About Your Stay

Here’s what you need to know about your stay at UNM Hospital or UNM Sandoval Regional Medical Center (SRMC).

Before Admission

To help speed up your admission, we’ll start your paperwork as soon as your provider tells us when you’ll be admitted.

Expect a call from us to verify basic information, such as your home address, insurance and employer. Talk to your provider about your estimated length of stay, possible lab work and tests. Then contact your insurance provider to confirm coverage, co-pays and deductibles for those medical services.

Check in with the hospital by the specific time your provider’s office ordered. Allow extra time for parking or to ride the shuttle. At SRMC, volunteers will help you check in at the front lobby. During your stay, we can update your loved ones on your status. To contact a volunteer, dial 7000 from your room phone.

What to Bring

To make your visit go smoothly, please bring your:

  • Hospital card if you received one on a prior visit
  • Health insurance card
  • Photo ID, such as a driver's license (recommended, but not required)
  • Any referral and/or authorization forms that your insurance provider may require

You may bring certain personal items, such as pillows, blankets, clothing, toiletries and books.

Patient Rights and Responsibilities

While here, you have the right to be treated with dignity and respect of your individuality in a safe environment, free of threat and harm and with privacy in treatment. Read your patient rights and responsibilities now.

As a patient, you may:

  • Ask your primary nurse or our charge nurse questions at any time.
  • Use cell phones, computers and mobile devices if you receive our permission. For your safety, we ask that devices remain at least 10 feet away from medical equipment.
  • Welcome visitors at any time. Please follow our visitor guidelines to ensure a safe, healing environment.

Preparing to Go Home

Before discharge, you’ll get instructions to follow at home. These may include notes about your medications, diet, activity level and additional treatment. Your care team will discuss the instructions with you and answer your questions.

In most cases, you’ll need someone to drive you home. Please plan your ride in advance. If your doctor recommends nursing care or medical equipment, a case manager will help you make arrangements.