Whether your stay is short or extended, Milton S. Hershey Medical Center is committed to the genuine caring and compassion that is critical for the healing of sick and injured. If you have any questions before, during, or after your stay, please ask.

Talk with your care team

Advocating for you begins with your care team - the group of doctors, nurses, social workers, care coordinators, and other professionals who care for you.

Effective communication between you and the care team will help ensure that your needs are being met. This includes:

• Understand the roles of the care team members - and that you have a right to ask why someone is in your room. 
• Ask questions until you fully understand the plan of care.
• Attend rounds, during which the attending doctor, residents, medical students, and nurses meet to discuss your condition and give you an update. Rounds usually occur between 8 a.m. and noon.

A key responsibility of your direct care nurse, care coordinator, and social worker is advocating for you, looking out for your best interests, connecting you with relevant resources, and supporting you through the process.

Educators are also on staff to communicating with the school district about your condition and, if necessary, facilitate an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or a 504 Service Agreement to make sure your needs are accommodated.

Know where to get help

If you have questions or concerns about your care that aren’t being addressed, please talk to your care coordinator or social worker. If you don’t know who they are, your direct care nurse can direct you to them.

Our Patient Experience liaison can also act as a go-between for you and the doctors. Contact them at 717-531-6311.

We’re committed to being a collaborative, effective partner in your  care. If you have a concern or complaint that is not resolved to your satisfaction, you have several options for recourse. Learn more about resolving patient complaints.

Join a support group

Support groups are a way to connect with other parents and caregivers who are experiencing similar struggles. In addition to providing emotional support, they offer a way to share resources and information. A support group can help you learn how to get the very best care in the hospital and beyond. Find a local support group.

Connect with the Family Advisory Council

Our Family Advisory Council identifies opportunities for the hospital to improve the patient and family experience. The council, which consists of former patients, patients’ family members, and hospital staff, meets monthly to consider feedback from patients and their families. Learn how to apply to be a member of the Family Advisory Council.