Planned Visits and Pre-Admission Program
Your referring physician will contact the MGH Admissions office to arrange for your visit.
Patients who are scheduled for admission will get information before their arrival and will be able to take advantage of our Pre-Admission Program, in which children and parents can meet nursing, Child Life, and other staff who may be involved in their care. Child Life specialists are trained to communicate in age-appropriate ways with children of all ages about their care. The goal of all staff at MassGeneral Hospital for Children is to help calm parents’ and children’s anxieties and fears about hospitalization.
Pre-admission testing may be required for planned admissions; your physician will let you know.
Unplanned and Emergency Visits
For unplanned visits, such as through the Emergency Room or hospital transfer, the registration process will take place when you arrive. For children who have chronic illnesses who may experience acute episodes of illness, such as for pediatric oncology patients, a special direct admission process takes place. In these cases, the pediatric staff is quite familiar with the child’s care and can admit the patient directly to the floor.
Help Adjusting to the Hospital
In addition to Child Life specialists, Social Workers are available to address social issues and help children and families cope with the transition to a hospital setting.
Our medical interpreters are fluent in more than sixty-five languages and are here to help families who don’t speak English as their first language.
For more information, please talk to your physician, or call the MGH Admissions Office at 617-726-3393.
Discharge
The discharge process for planned admissions begins before a child is even admitted to MassGeneral Hospital for Children. This includes making sure you’ll have all the information you need regarding medications, medical devices, and other issues related to your child’s ongoing care at home.
As soon as your child is admitted, we’ll try to project his or her discharge date. A case manager will work with you and your child to ensure a smooth transition back home or to a rehabilitation facility if required. Other destinations after discharge, such as foster care or a relative’s home, will be coordinated through the case manager’s office.
The day before your child is discharged, you will get instructions for at-home care, including any medications or medical equipment you’ll be bringing home. Also, interpreters, transportation, and other discharge issues will be taken care of to give parents and children peace of mind about leaving the hospital and the continued recovery process at home. On the day your child is discharged, your child’s physician may visit him or her. After that, you can take your child home.
For more information, please talk to your physician. Or call the MGH Discharge Office at 617-726-3666.
