Inpatient facilities provide for private and semi-private accommodations. We will endeavor to honor your preference. Alternate arrangements may be necessary, due to factors such as doctor's orders or availability of your room preference. If alternate arrangements are necessary then we will make an attempt to honor your request for preferred accommodations as they become available.

Generally insurance companies will not cover the additional cost of a private room. Therefore, you will be expected to pay the difference between the semi-private and private room rate. During times of increased patient census, a private room may not be available. Due to space limitations, it is possible that if you are in a private room it may need to be changed to a semi-private arrangement. If this is required, you will not be charged for private room rates during the time you have a roommate.

It is likely that at sometime during your stay at the medical center you will have a roommate. Medical center personnel will endeavor to make roommate assignments as compatible as possible. You may request a transfer to another room or private room if you desire. Your request will be honored as soon as another room becomes available and staff can accommodate the move.

The restroom connected to your room is for patient use only. Family and visitors are not to use the restroom in your room. Public, handicap accessible restrooms are provided for the convenience of visitors and guests. They're located in the medical center lobby, outpatient waiting area, surgery waiting area, and emergency services area.

A telephone is provided for your convenience. If you wish to receive telephone calls, they will be transferred to your room. If at any time you do not wish to be disturbed by telephone calls, just notify the nursing staff.

You may use your telephone to place an outside call in the following manner:

• Local calls -Dial 9 for an outside line, then the local 632-number
• Long distance calls Long distance calls may be made by dialing 9 and then your calling card number or by charging to your home phone number.
• Long distance calls CANNOT be made through the Medical Center switchboard, or charged to the patient Medical Center account.
• Another method to make long distance or local calls is to use the pay phone located in the front waiting room.

A telephone amplifier is available for your use, just ask a member of the nursing staff for it. They will connect it to the telephone in your room and provide instructions on its use.

Television is provided in each private and semi-private patient room for your convenience and viewing enjoyment. You may control the television set from your bed by using the controls found on the side rail of the bed or a pillow speaker control. The nursing staff will provide instructions on the controls at the time of your admission. A radio is also available to patients. KCLY radio station can be heard over Channel 8 on the television

Telecaption (closed caption decoder)
When available, telecaption can provide caption on the television screen. Notify the nursing staff and they can arrange for it to be connected for your use.

Video Tape Player
A standard VHS/VCR is available for viewing video tapes which may be brought from home. If you have need of this, let the nursing staff know in advance so they can make necessary arrangements.

Talking Books and Player are available for your listening enjoyment if so desired. Notify a nursing staff member. The Activity Director will then assist you and provide any instruction you may need in its use.

Magazines are available in the waiting room areas and can be provided to patients at their request. There are also books and larger print Reader's Digest available upon request. The Clay Center Dispatch is available to our patients on a rotation basis if requested. The Topeka Daily Capitol is located in a vending machine in the front lobby.

Each day a Red Cross Volunteer delivers mail to our patients' rooms. After you are dismissed, all mail received will be forwarded to your home address. The Business Office does have 32-cent stamps available and letters can be mailed through the Business Office.

Flowers and plants are delivered on a daily basis by area floral shops to the nurses' station, then on to the patient's room. To allow room to care for patients in our Intensive Care Unit, no flowers or plants are taken in. These are kept at the nurses' station until the patient is moved into a regular room.