Patients and visitors are responsible for all personal belongings. Torrance Memorial Medical Center is not responsible for replacing lost or misplaced items so we recommend you bring only essential items to the hospital and offer the following tips to keep your personal items secure:
Clothing – Storage space in patient rooms is limited. A robe and slippers are beneficial for in-patients. Hospital gowns are provided. We suggest that clothing worn to the hospital be sent home with family/friends and that appropriate clothing be brought to the hospital shortly before patient discharge.
Denture Care – Patients are asked if they wear dentures or bridges, and, if so, a staff member will provide a denture cup to store them when not in use. The cup will be labeled with the patient’s name. Avoid placing dentures on a meal tray, under a pillow, on the sheets or in any concealed place where they may be lost or accidentally thrown out.
Hearing Aids – Hearing aids should be kept in the original case provided upon purchase. If the original case is not available, nursing staff will provide a container labeled with the patients’ name to store the aids in when not in use. Do not leave aids unprotected on the bedside or over-bed table.
Eyeglasses – Glasses are best secured in a case with the patients’ name on it when not in use. To prevent loss or damage to eyeglasses during hospitalization, patients are asked not to leave them unprotected on the bedside table, in a robe pocket, or on the bed.
Wheelchairs, Walkers, Canes – Place your name on all necessary items that are brought to the hospital including wheelchairs, walkers, and canes.
Valuables – Leave all valuables at home or send them home with a family member or friend upon admission to the hospital; this includes jewelry, watch, cash, credit cards, wallet, purse, camera, cell phone, laptop, or any other item that would be considered a loss if misplaced. Patients move about during a hospital admission for procedures and treatments or from one inpatient unit to another due to medical condition. If family members are not present, valuable items should be given to the nursing staff to be secured in a valuables envelope and locked in a safe. They are not to be kept at the bedside.
Medications – Bring a current medication list to the hospital. This includes herbal and over the counter medications as well as prescription medications. If a list is not available, bring in the medication containers for the pharmacist to view. The containers can then be taken home by a family member or friend or stored by the pharmacy for retrieval prior to discharge. Medications brought in from home are not to be stored at the bedside.
Lost Items – While Torrance Memorial is not responsible for patient and visitor personal belongings, we certainly try to return lost items to their owners. To file a lost items report, please contact the Administration Department at 310-517-4612.