Physician Providers

You may be seen by a variety of physicians, specialists, consultants, and licensed practitioners while in the hospital. Hospitalists are physicians that specialize in treating hospitalized patients and may oversee your medical care while you’re in the hospital. At times, video or telephone consultation/evaluation may be used as part of your treatment.

Visitor Guidelines

Lakewood Ranch Medical Center encourages family members, friends, or other individuals to be present with the patient for emotional support during the course of the stay unless the individual’s presence infringes on others rights, safety, or it is medically or therapeutically contraindicated. When in-person visitation is not permitted, we encourage patients to use phone calls, video calls, or other technology to communicate with loved ones.

• Lakewood Ranch Medical Center campus is tobacco free, including e-cigarettes and vaping devices.
• Visitors should be free of any symptoms of infection. Children under the age of 12 should not have been recently exposed to sicknesses, such as measles, mumps, or chicken pox, if visiting.
• Depending on the patient’s and/or roommate’s physical condition and emotional health status, the number of visitors and the length of visits may be limited. As a general rule, patients should have only two visitors at a time.
• Lakewood Ranch Medical Center encourages patients and their families to participate in the patient’s care. However, please DO NOT take or administer care, food, or medication, even over-the-counter medications or vitamins, without speaking to the nurse. While in the hospital, patient care is strictly guided by physician orders. This includes the patient’s nutrition. Please check with the patient’s nurse to ensure that food items brought by visitors will not interfere with the nutrition and other medical/safety portions of the patient’s healthcare.

Entering and Exiting the Hospital After Hours 

From 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m., hospital visitors are only able to enter and exit the hospital through the Emergency Room entrance. The only exception is for patients of and visitors to the Women’s Center. Labor and Delivery patients and visitors may use the Women’s Center entrance 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Service Animals

Service animals will be accommodated at Lakewood Ranch Medical Center. According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a service animal is defined as a dog that has been individually trained to provide assistance or perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. The work or task a dog has been trained to provide must be directly related to the person’s disability. Service animals are limited to dogs. Under the ADA, service animals must be harnessed, leashed, or tethered unless these devices interfere with the service animal’s work or the individual’s disability prevents using these devices. In this case, the individual must maintain control of the dog through voice, signal, or other controls. If the service animal is disruptive or a direct threat to the safely of others, the animal’s ability to remain in the hospital will be evaluated. The care and behavior managements (stewardship) of the service animal is the responsibility of the handler. Emotional support animals, comfort animals, and therapy dogs are not service animals under Title II and Title III of the ADA and are not covered by the laws that protect and give rights to service animals. A doctor’s note that states a person has a disability and needs the animal for emotional support does not make an animal a “service animal.” Emotional support dogs may be considered on a case-by-base basis.

Patients With Special Needs

Lakewood Ranch Medical Center provides the following special services at no charge to our hospitalized patients. To arrange for these services, ask at the time of admission or ask your nurse.

• Closed-caption TV: This special television displays captions of spoken dialogue. 
• Language services: Full language services that include telephone, video remote as well as on-site interpreting may be arranged through your nurse. This service is available 24 hours a day to provide interpretation. 
• Special nurse call button: The device is available for patients with limited use of their hands.

In addition, the following services are available:

• Mobility aids: Crutches, walkers, and canes are property of the hospital’s Physical Medicine Department. Mobility aids may be kept in your room during your hospitalization once it has been determined that you are safe to use them independently or if you are receiving physical therapy for functional mobile deficits. If you require a mobility aid after your discharge from the hospital, a case manager will help you get the appropriate equipment through a medical equipment supply company.
• Post-hospitalization equipment in your home: Case Management will assist in making arrangements for medical equipment to be placed in your home upon discharge. You may reach Case Management by dialing 941.782.2422.

Public Restrooms

Public restrooms are located throughout the hospital.   

Fire Safety

We periodically conduct fire drills. If you hear an alarm, stay where you are and refrain from using the elevators while the fire alarm is sounding. In the event of an actual emergency, hospital staff will notify you.

Smoking

Lakewood Ranch Medical Center is a tobacco-free campus. If the patient requires aids to refrain from smoking during hospitalization, please notify a nurse or your physician.

ATM

For your convenience, an automated teller machine (ATM) is located in the ER lobby area of the hospital.

Wireless Internet Service (Wi-Fi)

A Guest Wireless Network called “GuestAccess” is available at Lakewood Ranch Medical Center.

To connect using a laptop: Click on "GuestAccess," select "Connect automatically," and click "Connect." A web browser should launch automatically (if not, manually launch). When the disclaimer page loads, click "Accept."

To connect using an Apple IOS or an Android OS device: Click “GuestAccess.” A web browser should launch automatically (if not, manually launch). When the disclaimer page loads, scroll to the bottom and click “Accept.”

Electrical Appliances

Hospital policy discourages patients from bringing electrical appliances, including, but not limited to, razors, radios, cellphones, and other devices, into the hospital. Personal medical equipment, such as CPAP machines, must be checked prior to use. Ask your nurse for an electrical safety check. Lakewood Ranch Medical Center is not responsible for lost or missing items.

Leadership Rounding

Hospital leaders visit patients during their stay serving as a liaison between patients, families, and visitors to address their concerns, complaints, questions, special needs or requests, suggestions, or compliments. Leadership collaborates with associates and related healthcare providers to seek resolutions and identify opportunities for performance improvement.

TV

Televisions are provided in each patient room. Please be considerate of others by keeping the TV volume down and turning off your TV at bedtime. 

Patient Meals

The Food and Nutrition Service works closely with physicians and the nursing staff to provide meals for our patients that are “just what the doctor ordered.” Meals are the result of the physician’s diet prescription, ordered for a patient’s medical condition. The meals are prepared under the direction of our executive chef, a culinary school graduate, to ensure quality and good taste. Patients are provided with menus featuring breakfast, lunch, and dinner selections. To place an order, call 22346. Meals are delivered through the hospital’s room service program.

Vending Machine Locations

Vending machines are located near the ER lobby, main lobby, and Women’s Center lobby. They are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Pastoral Care

If you would like to be contacted by a member of our pastoral care network, please notify your nurse.

Mail and Flowers

Mail, flowers, and packages may be delivered to your room. Flowers are permitted in most patient areas with the exception of the Intensive Care Unit patient rooms. For safety reasons, only Mylar balloons are permitted in patient care areas.

Where’s the Cafeteria?

Location: Café at the Ranch is located on the first floor of the hospital, just down the corridor from the main hospital entrance.

Café Hours:

Monday through Friday:

7:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. 

11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Weekends and Holidays:

7:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Stations open and close at various times in the Café.

Coffee & Gift Shop

Specialty coffees and a variety of other drinks, as well as delicious snacks, are featured in the coffee shop located on the first floor.

Meditation Room

The meditation room is located on the first floor of the main building across from the conference center. It is available for use by patients and family members at all times. It is a quiet and peaceful place for prayer and reflection. Everyone is welcome. 

Your Rest Is Important

The staff at Lakewood Ranch Medical Center understands the importance of rest during your recovery. Though a certain amount of stimulation and interruptions is required in order to monitor and treat your medical condition, there are steps we can discuss with you to increase your opportunity to get sufficient rest.

We Will Work Hard to:

• Keep the environment as quiet as possible.
• Decrease lighting during times of rest.
• Decrease interruptions.

Discuss With Your Nurse:

• Closing the door if it is safe to do so.
• IV alarms, if this is a repeated issue. 
• Keeping alarms set at a low but safe level to be heard at the nurses station.
• Leg compression devices may be applied. They are an important measure to help prevent blood clots, but if you feel that they are not allowing you to rest, please let the nurse know and you can discuss other options.
• Decrease interruptions at night. Discuss with your nurse combining tests and assessments together to allow large blocks of uninterrupted rest.

Other Tools:

• Ear plugs are available should you need them.
• Signage can be placed outside your door to notify visitors that you are resting.
• Discuss with your nurse whether a sleep aid has been ordered by your physician and if that would be right for you.
• Aromatherapy

Please let us know if there is anything else that may help you rest. We hope you rest well.

Leave Your Valuables at Home

If you have valuables, such as jewelry, computers, cellphones, prescription and non-prescription medications, and cash, please give them to a relative or friend to take care of during your stay. Contact lenses, eyeglasses, hearing aids, and dentures should be stored in a labeled container on your bedside stand when not in use. Please don’t put them on your bed or food tray—they may be damaged or lost. Lakewood Ranch Medical Center is not responsible for replacement of personal belongings.

Managing Your Medications

As a patient or family member, you are part of your healthcare team. You share the responsibility for safe medication use. As much as you trust your care provider’s knowledge and judgment, you owe it to yourself and your family to learn as much as you can about medications and their uses. 

Here are some things you can do to ensure safe medication use:

Make a Medication List:

A medication list is a record of all prescriptions, over-the-counter medicines, herbals, supplements, minerals, ointments, and vitamins that you use. The list should include:

• Name of the medicine
• Strength
• Dose
• How often you take it
• Why you take it

It’s Also Important to Include a List of:

• Allergies: List medications and the allergic reaction you had when taking the medication.
• Negative side effects: List any medication to which you had negative side effects, especially any that your physician stopped because of side effects. Note what the side effects were.

Next Steps: 

• Update your medication list every time you start or stop taking a medicine. 
• Provide an update to your healthcare provider at each visit.
• Give a copy of your list to a family member or close friend, and all physicians or healthcare professionals involved with your care.
• Instruct a family member or friend to take your medication list to the hospital if you are unable to do so.

Know Your Medication

When you arrived at the hospital, you may have been asked about your present medication list. Accurate documentation of your medication allows us to safely care for you while in the hospital.

You are the most important member of your healthcare team.

We encourage patients to understand and be knowledgeable about why their physicians have prescribed certain medication and its action, as well as dosing and potential side effects for the medications they are taking.

While in the hospital, we will:

Provide you with education about all new medications you receive.

• Purpose: Why the physician prescribed this medication
• Action: How the medication works
• Dosing: How to safely take this medication
• Side effects: Some of the possible side effects

Please take a moment to discuss this information with a member of your healthcare team.

Please feel free to request specific education from one of  our pharmacists. Please note: Medications prescribed in  the hospital may not be prescribed on discharge as they are specific to the hospital setting.

In addition, a nurse will provide you with a list of medications to be continued upon discharge and will provide education related to these medications as listed above.

CareAware Connect Mobile Devices

You will see your care team using these mobile devices throughout your stay. This secure technology allows nurses to communicate quickly with each other, other disciplines involved with your care, and your physician. Some alerts and alarms are also integrated into the devices for a quicker response time. They may also be used for patient identification before giving medications.

Reference Q's

Before surgery or procedure

• What will happen before the (surgery, procedure)?
• How long will it take?
• Where can my family wait for me?
• What effects (temporary or permanent) will the surgery have on me?
• What is the physician's experience in performing this procedure?
• What medicines will be prescribed (short term/long term)?
• For how long will I have to rest at home after surgery?

After surgery or procedure

• When should I call my physician?
• How long should I stay in bed?
• How much activity can I do?
• What type of food should I eat?
• How soon can I drive?
• When can I go back to work?
• Can I have sex?
• When should I schedule a visit to the physician?
• What changes should I make in my lifestyle?