How does the admitting process begin?

Individuals should seek consultation from their local mental health center (area program or local managing entity) when considering admission to Broughton Hospital. The mental health center may be able to suggest other local alternatives for treatment. If the mental health center agrees that treatment at Broughton Hospital is the best alternative, the center makes a referral to the hospital and authorizes the individual for inpatient treatment for a specified period of time. All admissions to the hospital are authorized by the local mental health center regardless of whether the individual has sought services at a mental health center prior to coming to Broughton Hospital.

What should I bring to the hospital?

While a patient at Broughton Hospital, you are encouraged to wear your own clothing. You should bring or have a family member or friend bring adequate day clothing and sleepwear, personal toiletries, eyeglasses and dentures (if applicable). We recommend that you limit clothing to three or four changes due to limited personal storage space and that you leave personal valuables (such as jewelry and watches) at home, since the hospital staff cannot be responsible for safekeeping.

Valuables such as credit cards, checks, food stamps, or money in excess of $30 will be taken by Admitting Services when you are admitted and placed in a “locked box” in Admitting Services for pickup by the hospital’s Cashier. A record of these items is kept in your patient record. These items will be returned to you when you are discharged, or earlier at the recommendation of your doctor.

Weapons of any type are strictly forbidden and should be left at home. Items such as pocketknives are taken at the time of admission and are locked in Admitting Services. It is your responsibility to claim such items and take them with you at the time of discharge. Items left in Admitting Services for more than three months following your discharge from the hospital will be sent to the Hospital Police for disposal.

Broughton Hospital is a smoke-free facility. Matches, lighters, or other flame producing devices are not allowed. No alcoholic beverages, metal, glass or aerosol containers are permitted in the hospital.

Who will be on my treatment team while I am hospitalized?

After your admission to the hospital, you and/or your legally responsible person will meet with a treatment team, which will consist of your physician, psychologist, social worker, nurse, and other personnel involved in your direct treatment. During the course of this meeting an individual treatment plan, designed to meet your needs, is developed.

If your physical examination indicates a need for medical treatment, this is discussed with you. You and/or your legally responsible person will decide whether to proceed with necessary medical treatment. Broughton Hospital provides medical consultants for specialized needs.

You and/or your legally responsible person are encouraged and expected to participate in decisions regarding your treatment and provide as much information as possible regarding both your physical and mental condition.

If you have questions regarding your treatment, contact the nurse on your ward.

The staff of Broughton Hospital are here to ensure that you receive the best care possible. You can identify staff members by the identification badges they wear, which display their name, photo and department. If anyone without an identification badge approaches you, please request that he or she display his or her badge.

Will my hospital stay be covered by insurance?

North Carolina law requires that individuals be charged for services received at state psychiatric hospitals. The charge is based on the individual’s ability to pay; therefore, Patient Financial Services need complete financial information to determine if a reduction in the charge can be made. Some insurance policies provide payment toward charges, so please provide insurance policies or identification cards.

At the time of admission, or shortly thereafter, a member of Patient Financial Services will speak with you or your family concerning financial arrangements. For further information, contact Patient Financial Services between 8:00am and 4:30pm, Monday through Friday, at 828-433-2415. Patient Financial Services is located on the first floor of the Avery Building.

Are telephones and mail service available for patient use?

Telephone calls are made from pay phones located on or near the wards. The ward office phones are not used for patients’ incoming or outgoing calls, as these phones are for hospital business only. Charges for calls made by you must be assumed by you. Collect calls may be made from the pay phones. TDD’s are available for patients with hearing impairments.

You have the right to send and receive unopened letters. Incoming mail is distributed to the wards on a daily basis. The hospital’s Post Office is located on the first floor of the Avery Building and is open from 9:30am until 11:30am and 1:30pm until 3:30pm, Monday through Friday. You may purchase stamps and post cards during these hours. The mailing address while at the hospital is:

Patient’s Name

Unit

Broughton Hospital

Morganton, NC 28655

What are patient rights at Broughton Hospital?

A copy of your rights and responsibilities is provided to you and/or your guardian(s) by staff on your assigned unit. The social worker will review your rights and answer your questions. If you are an adult, who has not been adjudicated incompetent and wish to receive additional information regarding an advance care directive, the social worker can assist you.

Who is allowed to inspect or be provided with copies of a patients record at Broughton Hospital?

State and Federal laws protect patient confidentiality. Generally, consent of the patient or legally responsible person is required for release of information. However, the laws allow for disclosure of patient information under prescribed circumstances without such consent.

The patient or legally responsible person may request in writing his or her own records; but under N.C. law, the attending physician or Clinical Director must determine if it is in the patient’s best interest.

What are Broughton Hospitals Privacy Practices?

Broughton Hospital is required by state and federal law to protect the privacy of your health information that may identify you. This health information includes mental health, developmental disability and/or substance abuse services that are provided to you, payment for those health care services, or other health care operations provided on your behalf.

This agency is required by law to inform you of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to your health information through our Notice of Privacy Practices*. This describes the ways we may share your past, present and future health information, ensuring that we use and/or disclose this information only as we have described in this notice. We do, however, reserve the right to change our privacy practices and the terms of this notice, and to make the new notice provisions effective for all health information we maintain.