For Inpatients

We understand that a hospital stay can be confusing. There seem to be a million questions and forms you must deal with. Do you have an advance directive, or even know why you might need one? Know which insurance plans we accept, or what you'll need to bring when you register? Our goal at MUSC Health Kershaw Medical Center is to help make this process as simple and understandable as possible.

Advance Directives

An advance directive tells your healthcare providers what kind of care you would like if you become unable to make medical decisions for yourself (if you are in a coma, for example). An advance directive spares your loved ones the stress of making decisions about your care at a difficult time. It also ensures that your wishes about your care are carried out.

There are two main types of advance directives – a living will and a healthcare power of attorney. A living will describes the kind of medical treatments or life-sustaining treatments you would want if you were seriously or terminally ill. A living will doesn’t let you select someone to make decisions for you. A healthcare power of attorney is another kind of advance directive that appoints someone to make healthcare decisions for you. It becomes active any time you are unconscious or unable to make medical decisions.

Creating an advance directive is simple, and you may change or cancel it at any time. If you have an advance directive, please be sure to bring it with you when you register or are admitted to the hospital.

For information on advance directives, please contact our patient liaison Kim Thierrien at 803-713-6210.

Insurance

MUSC Health Kershaw Medical Center welcomes most major insurance providers, including Blue Cross, Medicare, Medicaid, TriCare, Veterans Administration, etc. When you register, we will be collecting information about any insurance you have, so please bring all insurance cards with you at that time. We should be able to give you information about your deductibles, copays, and other charges at that time.

Registration

If you are being admitted to the hospital for an inpatient stay, please come to the registration desk at the main entrance. The registration process takes 15 to 20 minutes, so please allow for this.

Bring with you:

• Your doctor’s signed orders.
• All of your insurance cards.
• Your driver’s license or photo ID.
• All of your medications (or a complete list of them).
• Your living will or healthcare power of attorney (if you have them).
• If you have questions about pre-registration, please call 803-713-6166.

Surgical Registration

If you and your physician agree on the need for a surgical procedure, your doctor’s office will call MUSC Health Kershaw Medical Center to set a date. A few days before your scheduled surgery date, a representative will call you to get the necessary registration information. They will explain everything you need to know prior to your surgery.

When you come for surgery, you will still need to stop by the registration desk to sign your paperwork. If you pre-registered in person, you may go straight to surgery.

If you have any questions about the registration process, please call 803-713-6120.

Translation Services

If you or a loved one does not speak English, we have a translation service (Cyracom) available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The service is staffed by certified translators with medical terminology experience, and there is no charge for using it. It is available by phone and can provide translation for over 120 languages. Just ask if you’d like to use this service.

In addition, a short Spanish-language film introducing Kershaw Medical Center is available for your viewing. It explains many of the things you will need to do and shows many of the places you’ll be going if you’re coming to the medical center for a procedure or stay. Please ask a staff member if you are interested in seeing it.