MGH patient discharge and pick-ups relocate Aug. 20

Due to construction of the Building for the Third Century, space for vehicles and pedestrians at the Main Entrance “White Ramp” soon will be reduced. To better and more safely accommodate patients entering and leaving the hospital, the site for weekday patient discharges will be relocated.

Beginning Aug. 20, between the hours of 6 am to 8 pm Monday through Friday, patients awaiting pick-up from family, friends or chair car services will exit the hospital via the Wang Lobby. This change applies to all patients being discharged from inpatient units as well as those leaving treatment or procedure appointments – such as from the electrophysiology lab, catheterization lab, radiation oncology, dialysis, interventional radiology and endoscopy. This change does not apply to patients with appointments in the Yawkey Center for Outpatient Care. If patients require wheelchair assistance, MGH Volunteer Services staff are available to assist.

The recommended wheelchair route to the Wang Lobby is via the Wang service elevators, which are located behind the front desk in the Main Lobby of the White Building. MGH volunteers will be on hand to assist patients awaiting pick-up in the Wang Lobby. It is important to note that patients leaving the hospital at all other times — from 8 pm to 6 am Monday through Friday and all day Saturdays, Sundays and holidays — can exit the hospital through the Main Entrance.

To help the process, MGH staff and employees are asked to remind patients that they should exit the hospital via the Wang Lobby unless they are being transported by ambulance. Additionally, staff and employees should recommend that patients’ family members park in the Fruit Street or Parkman Garages during weekdays.

The following will remain the same: patients with appointments in the Wang Center or those having surgery in the Same Day Surgery Unit will continue to enter and exit via the Wang Lobby; cancer patients with appointments in the Cox Cancer Center will continue to enter and exit via the Cox Building; and patients with appointments in the Yawkey Center for Outpatient Care will continue to enter and exit as they currently do, including those who require chair car transportation. All other patients who require chair car transportation will continue to use the Wang Lobby driveway for pick-ups and drop-offs.

In order to help reduce congestion at the Main Entrance, MGH staff and employees being picked up or dropped off between 6 am and 6 pm Monday through Friday should use the Warren, Gray or Jackson building entrances.

For more information, contact Angela Marquez at pager 15167 or amarquez1@partners.org.