessary paperwork for billing, referrals, prescriptions, etc.
- Leave a forwarding address in the event you are not returning to the address given at the time of your admission.
Adaptive equipment
One of the goals of rehabilitation therapy is to prescribe proper adaptive equipment. This process will begin upon admission so you will have everything you need in time for your discharge. Members of your treatment team will evaluate your needs based upon a questionnaire or home visit prior to discharge. This will help identify your adaptive equipment needs. Your therapist will recommend home modifications and order equipment before you leave the hospital.
Patient handbook
For a complete guide to your rehabilitative stay at Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital, view our patient handbook. A copy will also be provided to you upon admission.