Preparing For Your Stay

At the UNC Medical Center you can expect compassionate, superior care from highly qualified doctors and healthcare specialists.

If your child will be staying at the N.C. Children’s hospital, be sure to take advantage of the various resources available to helping parents and children prepare for their visit.

To help the registration process move smoothly, sign up for a My UNC Chart account prior to your hospital visit. Through My UNC Chart, you can communicate with your doctors, fill out pre-registration forms, view your test results and pay your bills.

It is also important that you understand your Patient Rights and Responsibilities.

What to Bring

For a hospital admission, you will need:
  • Health insurance information
  • A valid photo ID
  • Co-payment/payment
  • The most recent labs or diagnostic test results such as MRI, x-rays, EKG and lab work if you have them
  • Physician orders and other paperwork provided by your physician's office
  • Advanced medical directives information
  • A list of all current medications, dosages and schedules. There is no need to bring the medications with you. Your physician will evaluate which ones you should continue taking during your stay and they will be dispensed to you by the hospital pharmacy.
  • A list of any questions you may have regarding your procedure or your stay at UNC Medical Center

We recommend that you leave valuables (such as jewelry and large amounts of cash) at home. If you choose to bring valuables, you do so at your own risk and are responsible for keeping them secure. You may deposit valuables into the hospital safe for safe keeping during your visit. There is also a lost and found for any misplaced items.

Your Medical Team

When you visit UNC Medical Center, you can feel confident that you will receive excellent care from our team of physicians, medical students and nurses.

Since UNC Medical Center is a teaching hospital, you may have more than one doctor on your health care team. These teams include:

  • Attending Physicians - Attending physicians are either full-time faculty members from the UNC School of Medicine or part-time faculty members who have separate practices in the community.
  • Resident Physicians - Resident physicians hold medical degrees and are licensed to practice medicine. They work under the supervision of an attending physician to gain additional specialized training.
  • Medical Students - Medical students have completed at least two years of medical training and are working under the direct supervision of a physician. Once they complete four years of training, they will receive their medical degree (M.D.). It is your choice to permit medical student involvement in your care. If you choose note to allow a medical student, your decision will be respected with no negative consequences or penalty.

Discharge Information

Once your doctor alerts you to your discharge date, you should plan to make arrangements for your transportation home.

If possible, plan to check out by 11 am on the date of your discharge and ask a friend or family member to bring you clothes to wear home.

If you (or a family member) have not spoken with an admissions counselor before or during your stay, you will need to visit the admitting office before you leave. At this time, you will discuss your hospital charges with a counselor and have an opportunity to ask questions about your bill.