During Your Stay at a UPMC Hospital
Our Services While You're in the Hospital
On this page:
Disability Resources
At UPMC hospitals, we are committed to providing our patients with disabilities with the accommodations they need to receive equal access to our services. A few examples of available accommodations include:
- Sign language Interpreters
- Communication Boards
- Personal Amplifiers
- Handheld Magnifiers
Please ask your nurse or the head nurse on the patient unit for assistance.
Visit the UPMC Disabilities Resource Center for more information about our services and resources for patients with disabilities.
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Language Interpreters
We provide language interpreter services through volunteer staff and community members with varying degrees of fluency in certain languages, or through a professional language interpretation service.
Ask your nurse about language interpretation services, or call:
- 412-648-6262 during normal business hours.
- 412-647-2345, pager number 6666, after normal business hours.
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Pain Control
Pain control is a crucial part of good health care.
As a UPMC patient, you can expect state-of-the-art pain management such as:
- Information about pain and pain relief measures.
- Dedicated pain relief specialists and concerned staff members committed to pain prevention and management.
- Health professionals who will believe and respond quickly to your report of pain.
In turn, we expect that you will:
- Work with your doctor or nurse to develop a pain management plan.
- Tell your doctor or nurse about any worries you have about taking pain medicine.
- Ask for pain relief when pain first begins.
- Help your doctor or nurse assess your pain.
- Tell your doctor or nurse if your pain is not relieved.
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Organ Donation
UPMC is part of a national effort to raise awareness about the need for organ and tissue donations.
Staff members ask patients who come to the hospital, or their designated family members, if the patient would be willing to serve as an organ or tissue donor.
As health care professionals, we can help answer your questions about organ and tissue donation so you can make an informed decision.
Thousands of people are awaiting organ and tissue transplants. You have the power to improve the lives of those in need of organ and tissue transplants by becoming a donor.
If you have questions about becoming an organ or tissue donor, please ask your doctor or visit the Center for Organ Recovery and Education (CORE).
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Patient Relations and Billing Services
Concerns may arise during a hospital stay.
Your nurse and the nursing unit director should be your first points of contact if you have any issues. If they are unable to resolve an issue, UPMC Patient Relations can assist. Call Patient Relations at 412-647-7615.
You can also submit concerns to:
The Pennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Acute and Ambulatory Care
Health and Welfare Building
P.O. Box 90
Harrisburg, PA 17108-0090
1-800-254-5164
Billing
We are here to help with your billing questions and concerns. Please call UPMC Patient Financial Services Center or UPMC Customer Service or visit our Paying My Bill site to learn more about the services we offer, such as payment plans, price estimates, and Financial Assistance.
- UPMC Patient Financial Services Center: 1-800-371-8359
- UPMC Customer Service: 1-844-591-5949
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Discharge Planning
Your attending doctor will decide when you are ready to leave the hospital. Most make the final decision to discharge patients in the morning.
Discharge time is usually 11 a.m. or earlier. You should arrange for a family member or friend to take you home from the hospital.
Your nurse will work with you and your family to make your discharge as smooth as possible.
Before you leave the hospital, your nurses will review with you any special instructions for your medicines or at-home care.
Clinical social workers can help arrange for:
- Discharge to another facility, such as a nursing home or rehabilitation unit
- Home nursing care
- Home health care equipment or supplies
If you disagree with your doctor’s discharge decision and wish to appeal, tell your nurse.
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Pet Visitation Policy
Did you know that your pet is able to visit you during your hospital stay? Pet visitation has shown to have many positive health benefits. According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, a visit from your cat or dog can bring down your blood pressure, cholesterol, triglyceride levels, and feelings of loneliness while improving you mood and well-being.
At UPMC, we have a systemwide Pet Visitation Policy, which outlines the rules around pet visitation within the hospital.
5 Things to Know about Your Pet Visit:
- We welcome your cat or dog in a carrier or on a leash.
- Pet visits should be arranged in advance and must be approved by unit staff.
- Pets must be groomed and vaccinated before coming to the hospital.
- All people in the room must agree and allow your pet to visit.
- Nursing Service, Administration, and Infection Prevention and Control reserve the right to not allow your pet to visit.
To learn more about our pet visitation policy, please talk to a member of your health care team.
If you would like to learn more about service animals in the hospital, please visit our Disability Resource Center site.
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UPMC Hospitals
Learn what to expect while staying at a specific UPMC hospital:
