Excerpt from proposed program to return lost patient belongings

Background

Management of items left behind by patients is a routine task for operating units. Items such as clothing items, glasses, cell phone equipment, and pillows are found in rooms after a patient has been discharged. Sometimes floor personnel finding the items are able to identify and contact the owner. More often, however, floor personnel request that the items be picked up by volunteers, who take the items to Lost and Found. In the latter case, no attempt to identify the owner is made. Lost and Found has accumulated a large number of lost items, and most items received by Lost and Found remain unclaimed.

Proposed program

Departments, nursing units, and transport will seek to identify owners of lost items and will mark the lost items will a label bearing the patient’s name, address and phone number, patient’s room number (if known) and the date and location where the item was found. Should discharged patients contact the unit or department regarding a lost item that has been found, they will have the opportunity to pick up the item during a 3-4 day period, or they may wait for the item to be sent to them. On the fifth day, all items which have not been picked up by patients will be forwarded to Patient Relations (if the owner is known) or the Lost and Found (if the owner is not known). Patient Relations will send the items to owners within five days of receipt with a cover letter; Lost and Found will manage lost items with owners not known as per the current protocol.

Benefits

Patients will have the opportunity to pick up a lost item if the item is needed immediately, or they may have the item returned to them within approximately 10 days without their having to make a trip to the hospital .... The cover letter which will accompany the item being returned will express the hospital’s goal of providing the best possible healthcare service to patients in all ways, including the smallest ways.