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Telephone service Cell Phones are permitted in some areas of the hospital. Usually signs are posted in areas with cell phone restrictions.
Outgoing calls
- Local - To place a local outside call, dial "9" plus the number.
- Long distance - Phone calls cannot be charged to your room, but calling cards and cell phones can be used to make long distance calls. The hospital operator (dial "0") can help you, if needed.
Incoming calls
Calls are transferred to inpatient rooms from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Phones are turned off (incoming calls only) from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. hospital-wide.
- Your room phone number is listed in your room. You may share this number with your friends and family.
- Telephone guidelines may be different in maternity, critical care and step-down areas. If you have questions about calling hours on the floor, please ask your nurse.
- Pay phones are available in some lobbies.
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Hospital directory We have a hospital directory (through our computer system) that lists the name, hospital, room number, room phone number, general condition and religion of each patient if provided. This information is only shared with people (visitors/callers) who ask for you by name, or by clergy who ask for patients by religious affiliation. You have the right to have your information excluded from this directory. Please note if you do exclude your information, we will not be able to acknowledge your presence as a patient to any callers, visitors or clergy.
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Receiving an e-card from friends and family and sending video e-mails Riverside offers patients in the hospital the opportunity to send a free video e-mail to family and friends. A video e-mail is a video camera recording of your image and voice that is sent over the Internet as electronic mail to the e-mail addresses you specify. Please call Volunteer Services at (614) 566-5313 to arrange an appointment to make a video e-mail. Your family and friends will not be able to reply to the video e-mail, but they may send you an electronic greeting card (up to 200 characters) while you are in the hospital. These greeting cards can be created and sent online.Your greeting card is then printed and hand delivered to you in your hospital room by a volunteer.
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Mail service Mail will be delivered to your room Monday through Friday. Any mail received after you are discharged will be forwarded to your home address. Please allow 10 days for forwarding.
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Newspapers Volunteers visit patient rooms daily to sell The Columbus Dispatch. The Columbus Dispatch and USA Today also are available in newspaper machines around the hospital and in the Gift Shop.
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Television, radio and computer
A variety of programming is available in all rooms. The staff will teach you how to use your call light and televisions controls. Televisions carry most local and some national stations. Channel 8 offers patient education programming. Radio stations are availableon channels 14, 15, 16 and 18. Channel 23 offers education for mothers with newborns and is available on the maternity units. VCR machines are available for loan to patients. Please contact Volunteer Services (614) 566-5313. Some time limit restrictions may apply. Wireless Internet access is available in our waiting rooms, cafeterias, patient rooms, hallways and medical libraries. We have taken steps to ensure that the Internet is used in a safe and appropriate manner on our grounds and that organizational and patient information is protected. Before being connected to our network, you must agree with our guidelines for its use. If you are unable to access the network, you can call (614) 566-5804 to see if the system is available.
Computer modem hook-ups also are available in the Donald J. Vincent Medical Library and the Surgery Family Waiting area, both located on the first floor.
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Special communication needs We are pleased to provide interpreters for language Needs and the hearing impaired. TTY equipment and closed-caption television also are available. To arrange for an interpreter, ask your nurse. If you would like to speak directly to the Office of Interpretive Services, please call (614) 566-3256.
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How to stay in touch using CarePages
Create a CarePages website using our free wireless network to easily and conveniently update family and friends about the health condition of your loved one.
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