Patient and Parent Information

As parents or caregivers, you are important members of the team that care for your child. Our family-centered care can help relieve your child's fears and often helps speed recovery. It may also help ease the stress felt by parents and siblings. You should continue regular routines such as brushing your child's teeth and hair while your child is in the medical center. When it is appropriate, you also are encouraged to participate in the treatment of your child. This is particularly important for parents who will provide treatment for chronically ill children at home. Ask your nurse or physician how you can help.

Safety during your stay:

• Make it official. Never entrust your child to anyone not wearing an official Cook Children's name badge. Badges include a photo as well as the person's name, title and department.
• Keep in touch. Please inform the nurse in charge before taking your child away from the unit. Units provide sign-out sheets for this information. Any parent who takes his/her child away from the floor for any reason or who spends the night at the medical center must have a wristband (similar to your child's wristband).
• Keep it safe. When your child is in bed, side rails should be up at all times. Make sure he/she wears shoes or slippers when walking in the halls. Never leave your child unattended in strollers or wagons.
• Protect valuables. Valuables should be left at home or in the vault located in the Patient Registration Office.
• Wait for instructions. Fire drills are conducted occasionally for medical center personnel. If you hear an alarm, wait for instructions. Report anything unusual. Any unusual event or breach of security should be reported to an employee, who will contact the hospital operator. Call ext. 2500 (817-605-2500).

Because kids aren't grownups they have very unique needs. The Cook Children's Northeast Hospital health care team is made of a pediatric caregivers who are committed to the health of well-being of all children. During your child's hospital stay, a charge nurse and team leader oversees the activities on your child's floor. Your physicians work primarily with nurses. Other medical professionals include therapists, technologists, lab personnel, nutritionists and specially trained clinicians.

Cook Children's Northeast Hospital understands the importance of explaining procedures in a way children understand. We have a Child Life specialist who helps patients deal with medical procedures by teaching them coping skills and providing play scenarios.

Child Life assists children and families through the following services:

• Age-appropriate supplies and activities in playrooms.
• Developmentally appropriate education about illness, treatment and recovery using a variety of teaching tools such as dolls, medical equipment, books, photographs and tours.
• Preparation and support before, during and after medical procedures and other stressful times; assistance with coping techniques (toys, books, guided imagery and relaxation techniques).
• Therapeutic play opportunities (medical play and creative arts) to gain insight into a child's perspective of his/her hospital stay.
• Developmental assessments, through observation or formal tests, to determine a need for additional services.
• Parent/caregiver education on childhood growth and development and the effects of illness, injury and hospitalization.

Admission counselors help families with financial assistance and payments. An admission counselor can explain insurance benefits.

For patients whose diseases or conditions allow them to continue recovery or rehabilitation at home, Cook Children's Home Health can provide an alternative to hospital care. At home, children receive family and caregiver support that assists recovery. Research has found that children who require long-term care usually feel better when treated in the familiar surroundings of home. In addition, home health services cost significantly less than hospital care.

Operator	817-605-2500
Information desk and patient room information	817-605-2500
Admission counselors Surgery Radiology	817-605-2852 817-605-2916
Emergency room	817-605-2500
Medical records	817-605-2998
Patient accounting/billing	817-605-2500

To request a copy or have a copy of the medical record sent to another party, call Cook Children's Northeast Hospital's Health Information Management Department at 817-605-2984 between the hours of 8:00a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. We will be happy to mail, fax or email you a form.

The privacy of this information is protected by federal and state regulations. This means your medical information is only available to the Cook Children's healthcare professionals caring for you or your child. Everyone else must get special permission (called authorization) before the information can be released.

Who must authorize release of information

Parents or legal guardians (without court imposed restrictions) may obtain and/or authorize the release of protected health information from their child's Cook Children's Northeast Hospital's medical record. Individuals 18 or older must authorize the release of their own information.

We will be happy to mail or fax you a form. You may also get a form from your Specialty Clinic or download it here in English or Spanish.

Written authorization, what to do

• Carefully read the authorization form.
• Provide all requested information.
• Be very specific about the information you need released. Write down date, types of visits, and what parts of the record you need. (if you do not know specific dates of service a date range can be used: For example month & year or just year)
• For imaging reports (i.e. x-rays, ultrasounds, MRI, etc.) please check the box on the form that you need imaging reports.
• Sign and date the authorization using your full legal signature.
• Please remember, we will return the form to you if any information is missing or incomplete. This may delay the release of information.
• Mail completed authorization form to;
  • Attention: HIM Medical Record Release
    Cook Children's Northeast Hospital
    6316 Precinct Line Rd
    Hurst, Texas, 76054
    
  • or Fax to 817-605-2985.

Before releasing a record

• Picking up copy of record(s) - You must provide a valid current government issued picture identification card when picking up records from our office.
• Request copy of record(s) be mailed - You must provide a legible copy of a valid current government issued picture identification card (i.e. Driver License, passport, etc.) along with the completed Authorization form when records are requested to be mailed from our office.

Fee for release

There is a fee for release of copied medical records. This fee must be paid at the time of, or before the release is completed.

Time for release

Because of the number of requests we receive, it may take up to 15 business days to process a request. If you plan on picking up the records, please call ahead of time to ensure they are ready when you arrive.

If you have any questions related to any of the above, please contact HIM at 817-605-2984.