At Mott Children’s Hospital, patients receive care from many specialists, including doctors, nurses, rehabilitation therapists, pharmacists, dietitians, social workers, child life specialists, and discharge planners. By working in teams, they will provide your child with the best care.
However, the heath care team is not complete without YOU. While your doctors and nurses are the experts in health care, you are the expert of your child. A partnership between you and your child’s health care team will give your child the best opportunity to get well.
The following is a list of the variety of professionals who may be part of your child’s health care team, depending on the nature of treatment.
Doctors
Doctors make the major decisions about the best care and treatment for each patient. This could include an attending, hospitalist, fellow, resident or intern.
A hospitalist is a doctor who only practices medicine in the hospital. At Mott, many patients are under the direct care of our pediatric hospitalists. One of these supervising pediatricians is in the hospital 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Because Mott is a teaching hospital, medical students may be involved in each patient’s care. A resident (or house officer) is a doctor who has completed medical school, received a medical doctor degree and is now undertaking intensive training for a medical or surgical specialty. House officers write orders and make care-related decisions under the direct supervision of the attending doctor (the U-M faculty physician in charge of your child’s care)
In addition, medical students who are completing the final two years of their four-year course of study at the U-M Medical School can provide patient care under the direct supervision of either the attending or resident physician.
Physician Assistant
Physician assistants are highly trained and skilled individuals who are licensed to practice medicine under a doctor’s supervision. They can conduct physical exams, diagnose and treat illnesses, order and interpret tests, counsel on preventive health care, assist in surgery and, in most states including Michigan, write prescriptions for certain types of medications. By providing a broad range of comprehensive medical and surgical services, physician assistants expand the supervising physician’s ability to care for a larger range of patients.
Nurses
There are a variety of nurses on our staff including registered nurses, clinical nurse specialists, nurse practitioners, pain nurses and charge nurses. Nurses work very closely with doctors and other members of the health care team to monitor and manage your child’s symptoms and response to illness and care while in the hospital. In addition, nurses are there to help family members get everything they need in order to support the patient.
Child & Family Life
Mott Hospital’s Child & Family Life staff works to reduce the stress and anxiety of hospitalization by providing activities, support, education and resources for patients and families. They provide toys, games, books and videos; coordinate arts and crafts; and manage the Giving Library and the Mott Family Network.
Pharmacists
A clinical pharmacist is a person with advanced education in medication use who helps decide which medications are best for your child.
A certified pharmacy technician is a practitioner responsible for preparing and delivering medications and assisting pharmacists and nurses with medication dispersion and administration.
Discharge Planner
A discharge planner is a person who coordinates equipment needs and ongoing treatments for patients returning home or entering long-term care facilities.
Psychologists
Pediatric psychologists are available to help your child cope with the emotional side of being hurt or sick. Psychologists help your child handle feelings about the illness and hospitalization, assist you in managing your child’s behavior, teach your child to take medicines, and help your family manage other stressful aspects of being in the hospital. You can request a visit from the hospital psychologist by asking your child’s doctor or nurse for a referral.
Clerks and Clinic Coordinators
These are the people that can answer your questions and tell you how to get where you need to go.
Dietitians
Eating right is important to getting and staying healthy. Clinical dieticians assess patients’ special nutrition needs, design appropriate diet plans and menus to meet these needs, assist patients with selection of daily meals and snacks during the hospital stay, and help both you and your child understand specific nutritional needs and how to follow a healthful diet at home. In addition, clinical dieticians provide nutrition-related educational materials and counseling.
Food Services
Mott Hospital’s Patient, Food and Nutrition Services team members prepare and deliver high quality, nutritious meals to patients. In addition, they make sure that any child who requires a specialized diet or tube feeding receives the right meal and the right care.
Financial Counselors
Financial counselors will work with you and your insurance company to verify coverage and obtain necessary prior authorizations. If your child has limited insurance coverage and/or financial resources, the financial counselor will work with you and a social worker to explore alternative funding opportunities. To learn more, visit our listing of Medical Insurance and Financial Assistance for Children.
Housekeeping
Housekeeping services are provided by our Environmental Services Department which is dedicated to providing a safe, clean and comfortable environment for all hospital patients and their families. Patient rooms and common areas are cleaned daily by courteous, compassionate and professional staff members.
Spiritual Care Advisors
Because spiritual care is just as important as physical and emotional care, we offer on-site pastoral care and chaplain services. Our goal is to provide appropriate spiritual care for our diverse population of patients and families.
Social Workers
These are the people who provide support and counseling to address the emotional, psychological, and social issues related to your child's health. Our social workers provide education, referrals for financial assistance, counseling, support groups and connection to various community agencies and services. More information.
Therapists
There are occupational therapists, physical therapists and therapists from other specialty areas. Though they have different skills, they all have one goal: to assist your child on the road to recovery.
Unit Host/Service Coordinator
This is the person who can help you with all non-medical needs such as finding your way around the hospital, locating showers, laundry facilities, food, etc., and connecting you with the resources you may need during your child’s stay. By focusing on the family, the Unit Host frees up the nursing staff to focus on the patient.
Interpreters
If you are more comfortable speaking a language other than English, if you are hard of hearing, or if you need help translating education materials and medical records, Interpreter services can assist. Over-the-phone interpreters are also available.
Volunteers
Generous and compassionate volunteers donate their time and talent in ways that brighten our patients’ stays, support our staff and add a unique, personal dimension to patient care. Their assistance is invaluable to faculty and staff, and they are cherished members of the health care team.