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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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Administration and Registration FAQs
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All scheduled surgeries, admissions and maternity services.
A normal registration should take about 15-20 minutes. You will need to provide all of your demographic information, insurance information and sign all of the necessary admission forms that are required.
For your protection, please do not bring jewelry or any other valuables to the hospital. We ask that you bring: - Picture license/Military ID
- Insurance card
- Physicians orders/prescription/tests/referral
- Know your current personal information (address, phone number, social security number, etc.)
- Bring your co-pay or deductible
- Know emergency contact information
- Know your primary care physician information (name, address, phone number, etc)
If you are scheduled for a medical or surgical procedure you should check in at the front lobby of the main hospital.
If you are pregnant and in labor, you should go directly to the Women and Infants Pavilion.
Antelope Valley Hospital offers financial counseling and assistance to meet the changing financial situations and challenges of our patients. Antelope Valley Hospital offers discounts, charity and many other financial programs. If you are admitted to Antelope Valley Hospital one of our Financial Counselors will speak with you and try and determine eligibility for the various programs available and will assist you with the application process. Please feel free to ask any of the registration staff for information or you can call (661) 949-5781 for additional information.
Information such as name, address, and insurance may change so we need to make sure that your information is correct and current. By having this information entered correctly, ensures your tests, billing, and insurance payments will be processed in the most expedient manner.
Yes. If you have executed an advance directive, a current copy needs to be provided to the hospital. If you have questions or concerns regarding advance directives, the hospital encourages you to talk with your physician or loved ones.
Pre-certification is a critical element for payment of services. For surgical cases, the physician's office is responsible for obtaining pre-certification. The doctor has access to the patient's medical history and indication for the procedure. It is advisable for you to do a follow-up with your doctor to ensure that this process has occurred. Failure to have a surgery, test or procedure pre-certified could result in reduced or denied benefits by the insurance carrier.
You will be asked to make a payment based on your insurance company's co-pay, deductible, and/or co-insurance.
Antelope Valley Hospital accepts many forms of payment: credit cards, personal checks and cash.
Yes. You can present to the Cashier in the main hospital to receive a Medi-Cal application and make an appointment to meet with one of our eligibility personnel right here at the hospital.
Please consult with your physician regarding medical questions. If the orders are not followed, this could result in surgery, tests or procedures being delayed or canceled.
Please call your physician for the correct date and time to arrive fom your surgery or procedure. Please allow adequate time to park and complete your registration and check-in process.
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Billing/Insurance FAQs
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If you have any insurance, HMO/PPO, Workers Compensation, Government Payor, our Business Office will bill on your behalf provided all insurance information has been received. You will be notified by your insurance company in one of the following ways: by phone, an explanation of benefits (EOB), or a billing statement as to what your insurance company paid and/or what remaining balance is your responsibility.
You should contact our Business Office immediately in order to prevent wrongful billing and timely filing issues. The Business Office phone number is (661) 949-5781, or you may drop off billing information to the Cashier window at the hospital.
In addition to your bill from the hospital, you may receive bills from Emergency Department, physicians, radiologist, anesthesiologist or other specialists. Please contact their office directly if you have questions concerning their bills.
If any portion of your account is not covered by insurance, you are required to pay the balance. You should review your Explanation of Benefits (EOB) from your insurance company. Any questions you might have regarding the payment of your bill should be directed to your insurance company. The insurance phone number for customer service will be listed on your Explanation of Benefits form.
- A deductible is an annual expense that you must pay before your insurance benefits can begin.
- Coinsurance is the portion of the total bill (usually a percentage) that is the patient's (guaranto's) responsibility to pay. This amount can vary based on place of service, or type of policy.
- Share of Cost is usually associated with Medi-Cal beneficiaries. Share of Cost refers to the amount of health care expenses a recipient must pay for each month before Medi-Cal eligibility begins. Share of Cost is an amount that is paid to the provider of health care services, not the state.
Antelope Valley Hospital offers a generous discount to those patients who are uninsured or underinsured. Please contact the Business Office at (661) 949-5662, or if you are calling long distance (800) 403-1857.
Yes. To arrange a payment plan or obtain more information, please contact the Business Office at (661) 949-5662, or if you are calling long distance we provide a toll free number (800) 403-1857.
- Make your payment at the time of service.
- Contact us by telephone and pay with your credit card. Antelope Valley Hospital accepts Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover. Please contact the Business Office at (661) 949-5662, or if you are calling long distance (800) 403-1857.
- Stop by the Cashier Window located in the hospital and make a payment there.
- You can also mail a cashier?s check, personal check, or credit card information for payment to our office directly:
Antelope Valley Hospital 1600 West Avenue J P.O. Box 7001 Lancaster, California 93539-7001
Antelope Valley Hospital will assist in screening for any government program that you might qualify for. The hospital also offers Charity to those patients who have household income within the set poverty guidelines. Applications are available at the Cashier window, or by calling the business office at (661) 949-5781.
The Cashier Window is open to assist you from 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
The Business Office phone hours are: 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Friday
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At the Hospital
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Wheelchairs are provided at each entrance of the hospital. If for some reason one is not available, simply ask at the information desk
If you have a concern regarding the safety or quality of care given to our patients, we want to hear from you! We encourage you to contact the Patient Safety and Quality Line at (661) 726-6208 or contact The Joint Commission at 1-800-994-6610.
Antelope Valley Hospital is a 420-bed facility.
Yes. The Joint Commission accredits Antelope Valley Hospital. The Joint Commission is an independent, not-for-profit organization, established over 50 years ago. A board that includes physicians, nurses, and consumers governs The Joint Commission. The Joint Commission sets the standards by which health care quality is measured in America and around the world by evaluating the quality and safety of care for more than 16,000 health care organizations. To maintain and earn accreditation, organizations must have an extensive on-site review by a team of Joint Commission health care professionals, at least once every three years. The purpose of the review is to evaluate the organization's performance in areas that affect your care. Accreditation may then be awarded based on how well the organizations met Joint Commission standards.
As a community-based hospital, long-term community service is at the heart of our healthcare mission - it influences our business decisions, relationships and vision for the future. This broader mission, which places accountability to the community over individual profit, is the chief difference between investor-owned / for-profit hospital and not-for-profit hospital such as Antelope Valley Hospital. As a not-for-profit healthcare institution, the dollars generated are reinvested in the community's healthcare such as educational programs, support groups, charity care, etc. instead of benefiting any individual. Antelope Valley Hospital reinvests by purchasing innovative capital equipment, upgrading facilities, providing charity care, and underwriting losses sustained by providing certain specialty services, which qualify for little or no reimbursement.
Volunteers are an integral part of our care team. They assist in all areas of Antelope Valley Hospital such as administrative and clinical areas, but all volunteers must first be screened, interviewed, and oriented before they begin assignments. To find out about volunteer opportunities, please call the Volunteer Services at (661) 949-5105 to request an application.
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Visiting FAQs
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Visiting Hours for all units except for CCU and PCU
10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
CCU and PCU Visiting Hours
10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (In some critical situations, visitation can be extended.)
Visiting hours vary according to the different hospital floors. If you are a patient, or a family member or friend of a patient, ask the nurse on your floor for visiting hours. Patients need to get adequate rest, so please encourage loved ones to limit their visits. Children may visit only if supervised by an adult at all times. For more information on visiting policies, please click here.
There is parking outside the front of the hospital (Avenue J and 15th Street West) as well as outside the Emergency Department and the Outpatient Entrances.
Yes. The #11 AVTA bus stops at J and 15th Street West several times a day. For direct assistance, call the AV Transit Authority at (661) 945-9445.
Family may call the patient directly at any time on most nursing units. We also suggest that you call the designated contact person for information. Our staff is unable to screen calls or to provide information on a patient's condition over the telephone in most cases.
Patients may receive calls from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Family and friends can reach a patient by dialing the personal telephone number that was provided to the patient when they were admitted; or by dialing the hospital operator at (661) 949-5000. Calls after 9:00 p.m. will go directly to the hospital operator.
Some nursing units, such as the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Critical Care Unit (CCU) and the Progressive Care Unit (PCU), require all calls to go through the nursing station because the patient rooms do not have telephones.
Below, please find several important phone numbers for different departments. If you cannot find the specific department you would like to call, please call the main number.
Main Number - (661) 949-5000
Admitting - (661) 949-5411
Business Office - (661) 949-5781
Blood Donor Center - (661) 949-5622
Gift Shop - (661) 949-5040
Home Health - (661) 949-5938
Medical Records - (661) 949-5011
Nursing - (661) 949-5440
Operator - (661) 949-5000 (Say Operator)
Pastoral Care - (661) 949-5005
Patient Advocate - (661) 949-5650
Patient Care Coordination - (661) 949-5025
Security - (661) 949-5150
Volunteers - (661) 949-5105
Antelope Valley Hospital is a smoke-free environment. Patients are not allowed to smoke. Help is available to stop smoking. Please ask your nurse for assistance. Visitors may smoke only in designated areas outside the hospital.
The dining room is open daily during the following times:
Early a.m.: 1:30 a.m. - 3:00 a.m.
Breakfast: 7:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
Lunch: 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Dinner: 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Grill: 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Vending Machine for Visitors
Twenty-four hour vending machines are located near the dining room, Emergency Department and Outpatient Registration areas on the first floor.
Cell phones are not allowed in patient care areas of the hospital and in patient rooms.
The gift shop is open:
Monday - Friday: 9:00 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. / 12:30 - 3:45 / 4:00 - 7:45 p.m.
Saturday: 9:00 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.
Sunday: 11:00 a.m. - 1:45 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.
You may call the Gift Shop in the lobby at (661) 949-5040 that carries a selection of flowers and will deliver to the patient's room for free.
Or you can call a local florist for delivery. You would need to know the patients room for delivery.
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Patient FAQs
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Our Pharmacy is committed to making sure patients use prescription drugs safely. When you bring medication from home, we don't know if the drug has been properly stored or is otherwise safe. To make sure our patients receive medication in the exact dosage needed, they are given only those medications ordered by their doctor from the hospital Pharmacy. Medication brought from home must be stored in the Pharmacy or returned home.
The hospital pharmacy does not fill any outpatient prescriptions. Any discharge or home medications should be filled at your family pharmacy.
Your family may call you directly at any time on most nursing units. We also suggest that you designate one person close to you for family members and friends to call for information. Our staff is unable to screen calls or to provide information on your condition over the telephone in most cases.
Adequate rest is important for you and your family. We don't encourage family members to spend the night with patients. However, the nurse in charge may make arrangements for special circumstances, such as a parent staying with a sick child.
Yes. Antelope Valley Hospital provides interpreter services through the AT&T Language Line.
All Antelope Valley Hospital physicians who are members of our hospital Medical Staff have been through a rigorous credentialing process acknowledging our quality standards. Browse our online Physician Directory (add link) and learn about the doctors that have privileges at Antelope Valley Hospital.
Antelope Valley Hospital takes your suggestions and complaints very seriously. If you have a problem, we want to resolve it as quickly as possible and ensure your satisfaction. In the event you have a complaint with any department or staff member, we want to know about it. Complaints are handled in our Patient Advocacy and Guest Relations Department (661) 949-5650, email at patientadvocacy@avhospital.org or by mail: Antelope Valley Hospital Patient Advocacy & Guest Relations 1600 West Avenue J Lancaster, CA 93534
Legal Birth Certificates for births occurring in LA County are available after four months of age. To obtain a legal Birth Certificate, contact one of the following: Requests by mail, fax or via Internet: County of Los Angeles Registrar-Recorder County Clerk http://www.lavote.net/RECORDER/BDM_Records.cfm#birth(A request form can be printed from this site.) Request by phone using credit card: Registrar Recorder?s Office Phone: (562) 462-2103 Rush Delivery available Requests made in person. Call number below for further information: Registrar-Recorder County Clerk Phone: (661) 945-6446 NOTE: Not all Birth Certificates are immediately available at the local Registrar-Recorder County Clerk office.
Food may be brought from home if it has been arranged with your nurse and is allowed in the diet prescribed by your doctor. Please check first. The smell of some foods can be unpleasant to some patients.
To protect our patients' privacy, the majority of Medical Records are not available online. To speak to someone directly, please call the Medical Records Department at (661) 949-5000
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