What to expect during your hospital stay in Idaho Falls, Idaho

One of the best hospitals in Idaho, Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center aims to make your hospital stay in Idaho Falls as convenient and comfortable as possible. We know dealing with illness or injury can make life difficult. And, we believe dealing with the logistics of your treatment shouldn’t make it more difficult. Our hospital for specialty care offers a variety of medical resources to assist you with your hospital experience.

For more information, please call (208) 529-6111.

Medical case managers

The case management team at Eastern Idaho Regional works to help you plan, navigate and make sense of all the elements of your treatment. From pre-admission to post-discharge, we will help you coordinate all of the paperwork, people and places you will encounter during the course of our care for you.

In collaboration with your physician, nurses and other medical departments, case managers manage the process of assessment, planning, facilitation, care coordination and evaluation to meet the needs of you and your family.

Hospitalists

Eastern Idaho Regional is committed to consistently delivering high-quality patient care. Among the many people helping us to meet this important goal are our hospitalists. Hospitalists are internal medicine specialists with the knowledge and experience to care for the unique needs of hospitalized patients.

When you need medical treatment that requires an extended hospital stay, you will be seen by one of our hospitalists. They will make sure that you receive the most appropriate care during your hospital stay. Your doctor will take over your continued care after discharge.

Hospital accommodations

You will find helpful information below about what to expect within your accommodations at Eastern Idaho Regional.

Rooms

Clean, well-equipped, private rooms are provided based on the type of care or services you need, as well as bed availability. All rooms are private except in the rehabilitation center, which provides them on a limited basis. Our housekeeping staff works around-the-clock to ensure spotless, orderly accommodations. If any housekeeping needs arise, please notify your nurse.

White boards

A dry-erase magnetic board is posted in your room to enhance communication between you and your caregivers. Feel free to add additional information or reminders that are important to you.

Room temperature

All inpatient rooms have a thermostat that can be adjusted for your comfort. Please let your nurse know if you need to adjust the temperature of your room.

Your hospital bed

Hospital beds are electrically operated with the ability to raise or lower the bed’s head and foot to fit your comfort. These controls, along with the controls for the television, phone and nurse call-button are located in the bed side rails. The beds at the hospital may be higher than your bed at home. For your safety, please call your nurse for assistance when needed.

Calling the nurse

A nurse call-button is located in the upper rails of your bed and hand-held call buttons are available if you cannot easily reach this button. Emergency call-buttons with a pull cord are also located in your bathroom. When the nurse call system is activated, the nurse station is alerted that you need assistance and the light above your door flashes. A staff member will respond to your call over an intercom or in person.

Telephones

Each patient bed has a private telephone line located either in the upper bed rails or at your bedside. Phones with large numbers, volume control handsets, interpreter services and Braille symbols are available upon request.

  • Calls can be made 24 hours a day.
  • Dial 9, and then the phone number for local calls.
  • Credit card calls may be placed by using the 800 number on the back of your calling card.
  • Your family may reach your private room by dialing (208) 529-7 and your room number.
  • Calls to patients in the ICU or labor and delivery are routed through the nursing stations.
  • To reach the hospital operator, dial 0.

Cell phones

We encourage you to use your bedside telephone to communicate with family members during your stay. Please consider leaving your cell phone at home or asking your nurse to place it in the safe for the duration of your stay, since we cannot be responsible for lost or stolen property.

We also ask that you be considerate of other patients while using the phone. Please practice “phone courtesy” for others who are trying to rest by talking with a low voice and restricting your conversations to waking hours.

Television

Your room is equipped with cable TV channels, and the TV controls are in the upper rail or on the hand-held call light. Please be considerate of other patients by adjusting the TV volume to a reasonable setting.

Radios and appliances

You are welcome to use appliances, such as radios and electric razors. However, they may be inspected by the maintenance staff to evaluate for safety and to ensure they do not exceed proper noise levels.

Laptops and portable DVD players available

Patients and visitors can “check-out” a laptop or portable DVD player for complimentary “same day” use. Call extension 6711 for more details.

Wireless internet access

Our hospital is one big “hot spot” with free internet access anywhere on campus. Simply click on your internet icon on your laptop, and select our guest network signal. Accept the internet usage policy, and your computer will connect.

Patient and visitor business center

We have two business centers for your convenience. The main business center is located in the first floor main hallway near the elevator bays and is for all patients and visitors. It includes a computer, internet access, a fax and a printer. It is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Women’s services patients and visitors can use the business center in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) lobby. It has a computer, Internet access and a printer.

Mail

Volunteers deliver letters and packages for patients each weekday morning. Letters and parcels that arrive after you have been discharged are forwarded to your home address. Stamps and stationery may be purchased in the gift shop located in the main lobby. Outgoing mail may be left at the nurses’ station or given to a volunteer. An outside mail drop box is located at the main entrance to the hospital.

Book and magazine cart

Our volunteers are more than happy to provide you with reading selections from our book cart. These items, donated by volunteers and hospital employees, are free of charge. If your stay ends before you’ve finished the book, please take it home to finish. To request book cart service in your room, please ask your nurse or call volunteer services at extension 6201.

Flowers and live plants

Volunteers deliver flowers and plants sent by your loved ones to your room. Live plants and flowers are not allowed in any intensive care unit (ICU) due to pollens and potential bacteria growth. However, these will be kept in the ICU waiting room until taken home. Silk plants are allowed in all ICUs.

Patient valuables

The hospital is a public building where the risk of theft does exist. Please consider leaving valuables such as money, clothing, expensive electronics, jewelry or other possessions at home, since we cannot guarantee their security. For valuables that cannot be taken home, please contact your nurse to arrange to have them stored in the hospital safe. At the time of discharge, they will be returned to you. If you experience a property loss during your hospital stay, your nurse will notify hospital security to investigate the occurrence. If a personal property loss does occur, EIRMC shall not be held liable.

Patient education

Channel 21 is the hospital’s closed-circuit TV station that features a number of health-related programs. Channel 4 also offers health-related programs on numerous topic 24/7. If you do not have a program schedule, please ask your nurse.

Medical library

You and your visitors are welcome to visit our medical library. You may use library-owned materials and make photocopies for 10 cents per page. Library services include reference questions, health information texts, health information journals, audiovisuals and health information directories. A computer with internet access is also available for use. The library, which can be reached at ext. 6077, is located in the Medical Office Building, Suite 104, and is open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

For people with hearing disabilities 

A telecommunications device is available to help patients with hearing disabilities or patients who want to communicate with someone who has a hearing impairment. Arrangements can also be made to have a person who uses sign language help a hearing-impaired patient. Please contact the hospital operator by dialing 0 for more information. Relay services are available at the following numbers:

Interpreters

The hospital has access to interpreters through a language line for a number of foreign languages if you require it. Please contact your nurse for these services.