Prior to your visit, your physician's office, or Tampa General Hospital will advise you which
Admitting area you will need to report to. The information below applies to all patients
no matter which Admitting area they utilize.
We want your visit to Tampa General Hospital to go as smoothly as possible. Below are answers to
some Frequently Asked Questions:
Please arrive
at least 30 minutes before your scheduled appointment. You may eat, drink and take your
medications as usual on the day of your pre-op visit.
Complimentary valet parking is available for your convenience at the Main Entrance of the
hospital. Please advise the attendant that you are here for your pre-operative visit. Proceed
to the Admissions Office in the Main Lobby to register.
After completing paperwork in Admissions, you will be called to the Pre-Op Center where a
pre-op nurse will review surgery instructions and other information with you. A member of
the anesthesia team will examine you and answer any questions you may have about the anesthesia
you will receive during surgery. If ordered by your surgeon or anesthesiologist, you may have
lab work, an EKG or x-rays performed during this visit.
Please bring the following to your pre-op appointment:
insurance card, photo ID, or military ID if applicable
any laboratory test results, x-rays or EKG’s
a current list of your medications and dosages, including over-the-counter medications
and vitamins
This appointment will take a minimum of two hours so please bring something to occupy your time.
The length of your appointment will depend on what tests your physician has ordered and what is
required for your procedure. For your comfort, please bring a sweater or jacket, as it is
sometimes cool in the Pre-Op Center.
If you have any questions regarding your pre-operative visit, call (813) 844-7869 between 9 a.m.
and 3 p.m., Monday through Friday.
The admitting representative will also ask you to sign a consent form, which is an agreement to allow our staff to treat you. A parent or guardian must sign for a minor. Additional forms may be required for special procedures during your stay. Your physician will discuss these with you.
Upon admission, you will receive a copy of the hospital's Notice of Privacy Practice, which identifies your rights to privacy and the ways in which the hospital works to protect your privacy. If you object to having your name in the hospital's patient directory, or if you would like to limit or restrict communications with persons involved in your care or payment of services, it is your responsibility to inform hospital personnel of that decision. You may make or rescind this decision at any time during your hospital stay.
Click Here for Privacy of Information About Your Health in Acrobat format
To obtain a copy of your medical record, please print and complete the attached request form. The completed request form can be mailed or faxed per the instructions on the form. The average turnaround time for a request is five (5) business days. If you have questions about the disclosure of health information, please contact the Health Information Management Department at (813) 844-7525.
Click Here for the Authorization to Disclose Health Information form.
An advance directive is a written or oral statement about how you want your medical decisions
made should you not be able to make them yourself. It is the policy of this hospital, in
accordance with state and federal law, to recognize your right to make your treatment wishes
known in advance.
Everyone has a role in healthcare safety. You, as the patient, can also play a vital
role in making your care safe by becoming an active, involved and informed member of
your healthcare team.
To help prevent healthcare errors, patients are urged to "SPEAKUP."
SPEAK UP if you have questions or concerns, and if you don't understand, ask again.
It's your body and you have a right to know
Pay attention to the care you are receiving. Make sure you're getting the right
treatments and medications by the right healthcare professionals. Don't assume anything.
Educate yourself about your diagnosis, the medical tests you are undergoing and
your treatment plan.
Ask a trusted family member or friend to be your advocate.
Know what medications you take and why you take them. Medication errors are the most
common healthcare mistakes.
Use a hospital, clinic, surgery center or other type of healthcare organization that
has undergone a rigorous on-site evaluation against established, state-of-the-art quality
and safety standards, such as that provided by The Joint Commission.
Participate in all decisions about your treatment. You are the center of the
healthcare team.
We participate in all government-sponsored programs that are available to help Florida residents.
It is your responsibility to make sure that the requirements of your plan have been met. If your plan's requirements are not followed, you may be financially responsible for all or part of the services rendered.
Your health coverage is a contract between you and your insurance company. While we will assist in expediting your claims, you are ultimately responsible for payment of your account.
Fees for the professional services of your attending physician, surgeon, radiologist,
anesthesiologist or pathologist are not included in your hospital bill. Your will be
billed separately for their services.
For your convenience each patient room has a telephone. We do not charge for local calls within area code 813 or calls to area code 727 (Pinellas County). For both area codes, dial '29' and then the number.
Long distance calls cannot be charged to the room. These calls must be billed to a calling card, a prepaid calling card, a third party or placed 'collect' to the called party. Prepaid calling cards are available for purchase in the hospital Gift Shop in the Main Lobby.
Patient rooms in most areas can be dialed directly. The phone number to dial your room directly is posted on the wall in your room.
To allow our patients to rest, incoming calls are not connected to patient rooms between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. Outgoing calls can be placed at any time.
Public payphones are located at the East Pavilion entrance by McDonald's, near the West Pavilion elevators, and in various other locations throughout the hospital.
Cell phone use is prohibited in certain areas of the hospital as posted.
Amplified handsets and portable TDDs are available. Ask your nurse for assistance.
Free educational videos are available for you to watch while you are in the hospital. A list of topics and instructions to access the system is found on Channel 67 of your television.
Your food is prepared according to the diet ordered by your physician. Based on the prescribed diet, a member of the dietary staff should visit you several times each day to assist you in making your meal selections and to deliver your meals. If the daily menu selections do not meet your food preferences, an alternative menu option will be presented to you by the dietary staff. At your request, a registered dietitian is available to assist you with your dietary needs.
Your safety is our first concern. Our Safety & Security department provides protection through their safety programs and around-the-clock security patrols. Please report any safety concerns to the Security Operations Center at ext. 7363.
Tampa General Hospital is a smoke-free facility. Smoking is permitted outside the hospital in designated areas only. Please do not smoke near entrances.
Please give your nurse a list of any medications you are taking. Your physician will order all necessary medication during your stay. For your safety, please send all other medications, including vitamins and herbal supplements, home or notify your nurse.
The chapel is located on the first floor near the West Pavilion elevators and is always open for prayer and meditation. A hospital chaplain is available for visitation or counseling 24 hours a day. During business hours the pastoral care office can be reached at ext. 7063. After hours or weekends, the on-call chaplain may be reached through the hospital operator (dial "O").
Members of the volunteer department and the Tampa General Hospital Auxiliary,
Inc., give generously of their time and talents to help maintain our high standard of customer service.
Their generosity is greatly appreciated. The volunteer office can be reached at ext. 4303 or ext. 7361.
CarePages is a free service offered to patients of Tampa General Hospital.
This service allows you to create private personalized web pages to keep family and friends informed
about your hospitalization. This web page is maintained by the patient or their family. To safeguard
patients' privacy, TGH staff cannot set-up or maintain CarePages for patients. Ask your nurse for more
details about the service or click here
The Outpatient Pharmacy is located on the 2nd floor of the East Pavilion. It is a convenient location to fill your prescriptions at the time of discharge and is open Monday through Friday 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., with the exception of holidays. Please call ext. 7688 to find out if the TGH Outpatient Pharmacy is a provider for your prescription insurance.
