Ecu health medical center patient care

For those looking for advanced medical services in eastern North Carolina, ECU Health Medical Center emerges as an exceptional option. ECU Health’s flagship hospital undertakes to provide several services which address all the patients’ concerns. In this document, we outline useful information about the patient experience at ECU Health Medical Center to maximize your visit.

Overview of ECU Health Medical Center

Located in Greenville, North Carolina, ECU Health Medical Center is a nonprofit, affiliated with the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University. In addition to being the primary teaching hospital for East Carolina University, it also serves as the largest employer in eastern North Carolina.

It has 974 beds which makes branches the largest nonprofit clinical facility in the region. Further, the medical center serves as a Level I Trauma Center which essentially means that the center is the only one in the east regions of Raleigh able to offer emergency treatment without age restrictions.

Accessing Patient Care Services at ECU Health Medical Center

Regardless of the circumstances, knowing how to obtain the right care is critical during untimely illness. ECU Health Medical Center simplifies the process for everyone, including returning patients as well as first time visitors.

Scheduling an Appointment

Patient attending ECU Health Medical Center can make an appointment by contacting the hospital via phone or utilizing the effortless online booking system. The system allows picking the date, time, and provider which further simplifies the scheduling process.

Make sure you possess the following prior to attending the appointment:

• Health insurance card.
• Current medications.
• Required referrals from other practitioners.
• Questions or concerns that need addressing.

The staff at the hospital makes every effort to ensure that all patients are well assisted and well attended to, hence for patients who are unsure of choosing the right provider to attend to them, the staff assist in guiding them as per the patient symptoms or previous health history. Booking confirmation along with reminder texts or phone calls have become increasingly common.

Emergency Services

ECU Health Medical Center has an Emergency Department that is open 24/7 for urgent matters. If someone is having a medical emergency like chest pain, shortness of breath, stroke-like symptoms, or severe bleeding, you need to get them to this location.

With an advanced trauma center level, ECU Health Medical Center is capable of treating the most intricate and difficult emergencies. Every region has its own emergency team, and this one is no different.

EMTs and paramedics are properly Avalo trained to transport and care for you while enroute. If you’re outside and need help, calling 911 will most likely result in emergency transportation to this hospital.

Walk-In and Urgent Care

SoreThroats, fever, and minor lacerations are not reason enough for an emergency room visit. When life is busy and each second counts, concerns – no matter how mundane – could act as pesky hindrances. It’s for this exact reason ECU Health has targeted brewing issues, and these clinics offer care without appointments during set times.

These clinics do not require an appointment to be made ahead of time. Simply arrive, check in, and begin the wait to be looked at, and in many cases, these facilities open beyond the typical weekday 9-5 window. This flexibility is advantageous for people with work or children in school.

The personnel in these clinics can effectively evaluate your symptoms, offer relevant treatments, and inform you if your care is needed at the hospital or with a specialist.

Understanding Your Care Team at ECU Health Medical Center

One reassuring aspect of visiting ECU Health Medical Center is that you remain accompanied throughout the process. A group of people who each play a distinctive role will support you in your healing, keeping you educated, and ensuring a seamless recovery.

Physicians

Your physician or doctor is the individual in charge of your health care. Expect the physician to figure out what illness you have and give you a brief explanation as well as treatment options available. He also creates a list of next steps for you, if you require them. If you are hospitalized, a physician will assess you on a daily basis during rounds. In the case of a single visit, you will be instructed on what your next steps are.

You can also be referred to a specialist which takes over based on the specifics of your case. For instance, if the case is centered around chest pain, the specialist will most likely be a cardiologist. If it’s some chronic pain or problem with the joints, then probably an orthopedic doctor will be involved.

Nurses

Your entire healthcare journey is accompanied by nurses. Nurses administer medication, monitor vital signs, change dressings, and ensure comfort. Just as critical, though, nurses listen. A nurse is usually the first person to address if something feels off, there is apprehension, or questions arise.

Nurses come in different forms. Each one does their best to keep you safe, well supported, and healing. If you are admitted for observation, it is likely that nurses will be those attending to you the most.

Specialists and Medical Technicians

Your care may involve more than one form of specialty. Depending on your diagnosis, you may be seen by:

• A physical therapist to help you regain strength after an injury or surgery.
• A dietitian if your condition needs a specific diet.
• A pharmacist who ensures your medications are accurate and safe.
• Laboratory and imaging technicians that perform bloodwork and take X-rays or MRIs.

Although Bruce and Turner may not see you for a long time, what they perform is crucial towards ensuring your treatment is founded on accurate and precise information.

Support Staff

Beyond nurses and doctors, numerous other personnel support you throughout your stay or visit at the hospital. These include:

• Care aides who assist with personal care such as washing, feeding, and mobilizing.
• Front office receptionists who book your appointments and maintain your medical history.
• Hospital cleaning staff responsible for cleaning designated rooms and common areas.
• Transport orderlies who assist in moving you from and to different departments for various tests or procedures.

Although you may not appreciate their efforts as much, these employees play a crucial role towards streamlining processes in the hospital and enhancing the comfort of your experience.

Patient Safety and Quality Assurance

Safety Protocols

ECU Health Medical Center has established guidelines to enhance the safety of patients. These include:

• Hand Hygiene: Patients are routinely examined. Patients who are interacting with the system need using clean hands.

• Identification Verification: Procedures and treatments are performed only after confirming the patient’s identity.

• Fall Prevention: Policies to mitigate falls are implemented for patients who are hospitalized.

Quality Assurance

The hospital continuously participates in additional quality checks intending to improve the standard of care offered. This is being done through collaboration with other facilities participating in quality reporting programs as well as identifying best practice frameworks which enable them to set performance targets.

Patient and Family Engagement

Involvement in Care

ECU Health recommends patients and families to actively participate in the care process as follows:

• AskMe3® Program:  “We try to reach out to the patients and urge them to ask three questions that will go a long way in helping them understand their conditions better.”

• Family Presence: Determines whether the family members of patients are fully integrated and engaged in the care conversations and decision-making processes but observing the patient’s wishes.

Support Services

These are some of the supporting services that the institution provides to the patients and their families:

• Pastoral Care: Support of a religious for the patients and their families.

• Patient and Family Advisory Councils: Committees that give suggestions and comments to refine patient’s care.

Billing, Insurance, and Financial Assistance

Understanding Your Bill

EUC Health has developed aids to assist patients in deciphering the bills, together with a lexicon and answers to commonly asked questions.

Insurance Coverage

Also, the institution caters from a variety of insurances. However, patients will need to confirm that their insurance will cover the services prior to seeking the services.

Financial Assistance

Aid can be sought from the financial services department in the hospital about the eligibility criteria and how one can apply for assistance. For those who meets the qualification, the financial aid programs designed to subsidize the payment of care can be accessed.

Utilizing Patient Resources and Support Services

MyChart

Referring to the patient portal, MyChart allows patients to obtain their health records as well as schedule for future appointments all at the click of a button.

Patient Education

ECU Health aims to educate patients by providing the following which includes but are not limited to:

• Patient Education Video Learning Cards: Videos and other materials designed to promote mental and physical health

• Wellness Tools: So-called tools aimed at supporting the adoption and maintenance of healthy lifestyles are Wellness Tools.

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