Support Services

Bereavement Care

The Department of Care Management at Mercy provides counseling and emotional support to parents and their families to assist them in coping with illness and disability, as well as discharge planning services. The services provided by the Department are available for all Mercy inpatients, outpatients and emergency department patients. Services are provided at no additional charge.

Information and referral for domestic problems related to, but not limited to, child abuse/neglect, family violence and elder abuse. For more information, call (516) 705-1612.

Community Health Services

Continuing the legacy of Mercy's Founding Sisters to serve those in need, Mercy Medical Center is involved in a broad range of community service programs to improve the health of the people we serve on Long Island, with special attention to the medically indigent.

Mercy conducts various free screenings for prostate, skin, breast and colorectal cancers. And Mercy participates in various community health fairs sponsored by towns, recreation centers, churches, etc., and provides health education speakers for numerous senior centers, schools and other community organizations.

Mercy also sponsors a wide range of support groups, including programs for mental health and substance abuse, smoking withdrawal, bereavement, and several groups for those living with cancer.

Perhaps the most significant impact in providing for the needs of the indigent comes from Mercy's participation in Rotacare, an initiative of the local Rotary International Clubs, in which Mercy provides back-up hospital care for the un- and under-insured who are treated at Rotacare's Health Care Program in Uniondale. Rotacare received a grant from Catholic Health Services of Long Island, which allowed it to relocate from its original shared space in one of Hempstead's soup kitchens, to its current quarters at Mercy's Pius X facility in Uniondale.

A more detailed overview of Mercy's community programs is contained in the Medical Center's Community Service Plan which can be obtained by contacting the Public Relations Department at: 516-705-2618.

Crisis Intervention

Information and referral for domestic problems related to, but not limited to, child abuse/neglect, family violence and elder abuse. For more information, call (516) 705-1612.

Infection Prevention and Control

Infection Prevention and Control is an integrated response process within the hospital which works collaboratively with all other hospital programs, services, and patient care settings in order to afford the patient, hospital staff and visitors a safe environment against the possible acquisition of an infection.

In the era of Bioterrorism, persons colonized with drug resistant organisms, and with the advancement of medicine as it is today, and as we prepare for the future in the use of and performance of more and more invasive procedures Infection Control is more important then ever.

Each one of us plays a very important part in ensuring that the patient has a safe and speedy recovery even the patients themselves.

Hand Washing has been called many times the cornerstone to a good infection control program. That is true more so then ever. Good hand hygiene is very important for all involved in the patients care. That includes the patient her/himself, all who care for them in the hospital and at home and the visitors that come in to visit the patient.

As little time it may take to wash your hands, people just do not it. It takes less then 15 seconds to protect the patient, your loved one, by washing your hands with soap and water or now the alcohol based hand sanitizers that are stationed in each patient room at Mercy Medical Center.

The Infection Control Department in support of Mercy Medical Center's Mission to constantly strive to explore new avenues to enhance the care for our patients we perform on an ongoing basis risk assessments of procedures and evaluate practices to ensure good patient outcomes. The Infection Control Department may be reached at (516) 705-2051.

Pastoral Care

The Pastoral Care staff focus on the spiritual needs of our patients, families and medical center staff. We believe there is a part of the human person that reaches for that which is beyond the self.

Mass held in the Mercy Medical Center Chapel Monday thru Friday at 12 Noon and Sunday at 7 AM & 9 AM. Services are televised on closed circuit TV channel 29.

Chaplains are available for patients of many faiths.

For information on our extensive Pastoral Care services, please click on the "Pastoral Care" link in the Support Services Menu or:

Telephone: (516) 705-1414 or Fax: (516) 705-2464

* Telephone Operator may also reach staff by pager.

Patient Services -Patient Accounts

To avoid delays in processing your account it is most important to provide the Correct Insurance Information. **Remember to bring your insurance card and provide one source of identification at time of service. (Example: Photo Drivers License or Passport)

If you have questions concerning your bill or account please call Mercy Medical Center's Customer Service at 516-705-3900.

Patient Registration

The Patient Registration Department is responsible for registering patients by obtaining accurate demographic and insurance information to ensure timely reimbursement. Patient Registration is included in such areas of the hospital as the Main Registration area, the Imaging Center, Pre Surgical Testing, Memorial Sloan-Kettering and the Emergency Department as well as Financial Counselors and Cashier. Patient Registration can be reached by calling (516) 705-2982.

Patient Relations

The foundation of Mercy Medical Center is its commitment to provide outstanding quality care and services to all our patients. Integral to assuring excellent quality care is our emphasis on patient safety and patient satisfaction. When you stay at Mercy Medical Center, your health and comfort is our first concern. More than 1,800 employees, some of whom you may never meet, will have their attention focused on you. We hope your hospital stay will be as pleasant as possible. Problems or complaints at Mercy Medical Center can be directed to our Patient Relations Department at 516-705-1319.

Post Hospital Care Planning

Assistance with arrangements for rehabilitation centers, skilled nursing and health related facilities; specialized programs in the community and referrals for home care services. Call (516) 705-1612 for further information.

Pregnancy Counseling

Counseling is provided to single and teenage parents. Call (516) 705-1612 for more information.

Quit Smoking Program

Fresh Start is designed for the adult smoker using group interaction to support quitting goals. Individual situations are given more attention. It is designed to help you stop smoking in two weeks. Meetings are conducted on Mondays at 8:00PM in St. Anne's Center. There is no fee for this helpful program. Your answer is just a phone call away. Staying quit and enjoying it forever is possible! Call (516) 705-2687.

Safe Haven - A Safe Haven For Newborns-An Alternative To Abandonment

Infant abandonment doesn't have to happen.

Our Emergency Department is a Safe Haven that offers mothers of unwanted newborns a solution that protects the well-being of the infant and the confidentiality that the mother may need. Mothers can give up unharmed newborns anonymously, within the first five days after birth, without fear of disclosure or prosecution for abandonment.

Mercy Medical Center will accept any newborn and the mother who needs care, with no questions asked, and we also offer confidential counseling during this time of crisis.

Newborns can be brought to our Emergency Department anytime, day or night. For information, you may call anonymously to 866-918-8882

Terminal Illness Counseling

Information, referral and counseling for terminally ill patients and their families; bereavement group services for widows, widowers and adult children who have lost a parent. For information, call (516) 705-1612.

Weight Management Programs

Mercy Medical Center offers three Facilitated Weight Management Programs  --for adults, adolescents and post bariatric surgery patients-- built on the foundation of its top-ratings in weight-loss surgery.

Mercy received the 2009/2010 Bariatric Surgery Excellence Award^TM from HealthGrades^®, the nation's leading independent healthcare ratings organization -- the fourth year in a row that Mercy has received that honor.

Utilizing the expertise behind those awards, weekly, ten-session Weight Management Programs are conducted by multidisciplinary teams of healthcare professionals with long experience in assisting with the lifelong commitment and lifestyle modifications required for losing excess weight and keeping it off.

The program's Licensed Clinical Social Workers, Registered Dietitians and Certified Physical Therapists focus on a broad range of issues including healthy behaviors, stress-reduction, social relationships, exercise, and prevention of relapse into old eating habits.

The program for adolescents uses the nationally-recognized SHAPEDOWN^® curriculum developed at the University of California, San Francisco.

Support group sizes are limited to assure personal attention.

For information about fees and registration, call 516-62MERCY.