Patient Resources

Brigham and Women’s Hospital offers a full range of services and amenities to support the practical and emotional needs of our patients and their families.

• Patient Care Services
• Patient Education
• Healthcare Documents
• Online Resources
• Amenities

Patient Care Services

• Backup Child Care – for patients while attending an appointment
• Blood Donation Center – learn how to donate blood
• BWH is a Tobacco-free Hospital – find resources for quitting smoking
• Care Coordination/Social Work – organize appropriate care before, during and after a patient's hospital stay
• Chaplaincy – interfaith spiritual support
• Center for Bioethics – support in making decisions about treatment options
• Family Liaison Service – updates on patient progress during surgeries/procedures
• Food Services – food options during your hospital stay
• Interpreter Services – support for non-English speaking and hearing impaired patients
• Nursing – clinical care and support to patients and families
• Nutrition – inpatient and outpatient nutrition counseling
  • Health-e-Weight for Women – information on healthy eating and weight loss
• Patient/Family Relations – resolve patient/family questions, concerns, comments
• Pharmacy – on-site prescription services
• Rehabilitation Services – physical and occupational therapy, speech and swallowing services, orthopedic technician services
• Respiratory Therapy – assessment and treatment of breathing disorders
• Security – provide a safe and secure environment

Patient Education

• Kessler Library – comprehensive health resource center for patients
• Patient Guides – what to expect and how to prepare for specific procedures

Healthcare Documents

• Health Care Proxy/Living Will – legal documents related to your healthcare
• Medical Records – get copies of your medical records
• Privacy Notice - how medical information about you can be used and disclosed
• Patient Rights and Responsibilities – your rights as a patient
• Race and Ethnicity Data Collection – ensuring quality of care for all patients
• Patient and Family Advisory Council (PFAC) Report [PDF] for the MA Coalition for the Prevention of Medical Errors

Online Resources

• Patient Gateway – online tool to communicate with your doctor, schedule appointments
• CaringBridge – build web pages to communicate with friends and relatives
• Web Nursery – shared photos of newborns at BWH
• Wireless Internet Access – wireless connections at BWH

Amenities

• ATM Machines are located at the:
  • Tower Building Main Lobby at the 75 Francis Street entrance.
  • Ambulatory Services Building Lobby at the 45 Francis Street entrance.
• BWH Backup Child Care Center – provides child care services for the children of BWH patients; located at the Brigham and Women's Ambulatory Care Center, 850 Boylston Street, Chestnut Hill. 
• Deliveries of Mail and Flowers for BWH patients should be addressed to:
     (Patient’s first and last name)
     (Room number - If you don't know the room, call 617-732-5164)
     Brigham and Women's Hospital
     75 Francis StreetBoston, MA 02115
  Flowers may be ordered from the BWH "The Shop on the Pike" at 617-732-7878.
  Please note: To safeguard patients, certain units such as intensive care units (ICUs) and medical oncology units restrict flower deliveries. Also, to protect latex-sensitive patients and staff, latex balloons are not permitted at BWH. Mylar balloons are welcome.
• Dining options for visitors include:
  • O'Naturals – located in the Carl J. and Ruth Shapiro Cardiovascular Center
    Hours: Mon-Fri: 6:30 am - 7:30 pm; Sat-Sun: 9:00 am - 3:30 pm
  • BWH Café – located on the 2nd floor of the hospital, next to the Tower Elevators
    Breakfast hours: 6:30-10:30 am daily
    Lunch/Dinner hours: Monday-Friday: 11:15 am-11:30 pm
    Saturday-Sunday: 11:15 am-2:30 pm; 3:00-11:30 pm
  • Café Xpress – located on the 2nd floor, inside the Café
    Hours: Monday-Friday: 6:15 am-7:30 pm
  • Pat’s Place – provides grill food, sandwiches and salads, and is located at the 15 Francis Street entrance in the Peter Bent Brigham Building
    Hours: Monday-Friday: 6:00 am-5:00 pm
  • Au Bon Pain – located at 75 Francis Street in the hospital’s main lobby
    Hours:  Monday-Saturday: 24 hoursSunday: until 8:00pm
• Newspapers may be purchased from attendants who visit patient floors once a day. Newspapers include the Boston Herald, Boston Globe, New York Times and USA Today. The Main Lobby also has newspaper machines.
• A Notary Public is available through Patient/Family Relations to authorize important documents.