Support Services

Interpreter Services

Interpreters are available to assist non-English speaking patients or to provide sign language to patients who are hearing impaired. Please ask your nurse for an interpreter or call 401-793-7811 (internally dial ext. 3-7811) between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. There is no charge for interpreter services. Telecommunications devices (TDD) are also available by calling 401-793-7811 (internally dial ext. 3-7811) or the hospital operator.

Clinical Social Work Services

A clinical social worker with a master's degree is available for crisis intervention and to help you and your family cope with your illness. If you would like to meet with a clinical social worker, please ask your nurse or call 401-793-2085 (internally dial ext. 3-2085). There is no charge for clinical social work services.

"The social workers are great. They helped us sort through some difficult decisions we had to make."
- Nicole DiPippo, neurology patient

Chapel and Clergy Visits

There is a non-denominational chapel that is always open for meditation and prayer. It is located on the first floor, near the emergency unit. If you would like privacy, feel free to close the door to the chapel. Please leave the door open when you leave the chapel.

There is an interfaith chaplain on staff at The Miriam Hospital. If you would like a pastoral care visit, please call 401-793-5654 (internally dial ext. 3-5654) or ask your nurse or unit secretary to page the interfaith chaplain.

Catholic Services
A Catholic chaplain is available for sacraments and can be contacted through your nurse or the unit secretary. Eucharistic ministers administer communion on a daily basis. A eucharistic minister will automatically visit if you indicated upon admission that you are Catholic. However, if a eucharistic minister does not visit you and you would like to receive communion, please call 401-793-5656 (internally dial ext. 3-5656).

Protestant Services
If you are Protestant and would like to receive communion, please call the interfaith chaplain at 401-793-5654 (internally dial ext. 3-5654). The chaplain will arrange for one of the on-call Protestant clergy from the community to visit.

Clergy Visits
If you would like a clergy member from your church or synagogue to visit you in the hospital and you are not able to arrange for that on your own, please talk to your nurse about arranging a visit.

Jewish Amenities
In honor of our Jewish founding, we have several Judaic ritual objects and books for our patients. If you would like electric Shabbat candlesticks, a prayer book or a copy of the Bible, please ask your nurse or call the volunteer department at 401-793-2510 (internally dial ext. 3-2510).

Out of respect for our Jewish patients and visitors, we have a Shabbat entrance located at the side of the main lobby that can be accessed by a walkway from the main entrance or from the entrance on Seventh Street. Locally prepared kosher food is available. If you are kosher, please indicate this to your nurse upon admission. More about kosher meals

Leaving the hospital