Patients & Visitors

In this section you will find helpful information for anyone who is having or expects to have a stay at North Alabama Medical Center.

If you have questions about any of the following information or about something not covered here, please feel free to contact us.

• Telephones
• Cellular Telephones
• Parking
• Food & Nutrition Services
• Security
• Visiting Hours
• Concern or Complaint
• Clinical Nutrition Services
• Volunteers
• Emotional/Spiritual/Pastoral Care
• Smoking Policy

Telephones

• To reach a patient room directly from outside the hospital, dial 629 followed by the patient room number.
• To reach a patient room directly from inside the hospital, dial the patient room number.
• For local calls outside the hospital dial “9” and then the number.
• For long distance calls dial “9,” listen for the dial tone then dial “0,” the area code and number of your party. Calls cannot be charged to a patient room. Instead, you may use a calling card, call collect, or charge the call to your home phone.
• TDD machines are also available for the deaf and hearing impaired through the Central Supply Department (768-2698).

Cellular Telephones

Cell phones are permitted throughout the hospital except in the critical care areas. Please try to avoid cell phone use when in the room with a patient on telemetry.

Parking

Ground parking is available to our patients and visitors.

Food & Nutrition Services

The cafeteria, dining room, and Nutrition Services are located on the first floor. We have a great selection of soups, salads, sandwiches and healthy meal choices for our visitors, staff and physicians!

Breakfast: 6:30–10:00 am
Lunch: 11:00 am–2:00 pm – Grab and go items available until 2:30 pm
Dinner: 4:00 pm–6:30 pm

Patients are provided selective menus for the next day on their daily breakfast trays We also provide menu marking assistance and food substitutions by calling the Patient Nutrition Office at 1550.

For your convenience, soft drink machines and snack machines are located on the first floor.

Our clinical nutrition department is staffed by Registered Dietitians to assist physicians, nurses, patients, and family members meet the nutritional needs of patients. The dietitians are also available for outpatient education sessions based on physician referral. For additional nutrition information, or to schedule an outpatient consult, please call 256-629-1564. Referrals can be faxed to 256-629-2710.

Security

If you need the assistance of our Security Officers, please dial (256) 629-1999 if outside the hospital or extension 1999 if inside the facility. You may also dial the switchboard “0” and ask to have security paged. Security Officers are on duty 24 hours a day. Out of concern for the safety of our patients, visitors and employees, illicit items are not permitted on North Alabama Medical Center property (including parking areas). Illicit items include, but are not limited to, drugs, alcohol, weapons, and other objects carried for the purpose of injuring and/or intimidating others. This measure will be strictly enforced.

Visiting Hours

Visitors are welcome and can be a valuable part of a patient’s recovery. Rest is vital and optimum medical care requires that no visitors be allowed in a patient’s room during treatments or other routine care. Please ask your friends and family for cooperation. Visiting hours are restricted in Critical Care, because of the special needs of patients in these areas.

Visiting Hours: 10:00 am-7:00 pm

Critical Care Visiting Hours are 10:00 am–12:00 pm and 4:00 pm-6:00 pm

• Visits should be limited to 2 visitors per patient for a total of fifteen minutes.

Concern or Complaint

If there is a problem, question or complaint, please ask to speak with the Patient Care Manager for your patient floor or unit. If she/he is not available or is unable to resolve your issue, please ask to speak with the Nursing Supervisor. It is our goal and objective to resolve any issues prior to your discharge.

Clinical Nutrition Services

At NAMC our clinical nutrition department is staffed by Registered Dietitians (RD) to assist physicians, nurses, patients, and family members meet the nutritional needs of patients. The dietitians are also available for outpatient education sessions based on physician referral. For additional nutrition information, or to schedule an outpatient consult, please call 256-629-1564. Referrals can be faxed to 256-629-2710.

Volunteers

Volunteering provides a satisfying way to share personal skills, interest, abilities and time. Volunteering is a program for teens, as well as men and women of any age. Areas of service include:

• Information Desk
• Deliver patient and staff mail, LifeWise newspapers and meal cards
• Greeters and transporters
• Critical Care and Cath Lab waiting areas

Your participation is eagerly welcomed if you can give time on a weekly basis or even occasionally. So, if you have something special to share and are interested in the rewarding experience of volunteering, call Volunteer Services at 256-629-1090.

Emotional/Spiritual/Pastoral Care

The H.M. Perritt Family Chapel is located on the 2nd floor across from the Critical Care Waiting Room. The Chapel is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Smoking Policy

North Alabama Medical Center is a smoke and tobacco free facility.  Use of all tobacco products, including dipping, vaping and e-cigarettes is prohibited.