When you are admitted to Quincy Medical Center, you’ll meet many people who are involved with your care. It is important to us that you feel at ease with all of your caregivers and that you feel comfortable talking with us about your care.
Your Doctors
While you are in the hospital, your attending physician continues to be a strong source of information and support for you. Your physician will work closely with all of the people who are taking care of you and will stay up to date on your tests, procedures and treatments.
Your physician may refer you to Quincy Medical Center’s Hospitalist Program. Hospitalists are
physicians who specialize in caring for hospitalized patients. Your hospitalist works closely with your other doctors (primary care, surgeon, specialists) to ensure that all treatment is coordinated. For those who do not have a primary care doctor, a hospitalist will coordinate your care.
Nursing Care
More than 300 professional nurses are on staff at Quincy Medical Center. These highly trained, caring individuals provide direct patient care in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Their focus is on advanced, compassionate and exceptional patient care.
Ancillary and Support Services
In addition to professional nurses, many other members of the Quincy Medical Center team will
support your medical needs, including technicians, technologists, dietitians, social workers, physical, occupational and speech therapists, pharmacists and others. For example, when you need tests such as blood tests, X-rays, PET/CT scans, mammography, or MRI scans, you will meet the technicians and technologists who are specially trained to perform these tests. Social workers may also advise you and your family about the impact of your medical condition on other areas of your life or help you find support groups and transportation services in your community.
Students
Quincy Medical Center serves as a training hospital for medical students of the Boston University School
of Medicine as well as for nursing students and other healthcare technologists at local schools and colleges. Under the supervision of qualified staff, students may participate in your care.
Patient Advocate
A patient advocate is available to discuss any questions or concerns regarding your rights as a patient. We encourage you to contact the Advocate if you have a concern about QMC that you are not able to resolve with the person, persons or department(s) directly involved – or if you feel your rights have not been respected. The Patient Advocate can be reached at 617-376-5678 or extension 5678 if dialing internally. You may also ask your nurse to page the Advocate.
Interpreters
If English is not your first language or if you are deaf or hard of hearing, Quincy Medical Center will arrange for interpretation. Professional medical interpreting services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to serve the needs of the hospital staff, patients and their families free of charge. Our service offers interpretation and translation for more than 150 languages, American Sign Language and technology for the hearing impaired. Chinese language interpreters are available, in house, from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Friday, by calling extension 2058 (in-house) or 617-376-2058. For all other languages, call extension 4013 or 617-376-4013.
Pastoral Care
The Pastoral Care Department is committed to ensuring that your spiritual needs are met during your hospital visit. Our Chaplains, Eucharistic Ministers, and trained interfaith pastoral care visitors are available to visit you during your hospital stay and can arrange for your own minister, priest, rabbi or spiritual advisor to visit you. The Pastoral Care Staff also is available to consult with patients and families surrounding issues such as advance directives, healthcare proxies and planning for organ or tissue donation, and offers bereavement support groups to support those who are coping with the loss of a loved one. Eucharistic Ministers offer Holy Communion to Catholic patients in our patient care areas on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Our interfaith chapel is located on the first floor, near the Gift Shop, in the main lobby. Patients and visitors are welcome to visit the chapel at any time. It is open 24 hours a
day for quiet mindfulness and prayer. To contact the Pastoral Care Department, call 617-376-5501 or extension 5501 if calling internally.
Rapid Response Team
Visitors and family members are an imporant part of the health care team. You may be the first to observe a change in a patient’s condition. We have a team of nurses and physicians who are part of our Rapid Response Team and who will respond immediately. This team can be activated by dialing extension 2222 from any hospital telephone and providing the patient’s name and room number.
Transitions in Life Care (TLC)
Transitions in Life Care (TLC) is devoted to providing family-centered care to help patients experiencing serious life-limiting illness and their families through the course of their disease. We encourage patients and their families to actively participate in identifying their needs and developing the plan of care to meet those needs. The TLC team consists of doctors, nurses, pharmacists, social workers, case managers
and pastoral care workers, who work in collaboration with the patient’s physician and hospital staff. The team provides supportive care and education to assist patients the their families. The TLC team will help facilitate family discussions regarding issues, such as Code Status, Advance Directives, and hospice, and
provide follow-up support for patients and families. Your physician or nursing staff can arrange for you to speak with a TLC member or you can contact the team directly by calling 617-376-5658.
Volunteers
Volunteers are valued members of the Quincy Medical Center team who work in many areas of the medical center. Many volunteers are former patients with a strong desire to give something back to Quincy Medical Center. For more information about becoming a volunteer, call 617-376-5368.