Food
All your meals are prepared in the hospital kitchen by our qualified chef. Patients appreciate the taste, variety and quality of our food. Our catering department can accommodate different diets and individual needs.
Rooms
There are 44 private rooms in Maitland Private Hospital and 7 shared rooms.
Every room is air conditioned. The temperature can be controlled by patients to ensure their comfort.
There is a telephone beside each bed for your convenience with the exception of the High Dependency Unit.
A television, with remote control, is in each room.
Newspapers are delivered daily to Maitland Private for your purchase.
Phone cards may be purchased for use when making STD or mobile calls.
It’s important that general admission patients are familiar with the processes and information on this page as there are specific tasks which you need to attend to, to ensure your hospital stay runs smoothly.
- Pre-Admission
- Admission
- Discharge
Pre-Admission
Information in this section explains what happens in preparation for your admission to hospital
Your Hospital Booking
For planned admissions, your booking for your hospital stay will either be made by your admitting doctor or they will ask you to contact the hospital direct.
In either instance, following consultation with your doctor, please assist us by making or confirming your booking with us at least seven days prior to your admission where possible.
Complete Admission Paperwork
You should receive admission paperwork from your doctor’s rooms to complete. Please complete all the ‘Patient’ sections on the form and return it to the reception desk at the hospital at least seven working days before your scheduled surgery or procedure.
Doing this confirms your booking and ensures we have everything ready for your arrival.
Confirm Cost Coverage
Prior to your admission, please contact our Admissions Office to verify your insurance and any out of pocket expenses you may incur from your hospital stay. Our staff is happy to answer any questions you may have about costs and coverage. We advise you to check with your health fund to ascertain that you are covered for your procedure or admission.
For further information see:
- Insurance & Accounts
- DVA
Pre-Admission Instructions
If you are undergoing a surgical procedure at our hospital, you may be required to follow some pre-operative instructions prior to your admission, such as fasting. It’s important that you follow these instructions exactly as advised. Failure to do so may delay your procedure.
Admission Confirmation
You will be asked to contact the hospital the day before your scheduled admission to confirm your admission details including the time of admission, fasting requirements and any other special instructions.
What to bring to Hospital
Please remember to bring the following to hospital with you as relevant to you:
- Medicare card
- Private health insurance membership card
- Veterans' Affairs Entitlement card
- Repatriation card
- Pension card
- Doctor referral letter and/or admission papers
- Relevant x-rays and scans
- All medications you are currently taking (in original packaging) including those purchased at the supermarket or health food store
- Any prescriptions (including authority prescriptions)
- A Medi list from your General Practitioner or medication profile from your pharmacist.
- Appropriate sleepwear, dressing gown and slippers or comfortable shoes
- Personal toiletries (e.g. toothbrush, toothpaste, soap)
- Glasses and physical aids (e.g. walking stick, hearing aids)
- Any co-payment required (visa, mastercard, eftpos available)
You may wish to bring loose fitting comfortable clothing in preference to pyjamas for day time wear.
Please DO NOT bring the following items with you:
- Talcum powder
- Jewellery
- Large sums of money
- Other valuables
- Personal electrical items including laptops, hairdryers etc.
Admission
On Arrival
On the day of your admission, ensure you arrive at the hospital at the time designated by the admissions clerk or your doctor. On arrival, please register at reception. You will then be shown to your room.
Medications
On admission to hospital, you will be asked about the medications you are currently taking and if you have had any unexpected reactions or allergies to medications in the past. If so, these will be noted on your medication chart.
We provide all patients with a security drawer for medication and personal items. We take all possible precautions in relation to any personal items brought into the hospital, however the hospital accepts no responsibility for the security of patients' possessions, including jewellery, watches and money.
Note that mobile phones shouldn’t be used in ward areas as their signals may interfere with electronic medical equipment.
Staying with Children in Hospital
We encourage parents and carers to spend as much time as possible with a child during their hospitalisation. Where possible, we also encourage you to assist with the washing, dressing, feeding and entertaining of your child as this may reduce any unnecessary stress for your child.
Types of Accommodation
Maitland Private Hospital has both shared and private rooms. All patient rooms have ensuite facilities (some shared).
We make every endeavour to provide you with your accommodation preference, please understand that in certain circumstances of high activity, medically required or emergency admissions, it may be necessary to admit you to a shared room.
Every bed has a colour television,. Telephones are provided for personal use and all local calls are free.
Other Services
Newspapers are delivered to the hospital each morning to purchase. Please advise nursing staff and they will ensure the newsagent visits your room.
Preparing to go Home
Your doctor and hospital staff will confirm with you and your family the day you can expect to go home from hospital so you can make appropriate arrangements.
Before you leave, you will be given information about what has happened to you during your time in hospital and details about any special treatments you will have to continue at home. With your permission, the hospital staff will let your general practitioner know when you are leaving hospital.
Our staff will also prepare a discharge referral (a summary of medical information about your treatment in hospital and ongoing services that have been arranged for you) and either send it directly to your general practitioner or give it to you to hand to them on your first visit after your discharge.
Discharge
We ask that you vacate your room by 10 am on the day you leave hospital so that we can prepare for the next patient.
If you are unable to vacate your room by 10am, you may be asked to wait in a lounge area until you are collected.
Please check with your nurse or Nurse Unit Manager before leaving the ward to collect any x-rays or medication and to confirm if you have any follow up appointments or other paperwork.
Medications
The pharmacist will work with your medical practitioner and nurses on the ward to arrange the medications you will need to take home. You can also receive a full summary of your current medication for you to refer to at home.
On discharge, you will be charged separately by the pharmacist for medications :
- you were taking before your admission and needed refilled while in hospital
- you require at the time of your discharge
All patients are required to report to Reception, located in the Main Entrance to be formally discharged. Reception is open Monday to Thursday between 8am and 6pm, Friday 8am to 5pm.
A comfortable area for you to wait for transport is provided in the hospital foyer.
Getting Home
It is particularly important you arrange how you will get home from hospital. It may or may not be appropriate for you to drive yourself home. Please discuss this with the hospital staff and your doctor prior to discharge.
Special arrangements can be made to assist DVA patients get home safely after their hospital stay.
Short Stay
Short stay (day surgery) facilities are available if you require a minor procedure or surgery with admission and discharge on the same day.
As a day patient, you must assume more responsibility for your care, as you won’t be staying in hospital overnight. It’s important that short stay patients are familiar with the following processes and information to ensure their day surgery or procedure runs smoothly and that you can be properly prepared to go home following your procedure.
- Pre-Admission
- Admission
- Discharge
If the patient being admitted is a child, please read this information in conjunction with information provided in the Caring for Children section.
Pre-Admission
Information in this section explains what happens in preparation for your admission to our Day Surgery Unit.
Your Hospital Booking
For planned admissions, the booking for your hospital stay will either be made by your admitting doctor or they may ask you to contact the hospital directly.
In either instance, following consultation with your doctor, please assist us by contacting the Admissions Office to arrange or confirm your booking with us at least five days prior to your admission where possible. You will be given a date and approximate time to arrive at the hospital for your surgery.
Complete Admission Paperwork
You should receive admission paperwork from your doctor’s rooms to complete. Please complete all the ‘Patient’ sections on the form and return it to the reception desk at the hospital at least five working days before your scheduled surgery or procedure. This confirms your booking and will ensure that we have everything ready for your arrival.
In some cases your doctor will book you in for the next day. It’s important that you contact us as soon as possible to confirm your admission and details relating to your hospital stay.
Confirm Cost Coverage
The cost of your procedure will vary depending on your level of health insurance and fund. Should you have any questions regarding the cost of your procedure or surgery, please contact us and ask to speak to our admission staff.
It’s your responsibility to pay for any costs you may incur.
We advise you too contact your insurer (health fund, Workers Compensation insurer or other) to confirm exactly what costs will be covered. See the following sections for additional information:
- Insurance & Accounts
- DVA
Admission Confirmation
You will be asked to contact the hospital the day before your scheduled admission to confirm your admission details including the time of admission, fasting requirements and any special instructions.
Getting Ready for Hospital
Before coming to hospital, please organise and note the following:
- Shower at home before coming to hospital including washing your hair and cleaning your teeth
- Don’t apply talcum powder, deodorant, perfume, make-up, nail polish, etc.
- Don’t wear contact lenses
- Wear cotton underpants, loose and comfortable clothing (especially loose pants if you are having surgery to your legs or feet) and low heeled shoes
- If you are bringing a child to hospital for a surgery or procedure, it’s not advisable to bring other children with you as there are no facilities at the hospital to care for them
- Take your current medications as usual on the day of surgery, with a sip of water, unless otherwise instructed by your doctor or anaesthetist
- Do not smoke 12 hours prior to surgery
- Leave all jewellery and valuables, other than a wedding ring, at home
- Please arrange to be collected after your surgery or procedure by a responsible adult as you will not be allowed to drive home or take a taxi unaccompanied
To ensure privacy and a quiet atmosphere for other patients, visitors are asked to return at discharge to collect you. In the case of children, one parent or carer is allowed to remain with the child before and after surgery.
What to bring to Hospital
Please remember to bring the following to hospital with you as applicable to you:
- All medications you are currently taking (in original packaging)
- Relevant x-rays
- Medicare card
- Private health insurance membership card
- Pensioner card
- Veterans' affairs entitlement card
- Safety Net or pharmacy entitlement card
- Workers Compensation or other insurance details
- Any letters from your doctor
- Dressing gown and slippers or comfortable shoes
- Glasses and physical aids (walking sticks, hearing aids, etc.)
- A book to read, walkman or iPod
- A dressing gown
Children are encouraged to bring a favourite toy or teddy.
Please DO NOT bring the following items with you:
- Large sums of money
- Mobile phones
- Other valuables
The hospital accepts no responsibility for the security of patients' possessions, including jewellery, watches and money.
Note that mobile phones shouldn’t be used in many areas of the hospital as their signal may interfere with electronic medical equipment.
Fasting
It may be necessary for you to fast prior to your procedure or operation. This means :
- No fluids or food by mouth
- No chewing gum
It is also advisable to refrain from smoking a minimum of 12 hours prior to your surgery or procedure.
If the patient is a child, they must be kept under continuous observation by the parent, guardian or the person responsible for the welfare of the child, to ensure they have fasted.
Cold or Illness
Please contact the Hospital and your doctor if you develop an illness prior to surgery.
Admission
On Arrival
Your admission time will have been advised to you by our Admissions Office.
Please be on time. It is most important to arrive on time for your appointment to allow time for your pre-operative preparation. Please contact the Day Surgery Unit if you anticipate arriving later than the appointed time.
On arrival, please register at reception. You will then be shown to the Day Surgery Unit.
After being admitted by the nurse, you will be required to change in to a hospital gown and dressing gown. Usually the anaesthetist will see you prior to your procedure.
We wish to advise you may experience some delay or waiting time prior to your surgery. This delay is necessary to accommodate the clinical scheduling requirements of your treating doctors. We appreciate your understanding and apologise for any inconvenience that this may cause.
In some cases you may be asked to shower prior to your procedure
What to Expect
After your surgery or procedure you will wake up in the Recovery Room where experienced staff will care for you. Once you have recovered from the effects of anaesthesia, you will be transferred to the Day Surgery Recovery Lounge where you will continue your recovery in a reclining chair and will be offered light refreshments prior to discharge.
You will usually be discharged two to four hours after the operation or procedure. For more complex procedures, the length of stay will depend on your post operative recovery.
Children
Children are encouraged to visit the hospital prior to their admission and one family member or carer is invited to remain with the child before and after surgery.
Types of Accommodation
Patients should be aware that our Day Surgery facilities are shared unisex accommodation.
Discharge
All patients are required to be formally discharged by the Day Surgery Unit staff.
On discharge, you will be given any necessary post-operative instructions, including your prescriptions, medications and x-rays and details of a follow-up appointment with your doctor if required.
All patients are required to report to Reception, located in the Main Entrance to be formally discharged. Reception is open Monday to Thursday between 8am and 6pm, Friday 8am to 5pm.
A comfortable area to wait for transport is provided in the hospital foyer.
Getting Home
If you’ve had heavy sedation or a general anaesthetic, you won’t be permitted to leave the Unit alone. Please note the following:
You will need to arrange to be picked up and organise a responsible adult to be present with you for the first night you are home following general anaesthesia
Staff will contact the person who is picking you up when you are fit to go home
Transportation home by taxi is not permitted without an escort who accepts responsibility to take you home
For your own comfort and safety, you shouldn’t consume any alcohol for at least 24 hours after discharge
After general anaesthetic, patients are not permitted to drive any motor vehicle, operate machinery or make any important decisions for at least 24 hours
Special arrangements can be made to assist DVA patients get home safely after their hospital stay.
If you have any questions regarding your Day Surgery Admission before or after surgery, please contact the hospital.
