Admissions and Discharge

Before you are admitted to the hospital, an admissions counselor will call you to obtain preliminary information, provide important information regarding your hospital stay and answer your questions. Your doctor also may schedule routine medical tests, such as laboratory tests or X-rays, before your hospitalization. Other routine tests may be done on the day of your admission.

For pediatric admissions, please visit our UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital site.

If you are scheduled for a surgical procedure, your doctor will schedule an appointment for you with the Prepare Clinic, our anesthesia and surgical evaluation program. The Prepare Clinic will make sure you are ready for surgery and provide tests and blood work. The clinic at Parnassus is located on the first floor of the hospital in room L-170. The clinic at Mount Zion is on the third floor of the medical center at 1600 Divisadero St.

Hospital Team

When admitted to the hospital, your care will be provided by a team of health care professionals trained to meet your specific medical needs. The following is a brief description of some hospital staff members.

Doctors

Your doctor, sometimes referred to as an attending physician, is responsible for managing your care. If necessary, your doctor may consult with other specialists. Since UCSF Medical Center is a teaching hospital, you may be seen by fellows, residents and medical students who work with your doctor. As a result, you receive the benefit of having a number of doctors working together with shared concerns for your well-being.

• Attending physicians are members of the team that determine and supervise your medical care. Attending physicians also teach other doctors to care for patients. You will be assigned an attending physician. They change periodically, so please ask your nurse or doctor about the scheduled rotation of doctors on your child's unit.



• Fellows are physicians who have completed their residency training and are now receiving advanced training in a specialty. Fellows work with an attending physician and help teach interns and residents under the guidance of attending physicians.



• Residents and interns are physicians completing their training. They work under the guidance of attending physicians and fellows.

Nurses

Our nursing staff coordinates and provides care. Many of our nurses have received advanced training in specialized fields.

• Charge nurses are responsible for overseeing the nursing care on your hospital unit during a shift.



• Clinical nurse specialists are registered nurses with advanced education in special areas. These nurses help coordinate your care.



• Nurse practitioners are registered nurses with advanced education in special areas. These nurses have training and skills in assessment, physical diagnosis and managing health needs in their specialty areas.



• Patient care managers are responsible for supervising all nursing care on every shift on your unit.

In addition to our nursing staff, other health professionals help to ensure you receive the highest quality of care.

• Patient care assistants are trained to help nurses care for you. They work under the supervision of a nurse and provide routine care activities but are unable to give medications.



• Patient support assistants help units stay clean and equipped.



• Unit coordinators provide clerical support, directions and answer questions for families and visitors.

Discharge

If you need skilled nursing care or physical therapy at home, Case Management/Social Services will help you arrange this service if medically necessary. We also will arrange ongoing hospitalization at a skilled nursing facility or rehabilitation hospital if needed. If you have any questions, please call Case Management/Social Services.

If you are not physically able to return home when you are ready to leave the hospital, you may require acute rehabilitation or skilled nursing care in another facility. If your doctor thinks you will need this kind of care, you may wish to visit several facilities before your admission to UCSF Medical Center. Our Case Management staff can assist you with the process.

Patient Relations

Patient Relations provides services to ensure that your experience at UCSF Medical Center is a good one. If you or a family member has a question or concern about your hospital stay, please let us know. We suggest you first discuss your concerns with your nurse, department manager and your doctor. If your concern remains unresolved, the Patient Relations staff or a nursing supervisor are available to help you reach a resolution or provide more information.