Patient Guide

We are committed to your care.

Our goal is to provide the best quality care. To do so, we ask for feedback from patients like you. You may be contacted by phone, email or text and asked to complete a confidential survey. Please take the time to complete the survey. Your feedback will help us know what we’re doing well and where we can improve.

Privacy Practices Patient Rights & Responsibilities Concerns About Your Care

Fast facts about your stay.

Support for Caregivers

We encourage patients to pick a key person to support them during their hospital stay. Whether you are that primary support person, or just one of many people caring for and supporting your loved one, you can play an important role in making sure your loved one gets the safest and best care both here and beyond the hospital.

Patient and Family Care
We participate in patient- and family-centered care. We believe that family plays an important role in ensuring the health and well-being of patients of all ages. Our goal is to create partnerships among healthcare practitioners, patients and families that will lead to the best outcomes and enhance the delivery of safe, quality, efficient, effective, and timely care.

What to Know Before You Leave
Caregivers can help ensure the best outcome for their loved one after a hospital stay by getting the answers to these three questions:

What is the next step for medical care (home or facility, follow-up with primary care physician or physical therapy, etc.)? Help your loved one arrange the details to make this happen—financial plan, transportation, scheduling, etc.
What new and former medicines does my loved one need to take? Help your loved one understand the details—timing, dosing instructions, side effects, prescription refills, etc.
What health warning signs do I need to watch for and what do I do if they happen? Help your loved one by writing these symptoms down as well as the name and contact number to call.

If you feel like you need a break or help, reach out to friends and family. And consult the resources listed here: National Alliance for Caregiving | Family Caregiver Alliance | Caregiver Action Network

Facts About Your Stay

ATM

For your convenience, an ATM is located on the first level of the hospital near the main entrance.

Bedside Shift Report

We want you to feel comfortable and cared for throughout your stay, so at each nursing shift change—about every 12 hours—your nurse will introduce your new nurse to you. The team will talk about your progress, medicine and tests scheduled for the day. Ask questions. The more you’re involved, the better and safer your care.

Bedside Technology

During your stay, you may see your doctors and nurses using computers or tablets. These tools help them care for you by providing around-the-clock monitoring, a variety of resources and quick communication with the rest of your healthcare team. If you have any questions, ask your doctor or nurse.

Cafeteria

Location: First Floor

Hours:

Monday - Thursday: 6:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. | 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Friday: 6:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. | 11:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Saturday - Sunday: 7:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. | 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. | 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

All visitors are welcome to dine in the cafeteria.

Calling Your Nurse

Your room is connected to the nursing station via an intercom system. To call for your nurse, press the NURSE call button located at your bedside. If you have any questions on how to use the call button, ask a staff member to show you.

Cellphones & Video

During your stay, you may see members of your care team using mobile phones. At Frye Regional Medical Center, our staff are permitted to use phones for work-related activities, such as communicating with doctors or other care team members. Employees are not allowed to use phones for non-work-related activities. There are many work related benefits of cellphones and other communication devices, including access to medical references, clinical tools and patient information.

Channel Listing for TV

To see the TV Guide, please select the “Guide” button on your remote to see a full list of channels. Please ask a staff member if you have any questions on using your TV.

Concerns About Your Care

Please speak with your nurse or nursing supervisor if you have any questions or concerns about your care. If your issue still is not resolved, then call the Patient Satisfaction Line in Administration at 828.315.5595. You also have the right to file your complaint with either:

The NC Division of Health Service Regulation
Complaint Intake Unit
2711 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699
Telephone: 800.624.3004

Office of Quality and Patient Safety
The Joint Commission
One Renaissance Blvd.
Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181
Website: www.jointcommission.org, then click “Report patient safety event”

Sometimes a healthcare choice can involve an ethical concern—such as a wish to refuse life-saving treatment or a disagreement over advance directives. Our medical ethics committee can help you and those who are here to support you make difficult decisions. Check with your nurse or the Admissions Department if you have any questions.

Electrical Appliances

Only battery-operated devices are allowed in patient rooms. Do not use electric hair dryers, curling irons, razors, heating pad, portable heaters, VCRs/DVRs, computers or other electric devices.

Fire Safety

We conduct fire drills from time to time. If you hear an alarm, stay where you are. In an actual emergency, hospital staff will tell you what to do.

Flowers

Flowers are delivered to patient rooms by individual florists. Please note that flowers are not allowed in Critical Care and Intensive Care Units, and some oncology patients may not be allowed to have flowers. Please check with your nurse.

Gift Shop

Location: First Floor

Cash, check and credit cards accepted.

Hearing Impaired

Interpreters and other special devices for the hearing impaired are available if needed. To access TDD services, call 800.205.9920. To access North Carolina Voice Relay, call 800.999.8915, or ask your nurse for assistance.

Hospitality House

Located across from the Same-Day Surgery Center on 5th Ave. Ne, Hospitality House is a home away from home for out-of-town family members of seriously ill patient in area hospitals. Overnight accommodations are available for 18 guests; day use is available for families who need rest during the day. A family member must get a referral from the nursing staff in order to stay at the Hospitality House. While there is no set cost for staying at Hospitality House, families are encouraged to make a tax-deductible donation.

Hourly Rounding

A nurse will visit you every hour during the day and every two hours at night to check on your comfort, help you change positions in bed, assist with trips to the bathroom, and make sure you can reach your phone, call light, and personal items easily.

Housekeeping Services

Our goal is to ensure your room and bathroom are always clean. If you need additional services or have questions about housekeeping services, call 828.315.3150.

Interpreters & Translation Services

Interpreter services are available for patients. Please contact your nurse or another member of the hospital staff for assistance.

Lost & Found

If you lose an item, please inform your nurse as soon as possible. Items that have been misplaced and found are returned to Security. For assistance, dial 0 for our operator.

Mail

Mail will be delivered to patients by hospital volunteers.

Mail received after discharge will be forwarded to the patient’s home.

Medicines

Please do not bring any prescription or over-the-counter medicines to the hospital. All medicines you take in the hospital need to be prescribed, filled and given to you by hospital staff. Tell your doctor about any medicines you regularly take. If you still need them, hospital staff will give them to you.

Parking

Frye Regional Medical Center offers a variety of parking options, including valet, convenient handicap spaces and dedicated visitor parking. Patient/Visitor parking is provided in the main lot and the parking deck of the hospital for ease of access to the hospital. Parking is not allowed in the front/valet drive except to pick up and discharge passengers.

Valet Parking

Same Day Surgery/Women’s Center

Monday – Friday

5:00 a.m. to Noon

Phone: 828-315-5461

Main Entrance

Monday – Friday

7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Phone: 828-315-5343

After 4:00 p.m., please call 828-315-5292 to retrieve your keys from security.

Pastoral Care

There is a chapel available on the fifth floor, and pastoral care services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to meet the spiritual needs of patients and family members. Please make your nurse or a hospital staff member aware if you would like a visit from a hospital chaplain.

Patient Meals

All meals are prepared by our Food and Nutrition Services Department according to the dietary instructions given to us by your doctor. A food service representative will visit you each day to get your menu selections.

Some patients have allergies or intolerance to certain foods. If these have not been identified on your order, please notify the Food and Nutrition Services Department at ext. 3737 or notify the food services representative who delivers your food. Telephone messages are answered from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Patient mealtimes are:

Breakfast: 7:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.
Lunch: 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Dinner: 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

If you must be away from your room for tests or treatment during mealtimes, your nurse will notify Food and Nutrition Services when your diet is to be reinstated.

Personal Belongings & Valuables

Personal care items such as contact lenses, eyeglasses, hearing aids and dentures can be stored in your bedside stand when not in use. Please do not put them on your bed or food tray to help avoid them being lost or damaged. Leave valuables like jewelry or cash at home, or give them to a trusted relative or friend to watch over. Frye Regional Medical Center cannot be responsible for replacing personal belongings.

Public Restrooms

For everyone’s health and safety, we ask visitors not to use patient restrooms. Public restrooms are located throughout the hospital. Ask hospital staff to direct you to the nearest one.

Rapid Response Team

You can call a critical-care response team to respond if your condition worsens and you do not get the immediate care you need. Dial 154778 on your bedside phone to request this special service. To learn more, ask a staff member.

Smoking

Given the serious health hazards of tobacco use, we have chosen to become a 100 percent tobacco-free campus. No smoking or tobacco products will be used while on Frye Regional Medical Center property, parking lots, associated buildings and vehicles. Patients and visitors are asked not to smoke during their hospital visit.

If You Smoke or Use Tobacco
While you are in the hospital, please do not suffer from nicotine withdrawal. You can receive nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) or other appropriate support during your hospital visit. Please ask your nurse for more information.

Telephone

All patient rooms have phones.

Your friends and family can call your hospital room directly. To call a patient room, call the hospital's main line, 828-315-5000, select option 3 and then dial the patient's room number. To help ensure our patients' rest and privacy, we ask that our patients do not receive calls between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. If there is an urgent need to contact a patient, please call the nurses station for assistance.

If you need to make a local call, dial 9 + area code + the phone number you want to call. To make a long- distance call, dial 9 then 1 + the area code + the number. Long distance calls must be made using a calling card or credit card. If you need assistance, dial 0 for the hospital switchboard.

To reach your nurse, use your call button or call the nurse directly using the phone number listed on the whiteboard.

Calling from INSIDE the hospital? Dial the last six digits only.

TV

Each patient room has a television. Please be considerate of others by keeping the volume down and turning off your TV at bedtime. TVs are controlled by the bedside pillow speaker or side rail controls. Closed captioning is available for the hearing impaired. Ask a staff member if you have any questions on using your TV.

Your Room

We have furnished and equipped your room to make sure your stay is as comfortable and pleasant as possible. Frye Regional offers a choice of private and semi-private rooms and will make every effort to honor your choice based on bed availability at the time of your admission. (Please remember that medical insurance may not cover the full cost of a private room.)

Your Hospital Bed and Bedside Table

Your hospital bed is electrically operated; your nurse will show you how to adjust it properly. The bed also is equipped with side rails for your safety, if needed, to prevent injury while you sleep.

Room Temperature

All rooms in the hospital are centrally heated and air conditioned. If your room is not comfortable, please notify the nursing staff.

Vending Machines

Vending machines offering beverages and snacks are located near the entrance to the cafeteria, near the Heart Tower Lobby and in family waiting rooms on the units. They are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Visiting Hours

Visiting hours are subject to change. Please ask your nurse for official hours during your stay.

To promote healing and safety and limit infection, some units may limit the number of visitors you can receive at one time. For outpatient locations, two visitors may accompany adult patients.

General Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Note: Patients have the right to choose to receive visitors from among family, friends or other individuals at any time during their stay.
The Emergency Department and Birthing Center currently allow 24-hour visitation.

Children may visit most patient rooms if they are healthy and accompanied by an adult. Ask your nurse about visiting guidelines on your floor.

Visiting Overnight
Overnight visitation with a patient must be coordinated with the charge nurse and/or nurse manager and is only permitted under certain circumstances. Any visitor who stays later than 9:00 p.m. must have a visitor pass, which is issued by the charge nurse of the patient's unit. Passes must be worn at all times in all areas of the hospital and returned when you leave.

Wifi

Go to settings on your device and select the “FRYE-Guest” network.