What is a Confidential Patient?
When you are a patient at UW Hospital, you have several options to choose from regarding letting the public know that you are currently an inpatient. You may choose no visitors (NV), no phone calls (NT), or no visitors, no phone calls (NN). The last option, no visitors and no phone calls, equals choosing to be a confidential patient. This means your presence will not be disclosed to the public.
Reasons for having confidential status
- If you do not want people to know you are in the hospital
- If you do not feel safe
- If you were a victim of a crime
- If you were involved with a crime
Choosing to have confidential status
If you choose to have confidential status, the staff will flag your name in the computer, and your name will not be posted in any public area or the nurse’s station. This means that if someone calls and asks about you or what room you are in, staff will reply, “I have no record of that patient being in our hospital.” Any mail, gifts, and flowers that are sent to you while you are in the hospital will also be returned to the sender. Hospital staff strictly honor patient requests for confidential status.
Visitors
If there are certain people that you would like to visit, you must inform those visitors of your room number and phone number. If you wish to arrange for a parking pass for a visitor, you need to call Admissions at (608) 263-8770 and ask for the pass. The visitor then needs to go to Admissions and request the pass. Your name will not be listed on the pass. Even though you may give certain people permission to call or visit, the hospital staff will still treat you as a confidential patient and deny that you are here, even to these select people.
If you change your mind
If you decide at any time that you no longer choose to be a confidential patient, your status will be changed in our records. At that point we would tell visitors or those who call your room number and phone number.
The information provided should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.
Last Updated: 10/29/2009
Copyright © 10/29/2009 University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority. All rights reserved. Produced by the Department of Nursing. HF#6369
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