REDLANDS COMMUNITY HOSPITAL
PATIENT CARE POLICY & PROCEDURES
SUBJECT: COMMUNITY CLERGY VISITATIONS TO PATIENTS
REFERENCES: HIPAA Regulations Section 164.510
POLICY: Redlands Community Hospital recognizes the patient's rights of privacy and the patients right to determine who can visit them while they are in the hospital. The hospital also acknowledges the important role that community clergy play in support of patient care by addressing the spiritual needs of the patient. Therefore, Redlands Community Hospital will take the necessary measures to ensure the patient's right of privacy and the right to determine when visits from clergy may occur. During the admissions process, patients will be informed that the hospital provides a directory that is available to his or her community clergy or lay ministers. Patients will be given the opportunity to request to remain totally anonymous during their hospitalization. A "confidential designation" will be assigned which means that this patient will not receive any external visitors. (Confidential patients will not appear on the directory lists.) All other patients may choose to receive a visit from the clergy member. The hospital will provide the respective community clergy member with confidential lists of patients who are affiliated with their denomination. The patient may request a visit from the clergy member or lay minister that represents the patient's specific church, parish, mosque, synagogue or temple. The hospital staff will do everything they can to see that the patient's wishes are followed.
PROCEDURE:
During the admitting process, the admissions clerk will inform the patient that a directory of patients is provided to the community clergy for visitation purposes. The patient will be given an opportunity to decline to receive visitors. A "confidential" designation will be given to that patient's records in the computer. If a patient wishes to receive visitors but not from the clergy, they can state their wishes to the admission clerk. The clerk can check the "no" box under clergy visit option on the admission screen. If the patient wishes to have a visit from the clergy the "yes" box will be checked.
Pre-Op patients are now required to give a password at the time of admittance for the purpose of security. Any family or Clergy wishing to visit must know the password. It is important that the patient or family advise the Clergy at the time of admittance.
Computer lists of patients that wish to have a clergy visit will be generated on a daily basis by religious affiliation.
Visiting Clergy should inquire at the Chaplain office for a list of the names of those patients of their church, parish, synagogue, mosque or temple that would like a clergy visit. If patients are not affiliated with a particular church, they may specify from which denomination they prefer a clergy visit. If the Chaplain's office is closed, the directory will be available at the Front Desk.
Information desk and volunteer staff may assist by placing phone calls to respective patients to determine their availability for a visit from their clergy member.
Hospital staff will extend to the clergy their full cooperation in support of their liturgical duties.
Members of the clergy should be prepared to show proper identification to hospital staff.
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