For Patients

In addition to treating your bone and joint conditions and injuries, it is our goal to provide answers to your orthopaedic questions and concerns. This page provides information about how to prepare for an appointment or surgery, billing and insurance questions, identifying available services, and more.
Patient information
Please call your doctor's office or clinic as far in advance as possible to schedule your appointments. This makes it easier for us to find a time that’s convenient for you. To find a clinic phone number, use our find a doctor tool to search for doctors by specialty.
Be sure to register after you make your first appointment. Registration lets us collect basic information about you and create your medical record. It also helps each clinic correctly identify you and your medical information.
If your health plan restricts the clinics or providers you can use, be sure your plan has approved the healthcare you are requesting. This will help you avoid unexpected fees.
Information you will need when making an appointment
Clinics need information to identify you, to locate your medical record and to reserve the appropriate amount of time for your appointment. We will ask for the following information:
Canceling an appointment
If you cannot keep your appointment, please call your doctor's office or clinic as soon as possible or no later than the day before. We realize that sometimes emergencies come up and your plans may change. However, giving us as much notice as possible helps us serve you and our other patients better. When you call, we will help you reschedule for another day and time.
Preparing for your appointment
Although we will make most of the preparations for your appointment, there are a few things you need to do:
- Insurance/Medicaid/Medicare card: Please bring your insurance, Medicaid or Medicare card with you to your appointments. We will verify your coverage so we can process your bill correctly.
- Co-payment or prepayment: If your health plan has a copayment or you have a pre-payment requirement, please bring your payment with you. We accept cash, personal checks, VISA debit cards, American Express, Discover, Mastercard and VISA.
- Medications list: Please bring a list of your current prescriptions, over-the-counter drugs, vitamins or supplements, as well as a list of known drug allergies.
- Medical records and X-rays, CT scans, MRIs etc: If you are being referred to an OHSU specialist from a non-OHSU clinic or doctor, please arrange for them to send your medical records and appropriate X-rays or other imaging studies to us. For more information, call medical correspondence at 503 494-8521.
- Notes about your health concerns: Some patients find it helpful to write a few notes about their symptoms and any other health concerns.
Pre-registration
When your doctor schedules you for a procedure or admission at OHSU, we try to contact you before your visit to get information from you. This includes your address and phone number, insurance information and other information for your medical record. If you are having surgery at OHSU, you may also be scheduled for an appointment in our Pre-Admit Testing clinic. During this visit you will be directed to the Admitting desk where an Admitting Representative will pre-register you for your surgery.
If you are being admitted for a hospital visit and would like to pre-register in person, you may do so at the Main Admitting Office Patient Access Services, located on the 9th floor of the main OHSU Hospital. You may also pre-register online.
Arriving for your stay
Arrange to have someone bring you for your stay. Your driver may park free in the patient parking garage under the Physicians Pavilion or the Center for Health & Healing on the day of you come to the hospital and the day you go home. You may choose to use other transportation such as a Tri-Met bus or a local cab. To help you find your way to and around OHSU, visit Getting to OHSU.
If you need more assistance, call the OHSU operator at 503 494-8311.
What to bring with you:
- Money for any insurance co-pay or deductible that your plan requires
- Personal toiletries
- Robe and slippers
- Insurance billing information
What to leave at home:
- Valuables, including money (other than your co-pay or deductible), wallet, purse, credit cards and jewelry
- Electrically operated appliances
- Medications (unless your doctor asks you to bring them)
Checking in for surgery
Please ask your doctor for your specific check-in time.
Main hospital surgery and admission check-in
OHSU Patient Access Services, 9th Floor Main Lobby
Open from 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends.
Day surgery check-in at the Center for Health & Healing
Open from 6:00 a.m to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Call 503 418-5313 for more information.
Doernbecher patient access services main lobby
Open from 5:30 a.m to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Call 503 418-5313 for more information.
Financial matters
If you have medical insurance, an Insurance Verification Specialist (IVS) will confirm authorizations and/or PCP (primary care provider) referrals (if required) to financially secure your admission.
If you do not have insurance or your insurance will not cover all the care you need, an IVS representative will determine whether you are eligible for hospital financial assistance.
If you are not eligible for hospital assistance, the IVS representative will talk with you about making a deposit to cover your care. If you are eligible for hospital assistance, the IVS representative will tell you about the amount of your discount. If you might qualify for the Oregon Health Plan or another Medicaid program, an IVS representative will refer you to Finance and Medicaid Services (F&MS). An F&MS representative will help you with the application process.
How you pay for your healthcare will depend on whether you have health insurance and the type of coverage you have. Learn about billing and insurance.
Do you have questions about your medical bill? Learn about bills and making a payment.
Where is OHSU located?
OHSU’s two hospitals (OHSU Hospital and OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital ) and numerous primary care and specialty practices are mostly located in southwest Portland on the Marquam Hill campus and in the Center for Health & Healing in the South Waterfront District along the west bank of the Willamette River. Additionally, we provide outpatient care in dozens of medical specialties in these locations.
Family Medicine practices are also available in Gabriel Park, Richmond and Scappoose; pediatric primary care and specialty practices in Bethany and SW Washington; oncology services in Beaverton, Gresham, NW Portland, and Tualatin; as well as outreach clinics and partnerships with community hospitals throughout Oregon and SW Washington.
Visit the Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation locations page to find the most convenient location for you.
What healthcare services does OHSU provide?
OHSU provides a broad spectrum of specialties and services to more than 200,000 patients from throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington. More than a third of our patients are children. Care ranges from the basic to the complex, from disease prevention to highly sophisticated care for patients with complicated illnesses or injuries. Many of these services are offered nowhere else in Oregon.
For a complete list, go to Healthcare Services.
How do I find an OHSU medical practice or doctor near me?
This page provides convenient links to lists of specialties and centers at OHSU, and to our list of doctors. You may search for a doctor by name, specialty or location.
Can anyone receive healthcare at OHSU?
OHSU accepts most insurance plans. For a complete list, visit our Billing & Insurance section of the website.
How do I schedule an appointment?
Making an appointment over the telephone
A listing of OHSU Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation practices is located here.
If you are having trouble finding a phone number for the practice or doctor you want, call 503 494-8311.
Make an appointment online
OHSU has a confidential electronic patient service called MyChart where you can make appointments and keep track of your medical records online. To sign up for the service go to MyChart or ask for assistance when you come in for your appointment.
How do I get to OHSU?
To find directions, maps, parking and public transportation for all patient care locations, visit OHSU Near You.
Is free parking available at OHSU?
Free parking is available in designated areas for patients of OHSU’s hospitals and medical practices. If you are visiting a doctor’s office on Marquam Hill or at the OHSU Center for Health & Healing, you must have your parking ticket validated at the doctor’s reception desk to ensure you will not be charged. Parking is also free for patients and visitors at our medical practices in Bethany, Gabriel Park and Scappoose.
For more information about parking at OHSU, visit Parking.
Where do I find information about my OHSU bill?
We want to make the billing and payment process as simple as possible for you to understand and navigate. For more information about our services and billing process, visit Billing & Insurance.
If you would like to talk with someone with questions about billing or make payment arrangements, call 503 494-8760 or 1 800 500-5582 (toll free).
I want to visit someone in the hospital at OHSU. How do I get in touch with them?
Call the OHSU Operator at 503 494-8311 for information about where your friend or family member is staying.
For information about visiting OHSU, go to Visiting a Patient.
Express Orthopaedic Care at OHSU
Same-day orthopaedic care for acute injuries. Our Express Orthopaedic Care services available in Portland and Beaverton provide you with quick access to orthopaedic specialists and a full-range of services. Learn more
Ask the Health Experts video archive
Visit our "Ask the Bone and Joint Experts" lecture archive to watch videos of lectures by Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation faculty.