Patient Experience: MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center

The admitting office for direct admissions to our hospital is located on the second floor (use entrance 1).

Upon arrival, you will be given your patient identification bracelet. You may receive a red allergy or other color-coded bracelets. Your bracelets provide us with important information about your specific care needs. Please wear your bracelets during your entire stay.

Room assignment

All of our patient rooms are private. This offers our patients an increased level of privacy, comfort, and safety. Your room assignment has been determined by the type of medical care you require, your doctor’s orders, and the availability of rooms. At times during your stay, it may become necessary for you to transfer to another floor or room in order to receive the level of care and attention you need.

The Making Healthcare Decisions in Advance law in Maryland gives you the right to create an Advanced Directive that states in advance your treatment preferences, especially about life-sustaining procedures, and names an agent to make your healthcare decisions if you cannot.

If you have an Advanced Directive, you will be asked to provide a copy so that it can be included in your hospital chart. If you want to make one, get a form from the Case Management office or download an advance directive form here.

It is important that we have a list of all the medicines you are taking, including prescriptions, over-the-counter medicine, herbs, and vitamins. Your doctor will arrange for you to receive the medications you need while you are here.

MedStar Franklin Square is not responsible for any valuables or personal belongings brought into the hospital. Please send these items home with a family member and remember not to leave dentures or eyeglasses on your meal tray or in the bed.

We follow the recommended policies of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to protect our patients and visitors from infection.

Please make sure your visitors and our staff who care for you have washed their hands for at least 20 seconds. If you are in isolation, your visitors will need to check with the nursing station for instructions before entering your room.

Free Wi-Fi access

Ask your nurse for an Internet voucher and access code for free wireless Internet access. 

Phone

Bedside telephones are provided free of charge in patient rooms. Cell phone usage may be restricted in some areas of the hospital. Please check before using your cell phone.

Television

Special programming is available at no cost to our patients on Channels 3, 15, 16, and 53.

Gift cart and gift shop

Our Auxiliary gift cart circulates on patient floors during the week. Items may also be purchased from our Auxiliary Gift Shop, located in the lobby of the Visitor’s Entrance.

Special diets will be ordered for you as part of your plan of care to help you recover quickly. Your Catering Associate will provide you with menu selections offering options for each meal according to the diet ordered by your doctor.

We believe that pain must be managed using a holistic (or complete) approach to patient care. To that end, your nurse will ask you to rate your pain on a scale of one to 10 before and after each pain management intervention/medication.

To prevent complications during surgery, we take precautions such as asking for identification, disinfecting to prevent surgical infections, and marking procedure sites. We use special lift equipment and tools to decrease manual lifting, transferring, and repositioning of patients.

If you notice a loved one’s health deteriorating, please contact a nurse, who can then activate the on-call, around-the-clock critical care specialists of the Rapid Response Team if necessary.

The hospital’s blood supply is obtained from volunteer donors who are extensively screened and tested for infectious diseases to minimize transfusion risks. All testing meets the requirements of the Food and Drug Administration and the American Association of Blood Banks.

Patients are billed for fees that cover the testing, handling, and storage of blood and blood components. 

If you choose not to receive blood transfusions, other options are available through our Bloodless Medicine and Surgery program.

Research shows that patients who take part in decisions about their health care are more likely to have better outcomes. We urge you to "Speak Up:"

Speak up if you have questions or concerns.

Pay attention to the care you are receiving.

Educate yourself about your diagnosis, your medical tests, and your treatment plan.

Ask a family member or friend to be your advocate.

Know what medications you take and why you take them. Medication errors are the most common healthcare mistakes.

Use a hospital that has been evaluated against state-of-the-art quality and safety standards, such as those of the Joint Commission. (MedStar Franklin Square is fully accredited by the Joint Commission.)

Participate in all decisions about your treatment.

MedStar Franklin Square’s NICU is a private room Level III facility equipped with state-of-the-art medical technology and staffed by highly trained, compassionate caregivers under the leadership of Fernando V. Mena, MD, chief of Neonatology. As one of only two hospitals in Maryland designated as Baby-Friendly®, we prioritize mother-baby bonding and breastfeeding support.

Recently, the Maryland Patient Safety Center awarded us the Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) Center of Excellence Award. NAS occurs in newborns who were exposed to opiates, alcohol, narcotics, or other drugs while in the mother’s womb.

The Case Management department provides care coordination and discharge planning to help make your hospitalization and discharge a smooth process. You can reach the Case Management department by calling 443-777-7547.

Be sure to read your prescriptions and ask how to take the medicine. If you have a prescription to fill before you go home:

If your doctor prescribed home health care, MedStar Visiting Nurse Association has nurses here at the hospital to assist you in coordinating care at home. Contact the Home Care Office at 443-777-7098.

You or a family member should schedule a follow-up appointment with your doctor according to the time suggested on the discharge summary form. If you do not have a regular physician, please call 443-777-7900.

As a not-for-profit hospital, MedStar Franklin Square depends on philanthropy to fulfill its mission and guarantee quality care to all of our patients. If you would like to learn how you can express your gratitude for the care you received, please contact the Foundation Office by calling 443-777-7980.

Let us address your concerns

We ask that at any time we do not meet or exceed your expectations you give us the opportunity to immediately address your concerns by using the following steps:

According to federal and state laws, we must inform you that you have the right to contact the following authorities about safety and quality of care issues if we do not effectively address your concerns to your desired resolution.

Our customer help line
P 443-777-6555

Joint Commission for Accreditation of Hospitals
P 1-800-994-6610
E patientsafetyreport@jointcommission.org

Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
P 1-877-402-8218 or W Online Complaint Report Form

MedStar Franklin Square participates in the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey. The survey results are updated quarterly and made public at hospitalcompare.hhs.gov.