Telephone/Television Services

Local and long-distance calls may be placed from the telephone in your room. Your telephone number is “639” plus the last four digits of the extension on your phone. It can be dialed directly from outside the hospital. You may make local calls at no charge by dialing 9 and then the desired number. All long distance calls must be charged to your home phone, your telephone calling card or be placed collect. They cannot be charged to your hospital bill.

Dial 9, then 0 to access an AT&T operator. To use a telephone calling card, dial 9 and then follow the instructions on your card.

Televisions are provided in patient rooms except in some critical care areas. You must go through all channels to zero to turn off the TV.

In addition to regular programming, televisions in all patient rooms offer the Patient Channel, which includes more than 40 healthcare educational programs broadcast 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The programs feature patient stories and physician explanations in easy-to-understand language, and replay frequently to provide multiple opportunities for viewing. A wide selection of topics is presented including heart disease, diabetes, high-blood pressure, arthritis, cancer, asthma, smoking cessation, health/wellness and other healthcare topics. In the Perinatal Services Unit, topics such as newborn care, baby basics and parenting are offered in both English and Spanish.

The C.A.R.E. (Continuous Ambient Relaxation Environment) Channel also is available for patient television. Combining ambient nature images and music, the programming provides uninterrupted music as an environmental tool to enhance and promote healing. The photographic images are produced slowly to be effective for patients, and to avoid distraction or confusion for those on high levels of medication. The soothing instrumental music is paced for time of day and nights, and the programming provides a special midnight star field for overnight broadcast.

Hospitals using this system have reported reductions in the use of pain medication and an improved quality of rest for patients. They also have noticed a decrease in the level of noise on units and an increase in patient and staff satisfaction due to lower stress levels.