Carroll Hospital Patient Affairs

Patient Affairs

An advance healthcare directive, also known as a living will, personal directive, advance directive or advance decision, are instructions given that specify what actions should be taken for your health care in the event that you are no longer able to make decisions due to illness or incapacity. This form appoints a person to make such decisions on your behalf.


Access to Medical Records

Copies of your medical records can be requested electronically through our online request tool.

If you have questions or need additional assistance, please contact:
Carroll Hospital
Attention: Medical Records Request/HIM
200 Memorial Avenue
Westminster, MD 21157

For more information, please call 410-871-6870.


Spiritual Services

Our lives are a journey — one that encompasses all aspects of the mind, body and spirit. When your journey brings you to Carroll Hospital, you can rest assured that our medical staff will provide the best possible care. But that’s only part of the picture. In addition to caring for the body and mind, we also provide spiritual services to enhance the healing process.

We understand that a hospital stay can be a difficult, stressful and even scary experience. Whether you are apprehensive about surgery, overwhelmed by an illness, confused about the important decisions you must make or saddened by the loss of a loved one, our spiritual advisors are here to support you twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

Because spiritual care means different things to different people, we offer a choice of more than a dozen representatives from a variety of denominations. This helps to ensure that you and your loved ones receive the spiritual support you need through every step of your journey with us.

For more information about our spiritual services, please call 410-871-6679.


Patient Rights and Responsibilities

For detailed information regarding patient rights, patient responsibilities, and how to have an issue or concern addressed, please see this page.


Patient Safety and Quality Care

At Carroll Hospital, nothing is more important to us than providing quality care to our patients in a safe and nurturing environment. Our standards for clinical quality flow from the evidence-based best practices of medical facilities nationwide. These best-practice guidelines are designed to minimize variation in our clinical processes and improve outcomes for our patients.

Safety Tips and Tools for Patients and Families

As our patient, you are the most important member of the healthcare system, we all work together to make your care safe. Here is how you can participate:

  • Ask questions. Questions help you stay informed.

  • Ask a trusted family member or friend to be your advocate.

  • If you don't understand something, ask again. Also, speak up if something doesn't seem right.

  • Review instructions with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist. You can say, "I want to make sure I know how to care for myself at home."

  • Repeat the instructions given to you as you understood them.

Pre-Procedure Checklist

Carroll Hospital's Pre-Procedure Checklist is a process to ensure that wrong-person, wrong-procedure, wrong-site surgery never happens at Carroll Hospital. For your safety, you will be asked your name, your date of birth, what procedure you are having, and what site is being operated on multiple times before your surgery or procedure. Then a patient identification bracelet will be placed on your wrist.

Before Your Procedure

  • Bring an up-to-date list of all medication you take with you to the hospital. The list should include all over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, vitamins and dietary supplements you take.

  • Do NOT shave near your surgical site. Shaving can cause irritation, which may contribute to infection.

  • Remove all jewelry, including rings and body piercings before you come to the hospital.

  • Make sure your surgeon, nurse and anesthesia provider are asking your name, date of birth, what procedure you are having and what site is being operated on. Please speak up if someone forgets to ask you.

Preventing Infections: Handwashing

To protect yourself and your family, especially during cold and flu season, use soap and water or hand sanitizer. Below are the steps you should take when washing your hands with:

Soap:

  • Turn on water to a lukewarm temperature.

  • Hot water is not recommended as it dries the skin and increases the risk for contact dermatitis.

  • Rings, watches and other hand jewelry should be removed.

  • Wet hands with running water and apply soap and spread over all surfaces of the hands.

  • Hold hands and forearms lower than the elbows during the procedure.

  • Wash hands and wrists vigorously for at least 15 or more seconds, paying particular attention to areas between fingers, thumbs and around and under fingernails.

  • Rinse hands thoroughly under running water to remove soap.

  • Pat dry hands thoroughly with paper towel.

  • Use paper towel to turn off faucet to avoid re-contaminating the hands.

  • Discard towel in a regular trash can.

Waterless Alcohol-Based Hand Sanitizer:

  • Apply to intact, dry hands that are free of visible debris and/or organic matter.

  • Apply sufficient amount into palms to cover all surfaces of hands, fingers and thumb thoroughly.

  • Rub hands together, covering the entire surface of the hands and fingers, including nails until dry.

  • Allow the alcohol to totally evaporate from the skin to maximize effectiveness and decrease irritation.

  • Do not wipe off with a paper towel or rinse off with water or fan the hands to speed drying.

  • If there is no running water, remove visible soil with a wipe, then use the alcohol-based hand rub.

Preventing Falls

Carroll Hospital is committed to reducing patient falls and educating patients and their families/caregivers about fall risk reduction strategies. As part of the Carroll Hospital fall prevention program, the nursing staff assesses each patient every day for risk of falling. If you are identified as being at risk, the nurses will implement a variety of interventions to decrease the risk of falling.

These interventions include things like:

  • A yellow wristband and yellow slippers. These things remind you, your family and hospital staff that you may need help walking or getting out of bed.

  • Using an alarm system that will notify staff if you get out of bed without help.

  • Offering you the chance to use the bathroom regularly.

In the hospital, you are in unfamiliar surroundings. Getting around is not the same as it is at home. You may be taking medications that make you sleepy or disoriented. You may be connected to IVs or other medical equipment.

Please take the following precautions to prevent falls during your stay:

  • Ask for assistance from the nursing staff as needed.

  • Ask a staff member to make sure your call button, telephone and other personal items are near you.

  • Ask your nurse to make sure that your bed is in the lowest position.

  • Sit at the edge of the bed for a few minutes before getting up to avoid feeling dizzy.

  • Wear non-skid footwear.

  • Make sure you have adequate light to see.

  • Ask a staff member to assist you with, or move, any equipment before you get out of bed.

  • Use your hearing aid, glasses, walker or cane.

  • Report any spills or objects that are on the floor.


Personal Items

Please leave money, jewelry or other valuables at home. The hospital is not responsible for any of your personal items (such as cell phones, computers, clothing, eyeglasses or dentures) that are lost or misplaced. If you can’t send valuables home, please tell your nurse so they can be placed in a safe during your stay. If you have misplaced any items, contact Lost and Found at 410-871-6555 or extension 86555.