Making a Referral
Butler Hospital Psychiatric Evaluations and
Admissions
The admissions department can help people identify and
begin to understand the psychological, psychiatric or emotional problems
affecting them. The patient has an opportunity to meet with a doctor and a
clinician alone, or can be accompanied by family members and significant others.
The hospital’s professional, trained staff will develop an individualized care
plan that can serve as the foundation of the patient’s future treatment inside
or outside of Butler Hospital.
The hospital’s physicians are doctors with advanced training in treating
emotional and brain-related problems. They may either discuss your patient’s
case with the clinician and then meet with the patient, or they may gather all
of the information from the patient directly.
The Admissions Staff
In most cases, a person coming to the hospital for
the first time will meet with the following staff members:
- Intake
coordinator
- Patient registration representative
- Mental
health clinician
- Psychiatrist
These professionals make every
effort to ensure that the patient’s time in the Admitting Department is as
relaxed and stress-free as possible.
The Admissions
Process
People are encouraged to ask questions at any time
during the admissions process. The admissions process can be time-consuming
because of the volume of people coming to the hospital, unexpected emergency
admissions, and the time required to contact and confirm insurance information
or to fill out medical histories and other forms. We apologize for any unusually
long waiting periods that may occur.
Common Steps in the Admissions
Process
- Arrive at hospital – people are welcome to be accompanied by
family members or significant others during this process
- Meet with the intake
coordinator who begins the admissions process
- Discuss insurance
options and or policy limits with the patient registration
representative
- Fill out medical history questionnaire
- Discuss reasons for coming to the hospital and any important details
with a mental health clinician.
- Meet with a psychiatrist to make final
decisions on treatment options
- Meet with members of the admissions
staff to discuss the results of the evaluation and make treatment
recommendations.
- Fill out forms to ensure optimum communication
between you, your patient and us.
- If the person is admitted to the hospital, the
admissions staff will finalize coverage with the insurance company.
A number of “behind the scenes” activities must occur for us to complete the assessment,
including a discussion of your patient’s case between the clinician and
physician and other health care providers. In addition, the process of “pre-certification”
with the patient’s insurance company (the process of having the
patient’s insurance company pay for his or her treatment) may involve lengthy
discussions. If the patient is to be admitted into the hospital, we will speak
with the inpatient staff about the care that is needed, and will facilitate
his or her transition into the hospital.
Location
- The Evaluation and Admissions Department is located
on the first floor next to Butler Hospital’s main entrance. Patients and
family members or significant others may park in Parking Lot A on the Butler
campus and go to the receptionist for directions. People seeking emergency
admissions should follow signs upon arriving on the Butler Hospital
campus.
Hours
- Open 24 hours a day, seven day a week. If possible,
people are asked to call ahead before arriving.
Contact information
