Calvary Health Care Riverina

Your Stay

Accommodation
The charge for your hospital accommodation is dependent on your room allocation. All rooms, both single and shared, have ensuite facilities. In the event of acute illness or major operative procedures it may be necessary to accommodate you in the high dependency unit or critical care unit. You will be transferred back to room accommodation when your medical condition allows.

While every effort will be made to ensure your choice of accommodation is met, this may not always be possible.

Services provided by the Hospital which are included in the daily accommodation rate are your room, diet and nourishment as ordered, and most non-prescription medication.

Services provided in hospital not included in the accommodation rate and are chargeable include:

• Operating theatre/labour ward
• Prosthesis, TED stockings, splints, slings, braces and take-home items
• STD/ISD telephone calls
• Boarder charges (if applicable)
• Services rendered by your Private doctor

Miscellaneous Expenses
The following cannot be charged to your hospital account and are payable at the time the service is rendered

• Pharmacy (where applicable - charged by pharmacy)
• Calvary Coffee Shop and trolley purchases
• Allied health services (eg. podiatry)

Payment Procedures

• It is hospital policy that all known out-of-pocket charges (eg. excesses, co-payments etc) are to be paid on admission.
• The hospital will claim your account from the fund on your behalf. On discharge you will be required to call at the Accounts Office to arrange for this claim to be made. You will also be required to pay any gap payment not covered by your fund for the accommodation, theatre, telephone and other expenses.

Important

• Medicare does not contribute at all toward private hospital charges for accommodation, theatre fees, prosthesis, allied health treatments and pharmaceutical prescriptions.
• If you require an ECG, the hospital will claim charge for same from Medicare on your behalf. There will be no gap payment for this service.
• If you have had a sleep study, the hospital will claim the charge for the reading of your study from Medicare on your behalf. There will be no gap payment for this service. (accommodation charges will be payable by your health insurer or yourself.)
• Medicare pays 75% of the schedule fee for doctors and medical services, including pathology tests and X-rays while you are an inpatient. The Medicare “gap” is payable by your health fund. Any costs not refunded by Medicare or your health fund for these services are a matter between you and the doctor/provider.
• All Third Party and Public Liability Accounts: 50% of estimate of charge to be paid on admission, balance on discharge.
• For workers compensation claims, insurance company authority must be obtained with a letter from the company accepting liability for accounts and forwarded to the hospital prior to admission. If the account is not paid by the insurance company within one month of discharge, patients are responsible for their account.

Boarder Relatives
Boarder husbands/partners maternity -  the maternity unit has facilities in place to enable husbands/partners to board in the Unit. This facility may also be used by mothers of babies who may need to stay for an extended period in the Special Care Nursery.

The boarder fee charge is inclusive of meals, regardless of whether or not they are ordered. If partners wish to stay for meals, even though not boarding, this can be arranged. Meals should be ordered on the ward, and are to be paid for on patients discharge.

Whilst boarding, there are certain expectations that partners should be aware of.
It is important to remember that St Gerards Wing is a hospital ward and that every endeavor should be made to ensure that routines are not interrupted. This includes co-operating with hospital staff and in particular, hotel services staff during the cleaning routine by vacating the room if required.

Boarder Mothers of Babies in Special Care Nursery
Mothers who wish to board at the hospital while their babies are being cared for in Special Care Nursery are usually accommodated within the St Gerards Unit. However, in times of high hospital activity, mothers may be required to stay in the hospital’s relative’s accommodation, either on site or adjacent to the hospital. The boarder fee charge is inclusive of meals.

Boarder Parents of Children
Parents of children who wish to board at the hospital while their child is hospitalised are usually accommodated in the child’s room on a fold-out bed. There are no charges incurred for ONE parent to board/be provided with meals.

Please contact patient services staff (dial 9) or the nurse unit manager on your ward for further information regarding charges/meals etc.

Smoking and Alcohol
Restrictions on smoking and alcoholic beverages throughout the hospital are based on health, courtesy, legal and safety considerations.

Alcoholic beverages are served with the evening meal if requested – patients and visitors are not permitted to bring alcohol to hospital except with the permission of the nurse unit manager.

As smoking is detrimental to good health and also a fire hazard, patients and visitors are not permitted to smoke within the Hospital.

Smoking is allowed in designated outside areas – please check with the nursing staff.