Useful Information for Your Stay at Aiken Regional
Patient Advocate
If you are a patient or family member with a compliment, concern or issue during your stay or a family member's stay at Aiken Regional Medical Centers, please let us know. Aiken Regional has a patient advocate who works to resolve issues and concerns that patients or family members may present.
Phone: 803-641-5292
Interpreter Services
For patients or family members of patients who have sensory impairments, speak limited English or have other communication barriers, Aiken Regional will provide auxiliary aids and/or service to ensure effective communication. These services include large-print materials, sign language interpreters, LEP (limited English proficiency) interpreters and translation services through Optimal Phone Interpreters. Services are provided for free when accessing, receiving or providing diagnostic, surgical, therapeutic or educational services at Aiken Regional.
Phone
Telephone service is available in all non-restricted areas. You may place or accept local calls. Outside local calls may be placed by dialing "9" and then the telephone number. People calling from outside Aiken Regional's campus can place calls to most patient rooms by dialing 641-5 followed by the patient's room number. For example, to reach Room 232, dial 641-5232. For calls to the Progressive Care Unit, dial 641-54 followed by the last two digits of the room number. For example, to reach Room 263, dial 641-5463.
Direct calls to patient rooms in the Women's LifeCare Center can be made by dialing 641-58 followed by the last two digits of the room number. For example, to reach Room 236, dial 641-5836.
Note: please be considerate of the needs of new or expecting mothers in labor/delivery areas and give special consideration before placing a telephone call.
Calls to restricted units, such as the ICU, will be monitored. Voice amplification, Telecommunication Devices for the Deaf (TDD) and specialty services may be requested by contacting your nursing staff member.
Calling Your Nurse
To operate the intercom system in your room, press the call button for assistance. The nurse's station will answer your call and a staff member will respond to your request. Please consider that staff may be attending to the needs of another patient at the moment, but they will arrive as soon as possible.
Patient Dining Services
Personalized menus based on physician-prescribed diets are prepared daily for patients. Patients must call and order items from their specific menu. Dial FOOD (3663) from your room phone.
Hours:
Breakfast
6:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Lunch and Dinner
10:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Patient dining services are unavailable from 3 – 4 p.m.
Valuables
If you have valuables with you and arrangements cannot be made to send them home, Aiken Regional will provide for their collection, inventory and storage. Your valuables will be returned to you when you are discharged. Once again, please note that the hospital is not responsible for lost or stolen valuables unless they have been collected for storage in the department safe. Any possessions unclaimed after six months will be forwarded to the State of South Carolina or discarded.
Room Transfers
We may need to transfer you to another room or unit during your stay. Your nurse or doctor will notify your family if you are unable to tell them yourself. If you are staying on a medical floor and are scheduled for surgery, you may be transferred after surgery to a surgical floor or to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Have a family member or friend check that all personal belongings in your room were also transferred.
Going Home
When your doctor feels that you are ready to leave the hospital he or she will authorize a hospital discharge. Please speak with your nurse about our discharge procedures.
Here are a few tips to make the discharge process run smoothly:
- Be sure you and/or your caregiver have spoken with a discharge planner and that you understand what services you may need after leaving the hospital.
- Verify your discharge date and time with your nurse or doctor.
- Have someone available to pick you up.
- Check your room, bathroom and bedside table carefully for any personal items.
- Make sure you or your caregiver has all necessary paperwork for billing, referrals, prescriptions, etc.
- A hospital associate or volunteer will bring you to the Central Registration entrance by the Emergency Department and assist you to your vehicle.
Pastoral Care
The hospital has a group of volunteer chaplains from all denominations to assist in any support and counseling. For assistance, dial the hospital operator (0) and give your name and where you can be reached.
Gift Shop
The hospital gift shop is located in the front lobby. We stock candy, fresh flowers, greeting cards, sundries, baby items, balloons, jewelry and an assortment of other gifts. Gift wrapping is available for purchases made in the shop. The Hospital Auxiliary of Aiken County operates the gift shop.
Proceeds from the gift shop fund scholarships for students who live in Aiken County and are enrolled in accredited medical education programs.
Learn More about our Gift Shop
Web Accessibility
Aiken Regional Medical Centers is committed to making our website's content accessible and user friendly to everyone.
Learn more about our commitment to accessibility →
Tobacco-free Campus
To promote better health for patients, associates and visitors, the entire Aiken Regional campus is TOBBACO FREE. This includes all forms of tobacco, including smokeless, and e-cigarettes.
Do NOT smoke, use e-cigarettes, light matches or lighters where oxygen is used.
U.S. Postal Service and FedEx boxes are located outside the front lobby entrance. Packages are picked up by 4:30 p.m. daily.
Mail for patients can be sent to:
302 University Parkway
Aiken, SC 29801
Please include the patient's name and room number on the front of the envelope. We will forward mail received after discharge to the patient's home address.