Preparing for Your Visit
Thank you for trusting OHSU with your care. On this page, you can learn how to get ready for your:
You’ll also find information about our cancellation policy, medical chaperones and other topics.
Sign up for text updates
You can get text notifications on:
- Upcoming appointments
- Test results
- Billing statements
- MyChart messages
- Prescription refills and reminders
We offer 4 ways to sign up:
- Scan the QR code.
- Text START to 97946.
- Ask staff to sign you up at check-in.
- Sign up in your MyChart account. Go to Menu, scroll down to Account Settings, and click on Communication Preferences.
Registration
If you are a new OHSU Health patient or your insurance has changed, please call OHSU Registration at 503-494-8505 to provide insurance information.
For a hospital stay, call 503-494-8927 to answer additional questions.
Clinic appointments
What to bring
- Insurance card
- Debit or credit card if you have a copay; no cash or checks
- List of all medications, vitamins and supplements you take
- Any paperwork we asked you to complete
- Any medical records and diagnostic images we asked for
24-hour cancellation policy
If you can’t make your appointment, please give us at least 24 hours’ notice so we can offer it to a patient on our waitlist. If you miss 2 or more appointments in a row without 24 hours’ notice, we may contact you about no longer being a patient at our clinic.
Hospital stays
Have someone bring you. You can also use TriMet or a ride-sharing service. If someone drives you, they can park for free at:
- Marquam Hill: Parking Garage B at Physicians Pavilion.
- South Waterfront: Center for Health & Healing Parking Garage; take a ticket and have it validated at check-in.
What to bring
- Insurance card
- Debit or credit card if you have a copay; no cash or checks
- Toiletries
What to leave at home
- Valuables, including money and jewelry
- Medications, unless your doctor asks you to bring them
- Electrical appliances such as blow-dryers or electric toothbrushes
Resources
Surgery
Before surgery
- You will have an in-person or phone visit to make sure you are healthy enough for surgery.
- Learn what to do and what to expect before surgery: Preparing for your surgery (Preparación para su cirugía).
- An insurance verification specialist will confirm a doctor’s referral, if required, and how you will pay. If you don’t have insurance, the specialist will go over other options. Some patients qualify for assistance.
Checking in for surgery
- OHSU Hospital: Go to Admitting in the ninth-floor lobby. Phone: 503-494-8927
- Doernbecher Children's Hospital: Go to Admitting on the eighth floor (look for the maple leaf). Phone: 503-418-5313
- Casey Eye Institute: Go to the sixth floor. Phone: 503-494-5191.
- Multnomah Pavilion: Go to the fourth floor. Phone: 503-494-1102.
- Center for Health and Healing, Building 2: Go to the first floor. Phone: 503-346-3000.
Things to know about coming to OHSU
AI Scribe for note taking: During the visit with your provider, they might ask to use something called an AI scribe for note taking. This tool listens to the conversation between you and your provider and turns it into a clear medical note for your health record. Your provider will review and approve the note before it is added to your record.
Using this tool helps your provider focus more on listening to you instead of typing on the computer. Your provider will always ask you first if it’s OK to use AI scribe, and you can say no if you want. The recording is not part of your health record.
Medical chaperones for sensitive exams: OHSU offers trained medical chaperones to make sure you have comfort, dignity and professionalism during your exam. We will offer you a chaperone any time a breast, genital or rectal area will be exposed or subject to physical contact. You can also ask for a chaperone for any medical exam or procedure. You can ask for a certain gender if it makes you more comfortable. We will do our best to honor your request.
No guns on OHSU property: Per ORS 166.377 and OHSU Policy, possession of firearms on OHSU property is not permitted. This prohibition includes those licensed to carry a concealed firearm. The affirmative defense of ORS 166.370(3)(g) for those with a concealed handgun license does not apply on OHSU property.
We are scent-free: Please don’t wear a fragrance to your visit. This helps chemically sensitive patients and staff.
We are a teaching facility: You might meet students learning from your care team. This helps us train providers while giving you excellent care.
Language help: If you need an interpreter for your appointment, we can provide one free of charge upon request. Call your provider’s office and ask for language services for your visit.
Directions
- Getting to and around OHSU
- If you get lost on an OHSU campus, call 503-418-1818 for help.