Guide for patients and visitors

You can also view your Vanderbilt medical records online through My Health at Vanderbilt.

There are four garages for patients and visitors at the main Vanderbilt campus:

• The East Garage features parking for Medical Center East and the Vanderbilt University Hospital towers. There is free valet service here on Level 1 (Red).
• The Central Garage features parking for Vanderbilt Clinic patients and visitors. Patients with appointments, or people here to visit patients, receive free parking.
• The South Garage offers parking for patients and visitors of The Vanderbilt Clinic and the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital.
• The Village at Vanderbilt Garage offers ground level surface parking as well as covered parking below the building for patients and visitors.

At Vanderbilt Health One Hundred Oaks, there is free surface parking as well as free valet parking.

For your added convenience, shuttles run throughout the day from building to building and from One Hundred Oaks to the main campus. Click here to read more.

For patients in Vanderbilt Hospital:

Cards and letters from friends and family are extremely important to our patients. The VMC Post Office delivers mail as quickly and accurately as possible. Below are some tips that will help your mail arrive speedily.

Use the following format when addressing the envelope:

Patient John Smith
Vanderbilt University Hospital, Room 9999
1161 21st Ave. S.
Nashville, TN 37232

Some helpful tips:

• The patient's name must be included.
• Add the word 'Patient' before the patient's name.
• Make sure the name on the letter or package is the same as the name the patient was checked in under. This means that nicknames and parents' names should not be used.
• Include a middle name or initial if possible in case there is more than one patient with the same name.
• The patient's room number is helpful, if available, but you can still send mail to a patient without it, as long as the name matches an admission record.
   

For patients in the Village at Vanderbilt Apartments:

To expedite mail service, please make sure patients at the Village at Vanderbilt use the following format to receive mail from the United States Post Office:

Patient Name
Apt. _______, Village at Vanderbilt
Nashville, TN 37212

Some helpful tips:

• Do not include any room numbers from Vanderbilt University Hospital.
• Do not include the room number of the Village at Vanderbilt management office.

How to make the most of your appointment:

• Make a list of all the medications you currently take – prescription and over-the-counter.
• Bring copies of recent test results if they were done by a different doctor.
• At the visit, say what your main problem is first.
• Write down your doctor's diagnosis and treatment plan in case you forget a specific detail. You can also use this to ask follow-up questions later.
• Sign up for My Health at Vanderbilt. This secure Web service lets you communicate with your providers online. You can also see the results of your tests online, plus much more.

Visit Vanderbilt Safer Visit for more information.

As you prepare for your stay at Vanderbilt, we suggest you bring:

• List of phone numbers of family and friends
• Insurance cards
• Important documents such as living will and durable power of attorney
• List of medications you take, over-the-counter and prescription
• Small bag with change for vending machines, newspapers, etc.

To add to your comfort, consider bringing:

• Comfortable clothing without metal zippers or snaps. Choose loose-fitting garments.
• Shawl in case you get chilly
• Warm socks and/or slippers
• Eye covering to block out light
• Toiletries: toothbrush, toothpaste and favorite soap and lotion
• Books, magazines and newspapers
• Music player and charger
• Laptop or DVD player
• Handheld gaming device
• Knitting, crocheting or scrapbooking items
• Journal or paper and pen
• Family photographs or artwork

Visit Vanderbilt Safer Visit for more information.

If you have a medical emergency, call 911 or visit your closest emergency room. To make a non-urgent appointment at any Vanderbilt facility, call our Central Appointment Office at (615) 936-MYMD (6963).

The Hospitality shuttle route service is for families and friends of patients with extended care. This service stops at the Ronald McDonald House. On-call service is also available for Ronald McDonald, Hospitality House, Holiday Inn, Marriott and Loews. Call 936-1215 for information.

Patient Transport Courtesy Vans
Monday - Friday, 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (every 15 minutes)
Continuous trips within the Medical Center Campus, with stops at Medical Center East (Bus Depot), Medical Center North (Canopy), Vanderbilt University Hospital (Circular Drive), The Vanderbilt Clinic (Circular Drive), Children's Alley (Circular Drive), Preston Research Building (Circular Drive).

Click here to download a PDF map of shuttle bus routes.

See below for links to interactive maps of each shuttle route:

• Patient Courtesy Van Stops
• Black
• Purple
• Chestnut
• Green
• Gold
• Blue

We serve as an intermediary between patients, visitors and the medical center community. Our goal is to help these parties communicate to create a better environment at the medical center for everyone.

The Office of Patient Affairs consists of Patient Advocacy.

To contact the office about care received at Vanderbilt, email patientaffairs@vanderbilt.edu or call  (615) 322-6154.

Patient advocates in the Office of Patient Affairs can help you with questions, needs, or concerns about your visit to Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Your advocate can:

• Answer questions or concerns about your care
• Serve as a formal grievance agent for you and your family
• Receive praise for outstanding physicians and staff
• Help you learn about advance directives
• Help you know and use your health care rights
• Clarify medical center policies
• Bridge the gap where your expectations have not been met

We hope you and your family have a positive experience at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

There are four garages for patients and visitors at the main Vanderbilt campus:

• The East Garage features parking for Medical Center East and the Vanderbilt University Hospital towers. There is free valet service here on Level 1 (Red).
• The Central Garage features parking for Vanderbilt Clinic patients and visitors. Patients with appointments, or people here to visit patients, receive free parking.
• The South Garage offers parking for patients and visitors of The Vanderbilt Clinic and the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital.
• The Village at Vanderbilt Garage offers ground level surface parking as well as covered parking below the building for patients and visitors.

At Vanderbilt Health One Hundred Oaks, there is free surface parking as well as free valet parking.

For your added convenience, shuttles run throughout the day from building to building and from One Hundred Oaks to the main campus. Click here to read more.

For patients in Vanderbilt Hospital:

Cards and letters from friends and family are extremely important to our patients. The VMC Post Office delivers mail as quickly and accurately as possible. Below are some tips that will help your mail arrive speedily.

Use the following format when addressing the envelope:

Patient John Smith
Vanderbilt University Hospital, Room 9999
1161 21st Ave. S.
Nashville, TN 37232

Some helpful tips:

• The patient's name must be included.
• Add the word 'Patient' before the patient's name.
• Make sure the name on the letter or package is the same as the name the patient was checked in under. This means that nicknames and parents' names should not be used.
• Include a middle name or initial if possible in case there is more than one patient with the same name.
• The patient's room number is helpful, if available, but you can still send mail to a patient without it, as long as the name matches an admission record.
   

For patients in the Village at Vanderbilt Apartments:

To expedite mail service, please make sure patients at the Village at Vanderbilt use the following format to receive mail from the United States Post Office:

Patient Name
Apt. _______, Village at Vanderbilt
Nashville, TN 37212

Some helpful tips:

• Do not include any room numbers from Vanderbilt University Hospital.
• Do not include the room number of the Village at Vanderbilt management office.

The Hospitality shuttle route service is for families and friends of patients with extended care. This service stops at the Ronald McDonald House. On-call service is also available for Ronald McDonald, Hospitality House, Holiday Inn, Marriott and Loews. Call 936-1215 for information.

Patient Transport Courtesy Vans
Monday - Friday, 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (every 15 minutes)
Continuous trips within the Medical Center Campus, with stops at Medical Center East (Bus Depot), Medical Center North (Canopy), Vanderbilt University Hospital (Circular Drive), The Vanderbilt Clinic (Circular Drive), Children's Alley (Circular Drive), Preston Research Building (Circular Drive).

Click here to download a PDF map of shuttle bus routes.

See below for links to interactive maps of each shuttle route:

• Patient Courtesy Van Stops
• Black
• Purple
• Chestnut
• Green
• Gold
• Blue

There's a choice for every taste while you're here at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Inside Vanderbilt University Hospital, you'll find the Courtyard Cafe.

The Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt has a food court containing:

• Taco Bell
• Pizza Hut
• Subway
• Vandy Cafe
• Ben & Jerry's
• Suzy's Cafe

The Vanderbilt Bistro on Eight serves sandwiches and snacks on the 8th floor of Medical Center East.

Across 21st Avenue, at the Village of Vanderbilt, you'll find:

• Roly Poly sandwiches
• Pizza Perfect

Within walking distance of the Medical Center campus is Hillsboro Village, which contains a variety of restaurants:

• Zumi Sushi
• McDougal's Chicken Fingers and Wings
• Savarino's Cucina
• The Dog of Nashville
• Sportsman's Grille
• Sunset Grill
• Boscos
• Fido Coffee Shop
• Provence Breads & Cafe
• Sam's Sports Grill
• Pancake Pantry
• tayst
• Belcourt Taps and Tapas
• Jackson's

We serve as an intermediary between patients, visitors and the medical center community. Our goal is to help these parties communicate to create a better environment at the medical center for everyone.

The Office of Patient Affairs consists of Patient Advocacy.

To contact the office about care received at Vanderbilt, email patientaffairs@vanderbilt.edu or call  (615) 322-6154.

Patient advocates in the Office of Patient Affairs can help you with questions, needs, or concerns about your visit to Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Your advocate can:

• Answer questions or concerns about your care
• Serve as a formal grievance agent for you and your family
• Receive praise for outstanding physicians and staff
• Help you learn about advance directives
• Help you know and use your health care rights
• Clarify medical center policies
• Bridge the gap where your expectations have not been met

We hope you and your family have a positive experience at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) is a comprehensive healthcare facility dedicated to patient care, research, and biomedical education. Its reputation for excellence in each of these areas has made Vanderbilt a major patient referral center for the Mid-South. Each year, people throughout Tennessee and the Southeast choose Vanderbilt for their health care needs, not only because of its excellence in medical science, but also because the faculty and staff are dedicated to treating patients with dignity and compassion. Vanderbilt's mission is to advance health and wellness through preeminent programs in patient care, education, and research.