Support Services

At UT Southwestern Medical Center, we know that care doesn’t end with the physical body. We care for our patients’ social, emotional, spiritual, and financial concerns as well. 

Support at UT Southwestern and at Home

UT Southwestern offers a variety of support services to help patients while they’re in our hospitals and clinics, and even after they’ve gone home.

Chaplain Services

The health care team at UT Southwestern believes that total patient care includes the spiritual as well as the physical and emotional needs of each patient. Members of the Chaplain Services staff are available to assist patients, whatever their religious tradition, when spiritual support is needed.

We also welcome clergy of all faiths to visit their hospitalized congregants at any time.

Meditation chapels are located on the second floor of William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital and on the first floor of Zale Lipshy University Hospital. Visitors of all faiths are welcome to visit the chapels for prayer, quiet reflection, or time to just be.

Weekly Services at Clements University Hospital Chapel

Services are televised in patient rooms on channel 1.

• Nondenominational Christian service: Sunday, 10 a.m.
  
• Roman Catholic service: Wednesday, 11:30 a.m.

Request a Chaplain

To receive support services from the Chaplain Services staff, please call 214-633-4080.

Pursuing Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE)

Visit our CPE page for information about our program.

Home Health Care

UT Southwestern Home Health Care is a licensed and certified home health agency that works closely with patients and their families to provide skilled care in patients’ homes.

Many of the agency’s registered nurses, nursing assistants/home health aides, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, and medical social workers are bilingual. They provide the following services:

• Cardiac management
  
• Congestive heart failure management
  
• Intravenous (IV) therapy such as antibiotics, pain management, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), chemotherapy, and total parenteral nutrition (TPN)
  
• Left ventricular assist device (LVAD) care from specialty-trained nurses
  
• Medication management and teaching
  
• Ostomy care and management
  
• Prothrombin time/international normalized ratio (PT/INR) at patient's bedside with immediate results
  
• Rehabilitation at home
  
• Tracheotomy care and teaching
  
• VitalStim therapy for dysphagia (difficulty swallowing)
  
• Wound care
  
• Wound vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) from certified nurses

UT Southwestern Home Health Care accepts most major insurance plans, such as Medicare, Medicaid, Blue Cross/Blue Shield (HMO/PPO), United Health Care, North Texas Health Network, Worker's Compensation, and Multiplan.

Contact Us

Melva Porteous, RN, Director

Bass Center
6363 Forest Park Road
Suite BLB-304
Dallas, TX 75390-9279

Phone: 214-645-4570
Fax: 214-645-4578
Email

Foreign Language Interpreters

UT Southwestern offers interpreters for a number of foreign languages, should a patient require them. Medical interpreting is available for patients seven days a week.

To ensure that an interpreter is available for an outpatient visit, please notify the clinical practice when making the appointment that the patient will need an interpreter.

Services are also available to assist visually and hearing-impaired patients and guests. Patients who are hearing impaired can receive assistance from the Language Services office. Both William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital and Zale Lipshy University Hospital provide TDD/TTY telephone devices.

For more information, call the Language Services Department at 214-645-1270.

Notary Services

UT Southwestern is pleased to offer notary services for patients and their families. For more information, contact us at the numbers below.

University Hospitals

Notaries are available at UT Southwestern Hospitals Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Please call 214-633-4700 for assistance.

UT Southwestern Clinics

Notaries are available at UT Southwestern Clinics Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Aston Building, 214-645-2393
  
• Outpatient Building, 214-645-1700
  
• Professional Office Buildings 1 and 2, 214-645-1700
  
• Seay Building, 214-645-8583
  

Social Work and Case Management

Patients at UT Southwestern Medical Center are in good hands in every aspect of care, medical and otherwise. Case managers are assigned to each inpatient care area. They’re trained to help patients and family members address financial, social, and emotional problems related to illness or hospitalization.

Case managers also help patients and families cope with long-term illnesses, rehabilitation, and discharge planning. They can assist with arrangements for the following services:

• Home health care, nursing care, and hospice care
  
• Medical equipment
  
• Outpatient physical therapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy
  
• Referrals to community agencies
  

Volunteer Services

UT Southwestern offers challenging and rewarding volunteer opportunities in a variety of areas.

Our volunteer ranks include professionals, high school and college students, homemakers, and retirees. Volunteers help continue UT Southwestern’s tradition of caring service and assistance to our patients, guests, and staff.

Volunteer Duties and Hours

Hospital volunteer duties are primarily clerical and customer service-oriented. Weekday, evening, and weekend positions are available. Most volunteers work once a week for a three- to four-hour shift. Adult and college student volunteers are asked to make a one-year, minimum 100-hour commitment.

Youth Volunteers

To participate in our youth program, volunteers must be 15 to 17 years old (15 years old on or before April 30). The annual seven-week summer program begins in mid-June and continues through early August. Applications for the youth program are available beginning the last week of March and receipt of applications begins April 1.

Become a Volunteer

Contact UT Southwestern’s Volunteer Services Department at 214-633-4081 to find out more about us and obtain an application packet.

You can also request the packet by email.