Community Howard Regional Health

Visiting Hours

Whether you're visiting a friend, relative or loved one, Community Howard Regional Health's goal is to make you feel welcome and make your visit as pleasant as possible. In consideration of the person you are visiting as well as others, please limit visitors to no more than two at a time. We ask that you wash hands or apply alcohol foam before and after visiting patients. Please do not visit if you are ill or have been exposed to chicken pox, whooping cough or measles. All visitors under 14 must be accompanied by an adult.

Visiting hours at Community Howard Regional are between 11 a.m. and 9 p.m. except in certain areas of the hospital.

ICU Visiting Hours

9 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Open
2 to 4 p.m. – Closed
4 to 6 p.m. – Open
6 to 8 p.m. – Closed
8 to 10 p.m. – Open

Other Visitor Guidelines

• Family and friends are welcome to visit but please limit visitors to no more than two at a time. Exceptions to this may be arranged.
• All visitors under 14 must be accompanied by an adult.
• Visiting may be restricted if the patient's condition warrants it or if the patient or his/her physician instructs.
• One primary caregiver is encouraged to stay with pediatric patients.
• In Labor and Delivery, up to three people may be in your room during labor. Significant others are encouraged to stay throughout hospitalization.

Please do NOT visit if you have signs or symptoms of any communicable disease including but not limited to: cold, cough, runny nose, sore throat, diarrhea, vomiting, fever, rash, open sores or open wounds. Visitors must be free from exposure to chicken pox, whooping cough, and measles in the past 22 days. Additional visitor restrictions may be added during times of high levels of community illness, such as influenza epidemics. If the patient is in isolation, visitors must follow all isolation precautions.

Waiting Areas

Several lobbies and waiting areas are provided by the hospital for the comfort and convenience of patients and visitors. In addition to the south lobby and the east lobby, there are waiting areas at most outpatient service departments. A lounge is located across the hall from the Intensive Care Unit. The Ambulatory Surgery Center lobby accommodates relatives and friends of all surgery patients whether ambulatory or inpatient. A volunteer, when available, will keep those waiting informed of the patient’s progress.

Valet Parking

Valet parking is provided at the south entrance of the hospital from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. To take advantage of this free service, just bring your car to the circle drive, and a valet will take it to the parking lot. When you are ready to leave, the valet will retrieve your car and bring it back to the circle drive. After posted hours, please dial "0" from a house phone and the operator will contact Security to retrieve your vehicle.

Wireless Internet

Community Howard Regional Health offers free wireless internet access to patients, families and visitors inside the hospital.

Cell Phone Policy

To avoid potential electromagnetic interference with medical devices, cellular telephones are allowed in designated common non-patient care areas only. These designated areas include the cafeteria, patient care waiting areas, elevators, stairway landings, emergency room waiting area, surgery waiting area, Main lobby, lab/radiology waiting areas, cardiovascular waiting areas, oncology waiting areas, and East lobby.

Cellular telephone use in patient areas is strictly prohibited. These restricted areas include cath lab, surgery, emergency room, ICU, radiology, and all patient care areas.

This policy governs the use of cellular telephones by all Howard Regional Health System visitors, patients, department staff, contractors, volunteers, and physicians.

No Smoking

All Community Howard Regional Health buildings and grounds are tobacco free. To promote a healthy environment for our patients, guests and staff, please do not smoke while on our campus.

Our patient financial policies may answer many of your questions about hospital billing and provide easy-to-understand definitions. 

If you would like more information about billing, please call us at 765-453-8422. The Patient Financial Counseling Office is open Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Online Bill Pay

Payments may be made to the hospital cashier off the main lobby during normal business hours, Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Our Registration Department Representatives are available to receive payments at any other time.

Community Howard Regional Health offers support groups for brain injury, Alzheimer's, MS, breastfeeding, mental health and more.

Alzheimer's and Caregivers

• 3rd Thursday, 6 - 7:30 p.m.
• Main Campus, Community classroom
• For information, call 765-455-1846 or 800-272-3900.

Benign Brain Tumor

• 3rd Wednesday, 5 p.m., April through November
• Downtown Campus, 322 N. Main Street
• For information, call 765-455-2613.

Brain Injury

• 3rd Monday, 7 p.m.
• Community Howard Specialty Hospital, 829 N. Dixon
• For information, call 317-219-6116.

Breastfeeding

• Every Friday morning, 10 a.m.
• 3611 S. Reed Road, Suite 103 (Medical Arts Building)
• For information, call 765-865-6360.

Kokomo Pride Group

Support group for gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender youth from ages 12-20 who may be struggling with acceptance by family/peers and need extra support. Group includes activities and guest speakers. They focus on the challenges the youth may be facing in their everyday lives.

• 1st and 3rd Mondays, 6 p.m.
• Community Howard Regional Health, Community Classroom, 3500 S. Lafountain, Kokomo
• For more information, call 765-319-8803.

Multiple Sclerosis

• 2nd Thursday, 7 p.m.
• Community Howard Specialty Hospital, 829 N. Dixon
• For information, call 765-452-9276.

Community Howard Regional Health, Howard County Recycling District, and the Kokomo Police Department have joined together to sponsor a safe, legal and environmentally friendly disposal of unused and unwanted medications. The medications will be collected safely and processed according to Indiana law. No I.D. or signatures are required.

Howard County residents can drop off expired and unwanted pharmaceuticals, medications, and needles (sharps) for disposal. Materials may be brought to the Community Surgery Center circle on the Main campus of Community Howard Regional Health on designated dates only.

Where: Community Surgery Center circle on the Main Campus of Community Howard Regional Health
2017 collection dates (Saturdays): September 9, December 2
Time: 9 to 11 a.m.

What materials are accepted?

Over-the-counter medications, prescription medications, liquid medications, vitamins, pet medications, inhalers and sharps are collected.

How should the materials be handled?

All materials dropped off must be labeled to identify contents. Do not remove labels from containers. Names and addresses can be crossed out with permanent marker to protect privacy. If a container is not labeled, please identify the contents on the container. Sharps (needles/syringes) must be placed in a sealed rigid container. Residents may also use containers such as a laundry detergent bottle or coffee can with the lid taped and sealed.

What materials are NOT accepted?

Bloody or infectious waste and IV or oral chemotherapy drugs are not accepted.

This program is for residentially generated waste from Howard County residents only. Medications or pharmaceuticals generated from professional health care businesses, hospitals, or other businesses will not be accepted.

More Information

For more information, please contact Community Howard Regional Health at 765-453-8593 or Howard County Recycling District at 765-456-2274.

Chaplains care for and support people of all faiths and nonreligious people as well. Many people who enter the hospital setting may be anxious about tests, treatment, surgery or their loved one. Their spirituality, which gives them meaning, hope, comfort and inner peace, may come into question during a time of uncertainty or suffering. Through compassionate listening a chaplain can recognize and identify elements of a patient’s spiritual struggle, enhancing the healing process and promoting holistic well-being.

As part of the Spiritual Services department's commitment to your well-being, a space in the south lobby of the main hospital has been designated a sanctuary for all to visit for times of quiet and prayer.

Community Howard chaplains play many roles in the healthcare environment, including:

• Visit patients within twenty-four hours of admission to assess their spiritual and emotional needs.
• Identify, assess and integrate patients’ cultural, spiritual and religious beliefs in the development of a plan of care and in decisions that are made concerning end-of-life care.
• Provide for religious and cultural needs: prayer, contact with a faith community if requested, Muslim prayer rug, provide copies of sacred text, work with dietitian regarding kosher foods, specific end-of-life needs, etc.

For more information about Spiritual Services please call 765-453-8487.

Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE)

Community Howard is an accredited CPE center for pastoral residency and intern programs.

CPE Programs

We are always seeking dedicated and enthusiastic individuals to join the Community Howard Regional Health volunteer organization. Our volunteers range in age from 15 to 95 years old. They are students, homemakers, currently employed or retired administrative workers, engineers, nurses, teachers and others.

We provide our volunteers with thorough orientation and training to enable them to serve at our information desks and act as runners or transporters. These vital members of our organization supplement the professional and essential services contributing to total patient care.

Additionally, they act as ambassadors for our hospital, helping to create and promote an understanding of the hospital and its services in our community. Their reward is the satisfaction of knowing they are helping others.

Volunteer Shifts

Normally, volunteer shifts are set in 4-hour increments as follows:

• Weekdays: 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., and 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
• Weekends: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., although some positions do require a different schedule.

Minimum schedule requirements (which do not include orientation or training time) are two 4-hour shifts a month for 6 months, or 96 hours. For students only, you have the option of once a week for 8 weeks. Letters of recommendations will be written only if requirements are met.

How to Apply

If you are 18 years old or above, you can fill out an application online by clicking on the link below. If you are under 18, please contact our volunteer coordinator at 765-453-8201.

All volunteers over 18 are required to pass a background check and are mandated to have a TB test and an annual flu shot by our Employee Health to volunteer. Only those with medical contraindications or religious beliefs will be exempt from receiving flu shots, with approval from Employee Health. Serious and committed applicants apply only.

Because Community Howard volunteers must meet many of the same standards as hospital staff, it generally takes approximately 4 to 6 weeks to actually begin your volunteer experience.

Volunteer Application

Where: Community Howard Specialty Hospital, dining room, 829 N. Dixon, Kokomo
Time: 12:10 to 12:50 p.m.
Free lunch and learn with lunch provided to the first 60 attendees. For more information call, 765-453-8593. 

When: Friday, September 1, 2017
Speaker: Jamie Moore, RN and Sharmaine Ellison, RN with Community Howard Regional Health
Topic: Learn more about what sepsis is, who it affects, how we diagnosis it, and the treatment plans. 

When: Friday, October, 6, 2017
Speaker: Courtney Holland, MD, with Orthopedic Specialty Care
Topic: How do I know if I need knee or hip replacement surgery?

When: Friday, November 3, 2017
Speaker: Diane Gall with Community Howard Specialty Hospital
Topic: Improving your mobility

When: Friday, December 1, 2017
Speaker: TBD
Topic: TBD