Patient & Visitor Information

Welcome to Piedmont Augusta. We are honored that you have entrusted us with your care, and we will do everything we can to make your stay as comfortable as possible. We are always looking for ways to exceed patients' expectations, and we hope you will give us that opportunity while you are at any of Piedmont Augusta's facilities. If you know of a way for us to improve, we want to hear about it, since our primary goal is to ensure you receive high-quality, compassionate care.

If you would like to share your thoughts regarding your care, you can call our Care Line at 706/774-CARE (2273). You also might receive a questionnaire in the mail after your stay requesting feedback regarding your care. Please take the time to complete and return this "report card."

To make your hospital stay or visit to Piedmont Augusta as pleasant as possible, please spend a few minutes looking over the following information:

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Security

Piedmont Augusta security personnel are on duty around the clock. Our uniformed officers drive marked vehicles and carry two-way communication equipment. For your safety, the hospital, campus and parking areas are monitored by a closed-circuit television system. If you need a security officer, dial extension 4-2295 from the nearest house phone or dial "0" for the hospital operator and ask for Security.

Interpreters

For Persons with Limited English Proficiency: Through our Speech and Hearing Center, we offer interpretation services for non-English speaking patients. This includes a special telephone network system that provides medically certified interpreters in more than 100 languages. Medically certified Spanish interpreters also are on call to provide direct personal translation. Please tell a member of your patient care team if you need this service.

For the Hearing Impaired: Special amplified telephones are available for the rooms of patients who are hearing impaired. In addition, arrangements can be made through our Speech and Hearing Center to provide a medically certified American Sign Language interpreter. Please let your nurse know if you need either of these services. Accommodation of patients with sensory deprivation or patients who are non-English speakers and/or their families is governed by hospital policy, which also outlines grievance procedures, as provided by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Please contact your nurse or the Care Line at 706/774-CARE (2273) if you experience any difficulty.

Pastoral Care

Chaplains work closely with physicians and other clinical staff to help patients and their families look at the meaning of illness; they also use faith and religious resources for coping with crises. Often they simply offer a listening ear. The services of a chaplain are available around the clock, every day of the year. If you would like to have a chaplain or a local minister visit, please dial "0" for the hospital operator and ask for the chaplain's office or have a member of your patient care team page the chaplain on call. Chaplains also are available for sacramental ministries and religious liturgies.

Interfaith Chapel: An interfaith chapel, located off the main first-floor lobby near the visitor elevators, is open to people of all faiths for prayer and meditation. Worship services are held here each Sunday at 10:15 a.m.

Mail and Flowers

Your mail and flowers are delivered directly to your room each day, except in critical care areas. Patients in intensive care units cannot receive flowers, balloons or gifts other than cards in their rooms. Your mailing address while you are here is Piedmont Augusta, 1350 Walton Way, Augusta, GA 30901-2612. Mail received after your dismissal will be forwarded to your home. 

Banking

Automated Teller Machines (ATM) are located in the main hospital lobby directly in front of the main elevators and in an alcove under the stairs in the lobby of Piedmont Heart at Augusta (formerly the Heart & Vascular Institute).

Infection Protection

Please help prevent the spread of germs by completing hand hygiene before and after your visit. Hand washing is encouraged, especially if you are assisting with or learning a patient care procedure or when you come to visit directly from work. In lieu of hand washing, waterless alcohol-based hand sanitizer can be used. A dispenser is mounted on the wall outside and inside the room door. Rub one squirt into your hands for hand hygiene. If you or your children have a cold, the flu, another contagious illness or symptoms, please delay your visit until you and your children are well. Please check at the nurses' station if any special instructions are on the room door. In some cases, it is necessary to expand our routine protection of visitors and other patients due to certain types of infection. In these cases, visitors are given special instructions before entering the room. Staff members sometimes wear gloves, gowns, and safety glasses or face masks to help protect both themselves and the patients they care for from infection.

Hand Hygiene
Our Infection Prevention Program focuses on protecting the patient, visitors and the staff. The hand hygiene program has two parts: hand washing and hand sanitizing. Hand washing is the single most important factor in preventing the spread of germs in the home and in the community! Proper hand washing involves the following good technique:

  • Wet hands under running water.
  • Lather them well with soap.
  • Rub hands together to create friction; pay careful attention to nails and between fingers.
  • Wash hands for a full 10-15 seconds.
  • Visitors and the patient should perform this each day while in the hospital.

Hand sanitizing is the primary means of hand hygiene for our staff, since it rapidly provides sanitized and safe hands for patient care. Alcohol-based hand sanitizer is used throughout the hospital and should also be used by visitors. Hand sanitizer dispensers are located in all patient care areas and outside and inside every patient room. Staff members sanitize their hands between each patient encounter. This vital piece of the hand hygiene program allows you to be confident that the health care provider's hands are clean and free of germs. Visitors should sanitize their hands before touching or embracing patients. Our staff will be asking that you do your part by using good hygiene and having all family members and visitors practice good hand hygiene as well.

Visitor Accommodations

Piedmont Augusta has made arrangements with area hotels and motels to offer special discounts to patients and/or their families who need to stay overnight in Augusta. A listing of hotel/motel accommodations and rates is available at the Information Desk in the main lobby and on Piedmont Augusta's website.