Beginning Oct 2, valet parking at the entrances to Clarkson Tower, the Durham Outpatient Center, and the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center will be available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Currently the hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. New signs also will reflect that free valet parking is intended for patients only.
“People may not realize, we pay for every car our valets park,” says Chad Brough, chief experience officer. “We’re happy to provide that free service for our patients, but we’re going to encourage visitors to use the nearby garages and we’re going to insist that vendors and staff not use valet parking.”
Brough says Nebraska Medicine spends about a million dollars per year on valet parking. By concentrating the service on the hours when it’s most useful for patients, we’ll be able to continue offering the free service in a more efficient way.
Schedulers will explain the valet policy to patients before their appointments.
Who is "encouraging visitors to use the nearby garages"? Is this being done by the valets? If so, this practice needs to stop. Patients do not always have issues that show and to have some valet who doesn't know anything about your medical condition telling you that you should park themselves is unacceptable. If a patient wants valet parking, give them valet parking.
I have had many surgeries that require me to arrive before 8 am also I have had times where I have not been discharged after 5. Just something to think about.
Valet parking needs to be available from the time surgeries start in the am till the last one at night if the patient is going home. This usually covers the 7 am – 7 pm time frame, then parking needs to monitor the lots better. We all know that there are times when patients have to be here before 7 am for procedures, and if they already are not able to park themselves, then you are leaving open a large wound. We also know there is a lot of abuse of employees parking in spots all over campus intended for patients, and that problem will never go away, but if employees are that inconsiderate to take a patients parking instead of using employee parking, then maybe we shouldn't have those employees working for us.
Sometimes employees become patients. In one instance an employee had to go to the ER during work hours and was told valet was not available to them since they were an employee. Thoughts?
I appreciate all the comments. I work across campus, and when I need to see my physician or have an MRI, I become a patient. Therefore, I contact security and I drive across campus and park in the visitor's lot. I have never asked valet to park my car, however, if the day arrives that I physically cannot walk the distance, then I would use the valet service. If parking was not available to me, then I would reconsider where I receive my medical care.
When I have a doctor's appointment I become a patient and should have the right to park in the visitor lot and use valet parking if necessary. Last year I had two foot surgeries and could not walk very far. If that happens again, I am a patient, and given the physical limitation, should be able to use valet parking.
Perhaps one of the valet parking sites could be open longer hours to accommodate early surgeries and late appointments. I had a 4:00 appointment last week and we didn't realize the valet hours had changed. So we didn't get back to parking until about 5:10. It took 45 minutes!! for security to deliver my friend and a few others to their cars. We weren't able to leave the Buffett until about 5:55.
Perhaps valet parking could go until 5:30 the accommodate patients with 4pm appointments.
God bless Thank you for everything you do Mr. Buffet is a wonderful man I personally know. This place is so beautiful state art medical. Amen
I left a black cane on the desk of the Valet Parking Desk outside the Durham Outpatient Parking this a.m. How do I retrieve?
Thanks
Sharon Rahn-Harris, Patient
They should keep the times for valet parking
Funny how I still wait 20+ minutes to get my car back. Get rid of that female that runs things and you might have a better service