Patient Information Guide - Queensland Health

Patient handling
To provide care for our patients and also prevent
injury to our staff we have implemented ‘Safe
Manual Handling Procedures’. The policy states
that “the manual lifting of patients is eliminated
in all but exceptional or life threatening situations.”
(Royal College of Nursing, 1996, Code of Practice
for Manual Handling, London as cited in Patient
Manual Handling Guidelines, (2001), Queensland
Health. Hospital staff use specific aids including
hoists/slings, slide sheets and walking belts to
move, transfer or position patients. If you have
any queries regarding this practice please speak
to your nurse.
Patient identification bracelet
We ask that you wear your patient identification
bracelet during your hospital stay. Patients with
known allergies will wear a red bracelet. Patients
who are identified as having a risk of falling will
wear a blue bracelet.
Payment
Public patients
Public patients do not pay for accommodation
or services.
Private patients – Accommodation
�� Uninsured patients are requested to pay a
deposit of up to 7 days accommodation charge
on or before admission. For stays over 7 days,
weekly payment in advance is required.
�� Insured patients (those with private health
cover) can arrange to have their hospital
accommodation account submitted directly
to their health fund. Patients who wish to do
so should provide proof of membership and
membership details and sign an Assignment
of Benefit form on or before admission.
Patients who do not have insurance to cover the
total cost of hospitalisation are required to pay the
shortfall component on or before admission. The
component could be due to and excess on your
policy, a pre-existing condition not covered by your
policy or the treatment occurring within the health
fund’s qualifying period. For details of benefits
payable by your insurer contact your health fund.
The hospital accepts payment by cash, cheque
or major credit cards. For information on payment
for hospital accommodation please contact our
Finance Department on 3139 4207.
Other charges
Private patients receive separate accounts for
medical and professional services, and for some
tests such as medical imaging and pathology.
Details on the estimated level of charges can be
obtained from your doctor or the Manager of the
Private Practice Clinic on 3139 4207.
Benefits are payable by Medicare and, in some
cases, payment gaps may be met by your insurer.
Short payments for any reason will be payable
by the patient. The Private Practice Clinic accepts
payment by cash, cheque, EFTPOS and major credit
cards.
For details on benefits payable by your insurer you
will need to contact your health fund.
Personal items
No personal toiletries or tissues are provided by
the hospital. It is therefore your responsibility to
provide these items. The hospital does provide
hospital gowns, towels and washers for use while
you are an inpatient.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapists provide pre and post-operative
management for cardiothoracic (heart-lung) and
orthopaedic surgical patients. They also provide
clinical services and rehabilitation for cardiac
and thoracic medical patients.
Private/share accommodation
Patients are allocated rooms according to the type
of care you need, with single rooms being allocated
to patients who require specific types of care. Your
room allocation may change and you may be
moved to a shared room during your stay at The
Prince Charles Hospital.
Our mission Promoting a healthier Queensland
The Prince Charles Hospital