It is the policy of RHSHC to have open visiting hours. The hospital will:

  • Not restrict, limit, or otherwise deny visitation privileges on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex gender identity, sexual orientation, or disability.
  • Ensure that all visitors enjoy full and equal visitation privileges consistent with patient preferences.
  • Restrict visitors according to the patient’s wishes or the patient’s condition.
  • Restrict visitors with the obvious presence of communicable disease. (Visitors must be free of communicable disease in order to ensure the safety of patients.)
  • Restrict visitors due to communicable disease outbreaks, restricted visitation may be posted and enforced.
  • Inform patients and/or support person of department-specific rules related to visitation to protect the rights and/or safety of others, e.g. Obstetrics.

Patients, or support persons where appropriate, will be informed of:

  • His or her visitation rights, including any clinical restriction or limitation on such rights.
  • The right, subject to his or her consent, to receive the visitors whom he or she designates, including, but not limited to, a spouse, a domestic partner (including a same-sex domestic partner), another family member, or a friend, and his or her right to withdraw or deny such consent at any time.
If you have any questions about your rights and responsibilities while in the hospital, contact the nurse.
Department of Inspections and Appeals
Division of Health Facilities
Lucas State Office Building
Des Moines, IA 50319
515-281-3790
Department of Human Services
Long Term Care Section
Hoover State Office Building
Des Moines, IA 50319
515-281-8621
Cresco Police
Cresco, IA  52136
563-547-2424
Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals
Medicaid Investigations Division
Fraud/Control Bureau
Lucas Building – 2nd Floor
Des Moines, IA 50319
Iowa Protection/Advocacy
3015 Merle Hay Road
Des Moines, IA 50310
515-278-2502
Howard County Sheriff
Cresco, IA  52136
563-547-3535
State Long Term Care Ombudsman
Iowa Department of Elder Affairs
914/Grand Ave., Suite 236
Des Moines, IA 50309
Complaint Hotline
515-281-3790
Iowa Foundation for Medical Care
6000 Westown Parkway, Suite 350E
West Des Moines, IA 50266-7771
515-223-2900
800-752-7014
Medicare
Social Security Administration
317 Washington St. Suite 1
Decorah, IA  52101
800-772-1213