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Patient Accommodations

"They want you to be as
comfortable as you can be,
so even the TV and phone
are free."
- John Lima Jr., orthopedic patient

Your Room

Upon admission, you will be assigned to a room designed for two people. All rooms are kept at a temperature best suited for your comfort. All rooms are either centrally air-conditioned or have window air-conditioning. If you have a window air-conditioning unit and you would like to change the temperature, please tell your nurse.

All beds at The Miriam are electrically operated. A member of the nursing staff will instruct you in the proper operation of your bed. If safety sides are placed on your bed, they are there for your protection. For your safety, do not try to adjust them. Ask a member of the nursing staff to have them lowered or raised. You will find a signal cord at the head of your bed. If you press the button on the cord, a light will notify the nurse that you need assistance.

If you share a room with another patient, please be mindful of your roommate's medical condition, rest and active periods and need for privacy. We will do our best to communicate that the same will be expected of them.

Private Rooms

The Miriam Hospital has a limited number of private patient rooms. If you would like a private room, a special request must be made in advance of admission. We can't guarantee that a private room will be available. Most health care plans do not cover the added cost of a private room. This places the responsibility of paying for a private room on you and/or your family. We recommend that you check with your health care plan regarding your coverage before making a request.

Wireless Internet

The Miriam Hospital is pleased to provide internet access either at a patient kiosk, located in most patient care areas, or via wireless access.

To connect to the internet via wireless access, laptop users must add the wireless ID hospinet to their wireless configuration. This wireless configuration must be set manually because this wireless access is not broadcast. Please be aware that Lifespan policy does not allow staff to assist with any non-Lifespan equipment, including patient and family laptops.

Valuables

Please do not bring valuables or large sums of money with you to the hospital. You may want to keep a few dollars with you for newspapers or personal items from the gift shop. The hospital is not responsible for any money or valuables brought to the hospital. If you feel you must bring these items, they should be deposited in the hospital safe at the cashier's office between 8:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Cellular phones cannot be stored in the cashier's office.

If you wear eyeglasses, contact lenses or dentures, please keep them in a safe place. These items are often lost or left on food trays, which are taken out of the rooms after each meal.

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Meal Services


While a heart healthy diet offers a variety of choices, the hospital meals may not be as rich or as highly seasoned as you prefer. For example, our entrees containing red meat are prepared with leaner cuts of meat and most meals contain a very small amount of salt.As caregivers at one of the nation's top cardiac hospitals, we believe that everyone should follow a heart healthy, nutritious diet. The Miriam's registered dietitians have designed our menu and prepared our entrees to meet the American Heart Association's recommendations for a low fat, low cholesterol diet.

Our registered dietitians work closely with the medical staff to see that the special requirements of each patient's diet are met. The menu items you choose and quantity you select may need to be changed depending on the diet ordered by your physician. If you have any questions, please call a registered dietitian at 401-793-2600 (internally dial ext. 3-2600).

Ordering Meals

You will receive a menu or a phone call from a nutrition clerk within 24 hours of admission for the same day's meals. You may make any selections from the menu the day before the meals are served.

To ensure that you receive your choices, please fill out your selection from the same day's menu soon after it is given to you so it can be picked up by nutrition services and processed. If you need help, call a nutrition clerk at 401-793-2600 (internally dial ext. 3-2600). Please remember that your doctor determines the type of diet you need. If your breakfast or lunch has been held because of x-rays or tests, a light meal will be served as soon as you may eat.

Meal Service Schedule

  • Breakfast 8-8:45 a.m.
  • Lunch 12-12:45 p.m.
  • Dinner 4:45-5:30 p.m.

Kosher Meals

Freshly prepared kosher meals are delivered daily by local caterers under the careful supervision of the Vaad Hakashruth of Rhode Island. If your preference is for "Glatt" meals, these can be made available. Please notify a dietitian of your concerns by calling 401-793-2600 (internally dial ext. 3-2600).

Hostess Cart

A hostess cart will be taken to your room shortly after each meal for extra items you may desire, such as a cup of tea or coffee or a condiment. For breakfast, the hostess cart offers patients an assortment of muffins and cereals. For lunch and dinner, the hostess cart includes cheese and crackers, cookies, fruit and ice cream.

Approximate times the hostess cart makes rounds are:

  • Breakfast 8:15-9 a.m.
  • Lunch 12:15-1 p.m.
  • Dinner 5-5:45 p.m.

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Medications

All medications taken while you are in the hospital are supplied by the pharmacy and administered by a registered nurse. You will receive only those medications ordered by your doctor. Please do not bring medications with you to the hospital.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you are currently taking—prescriptions and over-the-counter medicines—as well as dietary supplements such as herbs and vitamins. Bring a list of your current medicines, including dosages, with you.

Make sure your doctor knows about any allergies you have and reactions from medicines you have previously experienced.

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Televisions and Radios

Television sets equipped with pillow speakers and a music channel are available to all patients at The Miriam Hospital, free of charge. If you have a problem with your television service, please call 401-793-7000 (internally dial ext. 3-7000). Use of electronic devices with an earphone attachment is also permitted within the hospital. In consideration of other patients, however, we request that televisions be played at low volume.

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Telephones

You may use the telephone in your room at any time during the day or night.

  • All local calls are free of charge. To make a local call, dial 9 followed by the seven-digit phone number.
  • Long distance calls can be charged to your home phone, made collect or charged to your phone credit card if you have one. To make a long distance call, please dial 0 for the hospital operator who will place the call.
  • If you wish to make a call to a department within the hospital, please dial our patient helpline at 401-793-2255 (internally dial ext. 3-2255).
  • A pay telephone is available in the main lobby.

In order for you to get a good night's sleep, incoming calls are restricted from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. If, however, you prefer to receive calls at any time, please call 401-793-7000 (internally dial ext. 3-7000) and ask the representative to turn off the do not disturb feature. Outgoing service is not affected by this feature, so calls can be made at anytime.

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Mail

Your mail will be delivered to you each morning.
The mailing address is:

The Miriam Hospital,
164 Summit Avenue,
Providence, RI 02906

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Patient Library

A wide selection of paperbacks, magazines and prayer books are available at no charge. Books borrowed from the library must be returned before leaving the hospital. Electric candelabras for the Sabbath, jigsaw puzzles and playing cards are also available.

If you are not in your room when the book cart makes its rounds and you would like a book, please call the volunteer office at 401-793-2510 (internally dial ext. 3-2510) Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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Smoking Regulations

Every day we treat patients for smoking related illnesses. Out of respect for our patients and to maintain a clean environment for our patients, employees and visitors, smoking is prohibited throughout the hospital.

The Miriam Hospital offers a comprehensive smoking cessation program. The program offers techniques for dealing with the triggers that lead to smoking and for managing negative emotions and stress to prevent relapse. The program also provides education and assistance in using therapies such as nicotine patches and medications. For more information on the smoking cessation program, call 401-793-4360 (internally dial ext. 3-4360).

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Accomodations for your family and friends