Frequently Asked Questions

What is an advanced directive or living will and how do I obtain one?
How can I get a copy of my medical record or my loved one's medical record?
How can I get a copy of my birth certificate or my child's birth certificate?
Am I eligible to become an egg donor?
How can I find out more about the Cord Blood Banking Program at Saint Barnabas Medical Center?
Are there any guidelines if my organization wants to visit patients during the holidays or at other times during the year?
Are there any guidelines regarding gifts or donations?
What are your policies regarding 1) group field trips, 2) orientation for children scheduled for hospitalization, and 3) parental presence during inpatient stays?
Can you tell me what hotels and other accommodations are located near Saint Barnabas Medical Center?
Can you tell me how I can get more of the pacifiers that the hospital gives out in the nursery?

How can I get a copy of my medical record or my loved one's medical record?

To obtain a copy of a medical record, please send a letter of request through the mail (e-mail will not be accepted). The letter must include the following:

Patient Name
Date of Birth
Social Security Number
Date of Hospitalization (approximate date if actual unknown)
Phone number where you can be reached

If you are writing on behalf of an adult family member, the family member’s written permission is required.

If requests for copies of medical records are made for continuing health care, an abstract of the medical record is provided free of charge. An abstract includes all pertinent parts of the medical record, including all reports, diagnostic and radiological test results. Therefore, please specify the reasons for your request and the information you specifically require. In the event that a complete record is requested there will be a charge.

In accordance with the New Jersey Department of Health, the charge for records will be:

$10.00 search and retrieval fee
$1.00 per page (for the 1st 100 pages)
$0.25 per page up to $200.00

An invoice will be forwarded to you. Upon receipt of your payment the requested information will be forwarded.

Requests should be sent to:
Medical Records/Health Information Management
Saint Barnabas Medical Center
94 Old Short Hills Road
Livingston, New Jersey 07039

For further information, feel free to contact our Health Information Management Department at (973) 322-5835.

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How can I get a copy of my birth certificate or my child's birth certificate?

Birth certificates are not kept by Saint Barnabas Medical Center. To obtain your birth or your child's, you may go in person to Livingston Health Department/Community Center, 204 Hillside Avenue, Livingston, NJ 07039 or you may call (973) 535-7961. This recorded message provides instructions on how to obtain a birth certificate through the mail.

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Am I eligible to become an egg donor?

Most couples never think they will have trouble starting a family, yet one in five couples of childbearing age will experience the pain of infertility. This can be a devastating experience. Now, with the assistance of today's revolutionary fertility treatments, couples have a better chance than ever of becoming pregnant. The Institute for Reproductive Medicine reports pregnancy rates that are among the highest in the nation. Our medical staff includes internationally renowned specialists in infertility treatment, as well as distinguished embryologists and biologists who pioneered many of the assisted reproductive techniques in use today. Please review our By Step Guide for Donors for more detailed information.

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Are there any guidelines if my organization wants to visit patients during the holidays or at other times during the year?

Visits are welcomed by our patients and provide an uplifting experience for members of the community who wish to share their time or gifts to those in the hospital. A few guidelines will ensure a successful visit:

Plan your visit in advance by calling the Child Life Department at Saint Barnabas Medical Center at (973) 322-8350.
Group size should be limited to no more than five people. Children and students must be 12 years of age or older and accompanied by an adult.
Due to dietary restrictions and to prevent choking, no food should be offered to pediatric patients.
No religious materials may be distributed.
Upon arrival at Saint Barnabas, please park in the Visitor’s Parking Lot and bring your parking ticket with you to the main lobby. Please wait in the lobby for the proper hospital personnel to escort your group. No group may visit without a Child Life escort as well as a prescheduled appointment. Please contact the Child Life Department at (973) 322-8350 two to four weeks prior to when you would like to come.
A signed photo release form is required to take photos of any patients, visitors or hospital personnel. Pediatric patients may not have their photos taken without their parent’s permission. Please advise Child Life if you would like to take pictures during your visit.
Pregnant women are encouraged to discuss their proposed visit to Saint Barnabas with their physician prior to coming.

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Guidelines regarding gifts or donations:

A variety of gifts and donations are welcome, including new toys, videotapes, flowers, homemade crafts, etc. Please call External Affairs at (973) 322-4324 or 4316, if you would like to inquire about other possible donated items.
No used toys or books will be accepted.
Donations being dropped off that will not be personally distributed by an organization should be brought to the building across the street from the Medical Center (Attn: External Affairs, Saint Barnabas Health Care System, 95 Old Short Hills Road, West Orange, NJ 07052). Please call External Affairs at (973) 322-4324 or 4316 to make arrangements. Donations may be left with the security guard. Please include a note with your name and address so that a thank you note may be sent to you.
Any monetary donation can be made by contacting the Saint Barnabas Medical Center Foundation at (973) 322-4330.

Thank you for your generosity, cooperation and interest in Saint Barnabas Medical Center.

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What are your policies regarding 1) group field trips, 2) orientation for children scheduled for hospitalization, and 3) parental presence during inpatient stays?

1) Group field trips are addressed above under guidelines for organizations visiting patients. Our policies and requirements are discussed in detail, however, if you have other questions regarding visits, please contact the Child Life Department at (973) 322-8350.

2) The Saint Barnabas Medical Center Child Life Department offers a pre-operative tour program for parents of children scheduled for surgery here at the Medical Center. Parents may schedule a tour to see the pre-operative area with their child. Our Child Life Specialists have also developed a photo book that illustrates the process pediatric patients go through when they come for surgery. This book and the tour help prepare children for their hospital experience. Parents may call (973) 322-8350 to schedule an appointment. This orientation program is not intended for children who are suddenly admitted to the hospital due to illness or injury.

3) Parental presence is welcome throughout a child's inpatient stay. One parent may stay at the child's bedside 24 hours a day. The other parent can stay until 11 p.m. or spend the night in the family room. Two visitors, 12 years of age or older, may visit in addition to the parents during our regularly scheduled pediatric visiting hours: 11:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

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Can you tell me what hotels and other accommodations are located near Saint Barnabas Medical Center?

The following facilities are located nearby:

Hanover Marriott, (973) 538-8811
1401 Route 10 East, Whippany

Hilton at Short Hills, (973) 379-0100
41 JFK Parkway, Short Hills

The Parsippany Residence Inn by Marriott, (973) 984-3313
3 Gate Hall Drive, Parsippany

Ramada, (973) 386-5622
130 Route 10 West, East Hanover

Residence Inn by Marriott, (973) 582-3904
At the Manor – West Orange
107 Prospect Avenue, West Orange

Travelodge, (973) 994-3500
550 West Mt. Pleasant Ave., Livingston

Turtle Brook Inn, (973) 731-5300
555 Northfield Ave., West Orange

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Can you tell me how I can get more of the pacifiers that the hospital gives out in the nursery?

To purchase additional pacifiers, contact Children’s Medical Ventures: 275 Longwater Drive, Norwell, MA 02061; 1-800-377-3449; or visit their web site at: www.childmed.com.

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