Policies and Tips

General Policies
No smoking on Riverwood’s medical campus.
Cell Phone use is allowed within the hospital and clinics, with the exception of the ICU and birthing rooms.
No latex balloons (foil balloons permitted).
Children must be accompanied by an adult.

When Visiting a Patient in the Hospital
Riverwood Healthcare strives to provide care in a family-centered environment and encourages family participation. The hospital allows a family member, friend or other individuals to be present with the patient for emotional support during the course of his or her stay. Certain restrictions may be imposed, however, in order to maintain a healthy environment for patients, employees and visitors.

OB Visitor Policy
Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Visitors should be free of signs/symptoms of illness.
Anyone handling a baby must first wash their hands.

Patients' Rights
Minnesota law gives all patients of healthcare facilities certain rights via the Minnesota Patients' Bill of Rights. You can find the Bill of Rights posted at all Riverwood Healthcare facilities.

Health Care Directives
A health care directive is a legal document that provides you with an opportunity to inform your physician and your family members about your wishes for your future health care. It also allows you to designate a health care agent – the person you want to make health care decisions for you if you are not able to make them for yourself. Health care directive forms are available from the Social Services department at Riverwood. The staff is available to answer your questions and to review the content of the form. If you have a health care directive form completed, please provide  a copy to Riverwood’s Health Information Services department for filing in your medical record. Patients are able to review and revise their directives as they desire. Riverwood has notary services  available to assist with notarization of the directive forms.

For Clinic Appointments
Bring Medicines to Clinic Appointments
Riverwood Healthcare Center is asking all patients to bring to their clinic appointments all current medications and any over-the-counter medicines and supplements they are taking on a regular basis. This is necessary to keep the electronic medical record for each patient up to date.

Before your next doctor’s appointment at Riverwood, gather all medicines that you take regularly, including:
* All medications prescribed by a doctor that you currently take on a regular basis.
* Any over-the-counter medicines that you take daily or several times a week, such as aspirin or eye drops.
* Any herbal and vitamin supplements that you take daily or several times a week.
Bring these medicines in their original bottles or packages to your next clinic appointment.

Diabetic Patients
Once a year we ask our diabetic patients to fill out a Diabetic Assessment Form. This will be used as a communication tool to set goals and to develop a realistic plan between the patient and their provider to manage their diabetes over the next year.

An annual appointment will be set for our diabetic patients with their Provider and this appointment will focus exclusively on managing their illness. This visit may include lab work review, medication review, smoking cessation goals, a foot exam, blood pressure review, self-blood glucose monitoring review, diet, exercise and weight concerns. The goals and plan will be developed at this appointment and the patient will leave with a copy of the goals and plan.

Patients will leave this appointment knowing how often and when they are to return for future diabetic care. The nursing staff and the scheduling staff will assist the patient to set up any necessary appointments. They will also send reminder notices to patients as needed for future appointments.

Holidays observed by Riverwood
Riverwood clinics in Aitkin, Garrison and McGregor, and its administrative and business offices, will be closed on these major holidays: New Year's Day, Easter/Good Friday (afternoon only), Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. If a holiday falls on a Saturday, it will be observed on the Friday before it; if it falls on a Sunday, the Monday after it. In addition, when Christmas and New Year's fall on weekdays, Riverwood will close its clinics and other offices at noon on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve.

Riverwood Patient Safety
Safety Practices & Policies
When you or your family member is a patient at Riverwood Healthcare Center, we want to be sure you receive the best and safest care possible. Our hospital and healthcare professionals are committed to providing the best care for you and your family. We ask you to join us to make sure that our care meets your needs. We encourage you to let us know when it does not.

Riverwood is dedicated to sharing information on quality and safety with you and your family through efforts such as voluntarily participating in the Leapfrog Group Survey. Leapfrog is a coalition of more than 100 public and private organizations that share our commitment to provide the safest healthcare possible. The Leapfrog Group survey can be completed by visiting: www.leapfroggroup.org

To make your healthcare visit safe, we have many steps in to assure you receive reliable care. Here are some of the primary ones…

• * Your safety is central to every aspect within our hospital. It is the top priority at all levels of our organization including management, physicians, and staff.
• * We have a patient safety committee in place to evaluate any safety concern brought up by staff, patients or family members. The committee reviews each safety aspect and develops steps to make our hospital a safe place to receive your care.
• * All physicians and nurses at our hospital are board licensed and participate in continuing education.
• * For medication safety, we double-check to make sure you receive the right medication, right dose, with the right method at the right time. We encourage you to speak up if you have any questions about your medication.
• * We recommend you to have a family member or friend with you during your health care visits. They can provide comfort, support, and can also help ask questions.
• * We participate in the Minnesota Hospital Association’s Patient Safety Registry. This provides us with the latest safety information from around the state.
• * We encourage you to ask questions and take notes. We encourage you, your family, and staff to speak up if there is a safety concern.
  
  Riverwood Healthcare Center is accredited  by The Joint Commission. For more information on patient safety in healthcare facilities, visit The Joint Commission website.
  
  Medication Safety
  ASK THE DOCTOR AND PHARMACIST ABOUT THE MEDICINE. What is the name, benefits and possible side effects or reactions with other medications or food/beverages?
  WHAT IS IT? Make sure you know the name and color of the medicine. Take medicine in well-lit areas.
  WHAT IS IT FOR? Make sure you know why the medicine is being taken.
  HOW DO I TAKE IT? Ask the doctor or pharmacist to explain how and when to take your medicine.
  WHAT SHOULD I LOOK FOR? Ask what the results should be and possible reactions.
  DOUBLE-CHECK YOUR PRESCRIPTION Before you leave the pharmacy, check your medicine to make sure it was prepared for you. Speak up before you leave because pharmacies typically do not take back medicine once it has been purchased.
  DISCUSS PREVIOUS ALLERGIES OR REACTIONS. Make sure the doctors, nurses and pharmacists know about any allergies or reactions to drugs you or your family member might have.
  BROWN-BAG IT. Bring the medicines or a list to every appointment. Include over-the-counter, herbal, or dietary drugs.  Throw away old medicines.

Hospital & Clinic Visits
HAVE SOMEONE WITH YOU. Bring a family member or friend who knows your medical history and who can also ask questions. This can help to ensure the best care possible. Family members often provide the comfort and support needed to promote your return to good health.
BRING MEDICINES. Bring all the medicines you are taking or a list of medications to every appointment.
SHARE MEDICAL INFORMATION. Write down and carry important medical information with you. Keep a list of medical history, office visits and medication use. Medical information should include allergies and the names, addresses and phone numbers of important healthcare providers.
MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND THE PLAN OF TREATMENT. Ask the nurse or doctor to explain any test results and the plan of treatment. If anything is not clear, speak up and ask questions.
MAKE SURE YOU KNOW WHAT MEDICINES SHOULD BE TAKEN. Make sure you know what has been ordered for your care.  Ask questions if the medicines look different than ones you have taken previously.
WASH HANDS. Patients, family members and caregivers should wash hands frequently to prevent the spread of infection.
KNOW WHO IS IN CHARGE OF CARE. Make sure that someone, such as your personal doctor, is in charge of the care for you or your family member. This is especially important in a hospital or in case of a complex illness. Ask if your primary physician will be at the hospital.
TAKE NOTES. Write down any questions about the patient’s condition, treatment, clinic visit or hospital stay. Take notes about what you learn from your caregiver. At the end of your visit to the clinic or hospital, ask for information in writing, including information about medicines, follow-up care and your treatment plan.
LEARN AS MUCH AS YOU CAN. It is up to you to learn as much as you can about the care and treatment. The most important way you can help to prevent medical errors is to be an active and informed member of the healthcare team. This means taking part in every healthcare decision.

Preparing For Surgery Tips
ASK QUESTIONS. Prior to surgery, talk to the physician and nurse about any concerns.
TALK ABOUT THE PROCEDURE. Make sure that you, the doctor and surgeon all agree and are clear on exactly what is going to be done.
MARK THE AREA. Make sure the body area to be operated on is clearly marked.

NONDISCRIMINATION POLICY
In accordance with federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, religion, sex, familial status, sexual orientation, and reprisal. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs). To file a complaint, write to: USDA, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights,1400 Independence Ave. SW, Stop 9410,Washington,DC20250-9410. Or call toll-free at 866-632-9992 (English) or 800-877-8339 (TDD) or 866-377-8642 (English federal-relay) or 800-845-6136 (Spanish federal-relay).RiverwoodHealthcareCenteris an equal opportunity provider and employer.