Our goal is to help you get back on your feet and home as soon as possible. Discharges can occur throughout the day and evening. Your attending physician will make the decision about when it is appropriate for you to go home.

When you are ready to leave the hospital, you will be given a bright pink envelope with your discharge information inside. In addition, an admissions representative may visit to finalize all paperwork for billing and insurance purposes. If you need to fill prescriptions or get equipment, there is a Walgreens Pharmacy conveniently located on the medical center campus. They will even provide bedside medication delivery.

Keep in mind that you are the most important part of our team. We want you to feel free to Speak Up if there is anything you do not understand about your discharge plan. We are here to meet your needs and to provide as much information as possible so that you have everything you need to complete your recovery.

Patient Compliments and Concerns
Should you wish to make a formal statement about your treatment or care while still a patient, please contact the nurse manager of the patient unit. If concerns are not addressed, you may contact the Patient Advocate at 410-535-8446 or the Quality Management Department at 410-535-8117, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Evenings and weekends, ask your nurse to contact the clinical coordinator for you.

You always have the option to pursue your concerns with the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene or The Joint Commission. Of course, we would appreciate your giving us the opportunity to first work with you to resolve any issues. To reach DHMH, call 410-764-4970. Because this facility is accredited by The Joint Commission, you can also contact The Joint Commission by calling 1-800-994-6610 or emailing complaint@jointcommission.org.

A special financial counselor is available to provide information and resources to patients and families. The counselor can explain the hospital’s billing and collection procedures, deposit requirements and payment plans; help patients apply for medical assistance; explain the hospital’s financial assistance programs and advise patients of other programs available through local agencies.

We know there is sometimes confusion regarding whether a patient is in the hospital for "outpatient observation" or admitted for an inpatient stay. In some cases, it may not be immediately clear whether you are well enough to go home or if hospitalization is needed. In such an instance, you may be placed in "outpatient observation" for short- term diagnostic testing and monitoring to further evaluate your condition before the physician is able to make a decision on whether or not you require admission or are able to go home with follow-up care. "Outpatient observation" is different from being admitted and is not billed the same as an inpatient stay. This means that your financial responsibility may be much different than your inpatient hospital benefit depending on your insurance plan.

If you have questions about this or any other billing concerns, call the financial counselor during regular business hours at 410-535-8268 or 301-855-1012, ext. 8268 from outside the hospital or dial ext. 8268 from within the hospital.

Hospital billing practices can be confusing. We are here to help. Our patient financial services team can help you with payment options including grants and medical assistance programs as well as answer general questions about payment of your medical services. CalvertHealth serves all patients regardless of ability to pay.

Federal and state laws require physicians to bill separately for services they perform while you are a hospital patient. Therefore, you will receive several separate bills related to your hospital visit.

The hospital bill will include the costs for all hospital services. This bill may include charges for laboratory tests, use of equipment and supplies, your room, nursing care, dietary and other technical and support personnel. Charges at all Maryland hospitals are set and controlled by the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission. Fee schedules are available for review by contacting 410-535-8248.

The physicians' bills will include the professional fees from hospital-based physicians who provided a service as part of your tests or care while a patient. These services may include radiology, anesthesiology, emergency care, pathology, nuclear medicine, EKG, EEG, psychiatry, pulmonary medicine and other specialties.

We accept all major credit cards for hospital bills. You can also, make payment online at http://calverthospital.ixt.com/QuickPayAccount.aspx. Please feel free to contact the hospital billing office at 410-535-8248 or 301-855-1012, ext. 8248 if you have any questions about your hospital bills.

Do you need help... or know someone who does?

CalvertHealth provides health care to everyone in our community regardless of their ability to pay. It is our mission to improve the health of our community and we do not want cost to be a barrier for patients who truly need care.

CalvertHealth offers a number of programs for people who do not have insurance or need help paying for their health care. We employ financial counselors who can help you work out a financial plan or apply for state or federal programs that you may qualify for. Financial aid applications are available at all registration desks in the hospital.

Each year, we provide more than a million dollars in financial aid to patients who qualify. If you meet the requirements, you may be able to have 100 percent of your bills covered. The key is to communicate with us. If we don't hear from you and don't know your situation, we can't help.





A financial counselor is available to help. Just call 410-535-8268.

For more information, visit our Financial Assistance page.

CalvertHealth created the Transitions to Home program to enhance care for chronically ill patients after they leave the hospital. The innovative community outreach program is designed to:

• Identify patients with chronic conditions (such as diabetes or hypertension) who are at risk for readmission
• Provide them with additional support after they’re discharged
• Connect them with the resources they need to stay healthy
• Reduce preventable hospital readmissions

Patients may be invited to participate in this special program to help them after they are discharged from CalvertHealth. This program is designed to improve the continuity of care for patients with chronic health conditions, such as congestive heart failure (CHF), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and diabetes, as they transition between these different health settings. Our goal is to ensure that the transfer of care between CalvertHealth and these other settings goes smoothly.

This is a FREE service to help you or your loved one recover while helping you:

• Understand and manage your medications better
• Prevent unplanned re-admissions to the hospital through a better understanding of your diagnosis
• Make a plan for necessary follow-up with your physicians or other home care services after discharge

Patients participating in this program may receive the following services when enrolled in the program:

• A home visit to assess and assist with the management of their medications and their health information as well as help the patient prepare for their follow-up visit with their health care provider
• Follow-up phone calls from the Transitions to Home team, who will provide support, education, and any specialized educational referrals during the transition from the healthcare facility to home.
• Access to our care management clinic, where our team can help you with access to medical care, medication management help, chronic disease coaching and support.

This program provides coordination and education to supplement other skilled home services you may be eligible for.

We know the last thing you want to do on the way home is make another stop.

That’s why we’ve partnered with Walgreens to bring your prescriptions right to your bedside prior to leaving the hospital.

Our patients appreciate the convenience of Bedside Medication Delivery but studies show that it also increases medication compliance and reduces avoidable readmissions. Data suggests that one-third of patients being discharged never get their prescriptions filled.

The CalvertHealth Bedside Medication Delivery program operates Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Here’s how it works:

• Walgreens is notified of patient discharge
• Dedicated Walgreens representative gathers patient info & scripts
• Prescriptions are processed
• Payment is arranged with patient or caregiver
• Medication instruction is offered
• Medications are delivered to patient’s bedside
• Patient receives follow-up call from pharmacist 48 hours after discharge

Please tell us about your Medical Center experience

A patient survey is mailed to your home after you are discharged or you may receive a phone call after you are discharged from Health Stream. Please take a moment to complete this questionnaire. Your feedback is very important to us. Your survey responses help us learn more about how we can improve our service to you in the future.

Should you wish to make a formal statement about your treatment or care while still a patient, please contact the nurse manager of the patient unit. If concerns are not immediately addressed, you may contact the Quality Management Department at 410-535-8117 or 410-414-4505, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Evenings and weekends, ask your nurse to contact the clinical coordinator for you.

You always have the option to pursue your concerns with the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. To reach DHMH, please call 410-764-4970. If you are a Medicare beneficiary, you can also contact the Medicare complaint line by calling 1-800-492-5811 (DC residents call 1-800-645-0011). Because this facility is accredited by The Joint Commission, you can also contact The Joint Commission by calling 1-800-994-6610 or emailing complaint@jointcommission.org. Of course, we hope that you would discuss your issues with us first so we have an opportunity to address them.

Who can I call if I do not understand my discharge instructions?

Please call 410-414-4858 and you will be directed to a case manager for assistance.

How do I know which medications to take when I get home?

If you need clarification on medications, you may call your physician. If you do not know who your physician is for after care, please call the Case Management Department at 410-414-4858 for assistance.

If my home health nurse doesn't contact me, what should I do?

You can call the phone number on your discharge instructions for the home health company.

If you have any questions or concerns about your discharge plan, please call the Case Management Department at 410-414-4858 for assistance.