Be Prepared
Helping you safely leave the hospital.
Your Stay at the Hospital
Know what to expect during your inpatient stay
Your Inpatient Care
At Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital–Needham, we’re dedicated to giving you the best care possible for your illness, injury or surgery. Our care team works closely with your doctor.
Together, we create a care plan that provides the services you need for an optimal stay and recovery. We believe in a family-centered approach to patient care. As a result, we encourage you and your family to partner with your health care team during your hospital stay.
At BID Needham, we follow robust safety measures ;and COVID-19 protocols to keep you healthy. Learn more about our COVID-19 resources.
Before Your Stay
Your doctor schedules any imaging or tests you need before your hospital stay or surgery. If needed, we will schedule a COVID test for you.
Our admissions team also contacts you to review your insurance information. Learn more about financial assistance.
Your doctor will share any other information you need to plan your visit or prepare for your surgery.
When You Arrive
When you arrive at BID Needham for testing, surgery or to be admitted to the hospital, we collect important details from you or a family member.
An admissions representative talks with you or a family member in a private space.
You’ll be asked to provide this information:
- Advance directives
- Any doctor's orders or laboratory slips
- Driver’s license or other ID
- Health care proxy form if you have one
- Insurance cards and information
- List of medications you take
- Updated personal information (ethnicity, preferred language, emergency contacts)
Your Hospital Care Team
Your BID Needham inpatient care team includes many people, such as doctors, nurses, hospitalists, housekeeping, food service workers, technicians and transport specialists.
Our hospitalists provide high-quality health care to patients in the hospital and collaborate with your primary care physician. Hospitalists are internal medicine physicians who care for patients during your hospital stay. These doctors and nurse practitioners focus on you and your illness.
At BID Needham, the hospitalist team provides care around the clock. This means you may see more than one hospitalist during your stay.
You will receive care from registered nurses 24 hours a day. Your nurse will assess your care needs and support you during your stay. Your nurse works with your hospitalist, surgeon and your care team to plan, coordinate and communicate all aspects of your care.
When you are ready to leave the hospital your doctor, nurse and other members of your care team create a discharge plan for you.
While You Are a Patient
During your stay at BID Needham, your surgeon or one of our hospitalists will manage your care.
Your doctor monitors your response to treatment and may order these and other services or tests:
- Electrocardiogram (EKG)
- Laboratory
- Radiology
- Respiratory
- Rehabilitation therapy
If you have any questions about your care, talk to your doctor or nurse. We suggest you write down your questions, so you don’t forget to ask about the things that are important to you.
Your BID Needham hospitalist provides updates about your care to your primary care doctor. If you don’t have a primary care physician, our case management and social services team can give you a list of doctors accepting new patients.
You also may get help and care from one of the many volunteers who give their time to patients at BID Needham.
Identification Bands
When you are admitted to BID Needham as a patient, we place an ID band on your wrist. Your nurse will ask you to verify your name, date of birth and gender. Your care team will check your ID band before giving you medication, drawing blood or before any procedure.
Talking with Your Care Team
If you need urgent help at any time, use the nurse intercom call system attached to your bed, or use the emergency call button in the bathroom. A patient care team member will respond right away.
If you have questions about your care, please talk to your doctor, nurse or another member of your care team. You also can contact the hospital’s case management team with any needs, comments or questions about our services. Call Case Management at 781-453-5414.
If you use American Sign Language, don’t speak English or need help communicating with us, we can provide an interpreter or other language assistance.
A social worker may contact you. Our case managers help with care planning, provide counseling and connect you and your family to resources during and after your hospital stay.
Your Room
At BID Needham, your room contains most of the items you need for a comfortable stay. Your nurse will explain the controls for the bed, lights, nurse call system and television.
We assign you a hospital room based on your medical needs. You are responsible for being considerate and respectful of other patients and hospital staff members.
Conveniences & Services
At BID Needham we offer many amenities for patients and visitors. These include options for dining and snacks and a gift shop.
ATM
For your convenience, we provide a banking automated teller machine (ATM) on the ground floor outside the Glover Café and Gift Box.
Patient & Visitors Handbook
Get all the information you need for a successful hospital stay and visit. View and download our Patient & Visitor Handbook. Ask a BID Needham staff member how to get a version of the handbook in other languages.
Lost & Found
Our facilities department keeps an inventory of lost items. To report a lost item, ask your nurse manager for help. To prevent lost items, please label your belongings and leave all valuables at home. We keep lost items for 30 days. Contact our facilities department at 781-453-3602 to claim your lost belongings.
Newspapers
We provide free copies of the Boston Globe Monday through Friday.
Televisions
Each patient room is equipped with a television at no charge.
Telephone Services
We provide bedside telephone service at no charge for incoming calls and outgoing local calls. To make a free local call in the 617, 508 or 781 area codes, dial 9 plus 1, followed by the area code and phone number that you are calling.
To call all other area codes, dial 9 plus 0 to reach an operator. You may charge the call to your home telephone, reverse the charges or use a credit card.
You may use your cell phone in most areas of the hospital. Please avoid disrupting other patients while using your cell phone. Use of cell phones is prohibited in the Intensive Care Unit and in the Operating Room.
Visiting Hours & Policies
Family and friends of patients can generally visit between 12:00 pm and 8:00 pm each day. Find helpful information about visiting hours and policies.
Patient Information
Call us at 781-453-3622 for updates about a friend or family member in the hospital. Please understand that the information we can share is set by federal privacy laws.
BID Needham is Smoke-Free
For the health and safety of our patients and staff, BID Needham provides a smoke-free environment. Smoking is not permitted anywhere inside the hospital or on hospital property.
Patients are not permitted to leave the nursing unit to go outside and smoke. Please let your physician or nurse know if you are a smoker and you want to quit. We can help.
Recognize a Staff Member
If you received exceptional care, please let us know. We appreciate hearing about our patients’ experiences.
You can honor your doctor, nurse or other care team members in a few ways:
