Patient Information
Making an appointment Emergency room Hospital discharge and clearance Inpatient care Medical correspondence/release of information Outpatient medical records Patient's rights and responsibilities Patient valuables Smoking Surgical admission center Third party collection program Ward absence |
Fisher House Tripler AMC 315 Krukowski Rd. Honolulu, HI 96819 Tel: (808) 433-1291 |
Hospital Discharge and Clearance
Normally, you will be discharged during duty hours (8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. weekdays) and process through the Hospital
Treasurers Office located on the third floor, H-Wing, room 507. You or your sponsor must settle your account at the time of discharge or arrange
for payment with the Treasurer's Office. Payment can be made by cash, check, money order, travelers check, payroll deduction. or charge card, MasterCard
or VISA. Patients discharged after normal duty hours weekends, Sundays or holidays are to process their discharge in the Admissions and Dispositions
Office, first floor, oceanside entrance, Room No. 1A017, telephone 433-6112.
In addition, active duty patients, please process through your appropriate service liaison located in room 18 101 on the first floor of B-Wing, during duty hours, 7:30a.m. - 4:00 p.m. weekdays. For discharge after duty hours, contact your unit's Personnel and Administrative section.
Inpatient Care
Admissions and Disposition Office located on first floor, oceanside entrance, Room No. 1A017, telephone 433-6112.
Medical Correspondence/Release of Information
The Medical Correspondence Office is located on the Gl (basement) floor of the Oceanside A wing, room 152 (GlA/152). Patients
needing copies of their inpatient or outpatient medical records must complete a request form before Medical Correspondence can release any medical
information. Examples of release of information include Temporary Disability Insurance, medical statements, lab or x-ray results to CHAMPUS or other
outside physicians, retrieval of medical information from other hospitals or physicians, PCS/ETS, and personal copies of medical records. Medical
information will not be released to spouses without patient ID card, power of attorney and patient signature on request/release form. If you have any
questions, please call 433-2527.
Outpatient Medical Records
The Outpatient Records Office is collocated with the Mountainside Information Desk in the 4G lobby area. Family Practice
patient records are maintained separately in the Family Practice Records Office, located at the clinic on 1 D (Oceanside) wing. Patients visiting Tripler
for walk-in appointments or who make next-day or same-day appointments must pick up their records from their respective records office. You must present
your 10 card and your outpatient medical card when picking up records. Medical records for appointments made 48 hours in advance through the Tripler
Patient Appointment System, will have already been forwarded to the appropriate clinic. Patients with records maintained at other military health clinics
must hand-carry their medical records to Tripler clinics.
Patient's Rights and Responsibilities
Patients have the right to medical and dental care and treatment consistent with available resources and accepted standards.
Patients have the responsibility to provide accurate and complete information about complaints, past illness, hospitalization, medications, and other
matters relating to their health, to their health care provider.
Patients and visitors have the right to considerate and respectful care, with recognition of personal dignity Patients should be considerate of the rights
of other patients and medical and dental staff. The patient must respect the property of others and of the facility.
Patients have the right to privacy and confidentiality (as permitted by law and regulation) concerning medical care.
Patients have the right to know at all times the identity, professional status, and professional credentials of health care personnel, as well as the
names of the health care providers responsible for their care.
Patients have the right to respectful and responsive care which includes treatment of symptoms and effective pain management from birth through the end
of life.
Patients also have the right to refuse treatment to the extent permitted by law and government regulations, and to be informed of the consequences of
refusal.
Patients must be advised if the facility proposes to perform research associated with his or her care or treatment. Patients have the right to refuse to
participate in any research projects.
Patients have the right to an explanation concerning diagnosis, treatment, procedures, and prognosis of illness in non-medical terms that the patient can
understand, in order to make knowledgeable decisions on treatment. Such information should include complications, risks, benefits, and alternative
treatments. When it is not medically advisable to give such information to the patient, the information should be provided to appropriate family member
or, in their absence, another appropriate person. Patients are responsible for participation with the health care provider in designing a medical treatment
plan to include follow up care that they will be able to comply with. This includes keeping appointments on time and notifying the facility when
appointments cannot be kept.
Patients must ensure medical records are promptly returned to the medical facility for appropriate filing and maintenance when records are transported by
the patient. All medical records documenting care provided are the property of the U.S. Government.
Patients have the right to care and treatment in a safe environment.
Patients have the right and responsibility to seek information from the Health Benefits Advisors regarding health care expenses.
Patients and visitors will be informed and need to follow the Medical Center's rules and regulations concerning patient conduct, to include regulations
regarding smoking, noise control and number of visitors. By following these rules, patients will help the Medical Center Commander provide the best
possible care for all beneficiaries.
Patients may request assistance from any member of the TAMC staff. Questions regarding quality of medical care of other concerns may be addressed to the
Patient Representative at 433-6336 or the Inspector General at 433-6619.
Patient Valuables
To protect and secure funds and your valuables, there is a Patients' Trust Fund where you may deposit your funds and valuables
at the time of admission. It is located in the Treasurer's Office in 3H, 433-6100. You are reminded to pick up your valuables on Friday prior to 4:00 p.m.
if you are planning to leave the hospital on Saturday or Sunday.
Smoking
Smoking is only allowed in designated smoking shelters/areas outside the hospital. There is no smoking any place inside the
hospital.
Surgical Admission Center
The Surgical Admission Center (SAC) consists of the Preoperative Anesthesia Conference (PAC) for patients going to surgery
the Same-Day Admission program, and the Ambulatory Surgery Center. The PAC appointments are made 1 to 30 days before surgery for anesthesia and nursing
assessments, and to complete other preoperative requirements as needed.
The Surgical Admission Center is located on the 6th floor, B-Wing, and it is open Monday through Friday. Appointment phone numbers are
433-1190 or 433-1740. The nursing station phone number is 433-5998.
Third Party Collection Program
The Third Party Collection Office is on the third floor, H Wing. The phone number is 433-9524. You will be asked whether you
have health insurance when you are admitted to Tripler. Under the law, we are required to determine if the government's cost of your care can be recovered
from companies providing group and individual health insurance. If you are covered by a health insurance policy, or are a member of an HMO (such as Kaiser
or Island Care) we will need your insurance information. The obligation to pay medical care costs applies only to the insurance carrier. You will not be
sent a bill for amounts not covered by the carrier. Tripler is entitled to obtain the same benefits for its health care services that any other medical
care provider would receive. Your insurance company will pay benefits directly to us and you will not be billed for any uncollected charges. Often your
insurance company will initially apply the amount of the bill towards your annual deductible, which helps you meet your deductible.
If your carrier pays any portion of your inpatient bill, you will not be billed by Tripler for the hospital daily charge rate during your stay. Insurance
payments are now a very important revenue source. We depend upon them to continue providing quality services and specialized programs during deficit
reduction measures by Congress.
Ward Absence
A 'ward absence' status may be granted while you are a patient under the following conditions: When it is determined to have
therapeutic value, patients may be authorized absence from the hospital up until midnight of the same day without being discharged. Patients may be
granted this status upon approval of the Ward Medical Officer. Once your physician has written orders for your absence, the nursing staff will assist you
with the details. Daily hospital charges continue to be applied during the period of absence.