Frequently Asked Questions

Below are some frequently asked questions regarding Friends Hospital.

Admissions

If you require additional information or have questions not addressed here, please contact us at 215-831-4600 or toll-free at 800-889-0548, and our staff will be happy to assist you.

Anyone can make a referral to Friends Hospital. Referrals are often made by healthcare professionals (physicians, social workers, psychologists), hospital emergency rooms, crisis center staff, community agencies and mental health programs. Family members, friends, clergy and the individual in need of care may also make a referral.

Patients and families may certainly request to be treated at Friends Hospital. The emergency room staff can contact Friends Hospital’s admissions department to determine bed availability and arrange a transfer.

Appointments for assessments are not necessary and “walk-ins” are welcome. However, for your convenience, you may wish to call 215-831-2600 to schedule an assessment appointment.

Friends Hospital accepts almost all major insurances, including Aetna, Magellan, Cigna, TRICARE, CHAMPUS, Medicare and Medicaid. If you are uncertain if Friends Hospital is in the network with your insurance company, please call us at 215-831-2600.

It is our policy not to create a financial hardship for any patient. If necessary, a payment plan appropriate to each patient’s financial status will be established.

Depending on your insurance plan, you may need prior authorization before admission. Friends Hospital’s admissions staff will be happy to process any pre-authorization requirements with your insurance company.

Every individual has different needs that determine the length of their inpatient stay. Friends Hospital is a short-term acute care facility and our goal is to help you transition to a less restrictive level of care as soon as it is appropriate for you to do so. Most patients are here for about 10 days, although the length of stay is determined by each individual’s needs.

You should plan to bring only three changes of comfortable, casual clothing (wash and wear). You will also need appropriate slip-on footwear and overnight personal care items, such as a toothbrush and shampoo. Please leave any items of value at home for safekeeping. This would include jewelry, handheld gaming devices (Nintendo DS, Playstation PSP, etc.), MP3 players, personal computers and cell phones. You do not need to bring items such as razors; these will be provided on the unit. Please see packing list for additional information.

Friends Hospital, like all other behavioral health inpatient facilities in the city of Philadelphia is tobacco-free.  This means that patients, visitors, employees and physicians are prohibited from using tobacco products anywhere inside or outside Friends Hospital.  Nicotine replacement therapies are available on all adult units.

If you would like information on quitting or cutting back on your tobacco-use, click here.

Each unit has its own designated visiting hours. There are also guidelines regarding who may visit on a unit (e.g. small children are not permitted). Patients and family members can check the visitation page for more information about visiting hours and related information.

Help Is A Phone Call Away

We’re available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to provide a confidential mental health assessment for you or your loved one. Call us at 800-889-0548, visit our facility, or message us to get started. In case of a mental health crisis, call 988 or seek the nearest emergency room.

Resources

Help is only a call away.

We’re available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to provide a confidential mental health assessment for you or your loved one. Call us at 800-889-0548, visit our facility, or contact us to get started.

Friends Hospital

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