OSF Saint Francis Medical Center makes every effort to ensure that you hospital stay is as comfortable as possible.  The following information is designed to help answer some of the most frequently asked questions that you or your family may have during your stay.  If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact Patient Relations at ext. (309) 655-2222.

How do I get to OSF Saint Francis Medical Center?

OSF Saint Francis Medical Center is located in downtown Peoria and is easily accessible from I-74 and main streets as well as public transportation.  [ Maps & Directions ]

How do I indicate my advanced directives?

An advanced directive is a document that gives your healthcare desires in advance.  It is a significant statement of your intentions and should be developed only after careful consideration.  An advanced directive is produced when either a living will or a durable power of attorney for health care is executed (signed and witnessed).  Either of these documents guides your caregivers in following your wishes concerning medical treatment or non-treatment in the event you become incapacitated.  Advanced directives are best developed before an illness or injury occurs.  For further information, call Social Services at (309) 655-2311.

When are visiting hours and what guidelines must visitors follow?

Visitors can be good medicine for patients and family members and friends are welcome to visit.  General visiting hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.  The Intensive Care Units have special hours and guidelines.  While visiting we ask that visitors follow the following guidelines:

• Each visitor must be at least 12 years of age.  Permission must be received from the nurse in charge for visitors younger than 12.
• Children must be accompanied by an adult at all times
• Visitors should use public restrooms, not patient bathrooms
• No smoking in patient rooms or anywhere in the medical center
• Visitors must dress appropriately, including shirt and shoes
• No more that 2 visitors allowed at the bedside at a time
• People with colds, sore throats or any contagious diseases should not visit patients
• Visits should be kept short
• Visitors should maintain a quiet environment and avoid any unnecessary noise
• Visitors may be asked to leave the room during tests or examinations

Is discount parking available for patients and visitors?

Parking for patients and visitors is available for a reasonable fee in the Medi-Park decks.  It is usually most convenient to enter the hospital from the "C" level of Medi-Park 1.  This level leads to the main admitting / information area of the Gerlach building.  Wheelchairs and directional cards are available at this entrance.  Please be sure to lock your care.  If you need assistance to your care, call Security at (309) 655-2131.  For information on courtesy and discount parking, call (309) 655-2483 between 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

What if I need an interpreter?

OSF Saint Francis Medical Center offers an interpreter service for patients speaking a foreign language or using sign language.  For assistance please call Patient Relations at (309) 655-2222.

Does the hospital assist patients with communication difficulties?

OSF Saint Francis Medical Center provides specialized communication equipment (such as telecommunications devices for the deaf, amplification handsets for telephones, or closed caption TVs) at no charge.  For further information, please talk to your nurse or call the hospital operator.

What if I have questions or concerns during my stay?

OSF Saint Francis Medical Center makes every effort to ensure that your hospital stay is as comfortable as possible.  To that end, our Patient Relations volunteers visit newly admitted patients to provide information about hospital programs and services.  The Patient Relations Department provides a channel through which all inpatients, outpatients and their families can gain answers to questions, seek solutions to problems and obtain responses to concern or unmet needs.  We seek to demonstrate to all patients, their families and friends the concern and responsiveness of our staff in meeting the needs of each individual.  If you have any questions before, during or after your stay, please feel free to contact Patient Relations at (309) 655-2222.

Does my patient room phone work like my home phone?

Yes, with a few exceptions. You can dial all local calls directly from your bedside telephone. Note that the last four digits of your hospital telephone number match your patient room number. When dialing a number within the hospital, you need only dial the last five digits of the number.

For all local numbers, just dial 9 + the telephone number.

OSF Saint Francis' Food and Nutrition Services is dedicated to providing you with nutritious, attractive and delicious meals.  The actual time you receive your meals depends on your romm location. Meal times are:

Breakfast		6:40 - 8:30 a.m.
Lunch		11.20 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Dinner		4:40 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

At breakfast, you will receive a menu for the next day. Circle your preferences and keep the menu until it is picked up by the hospitality assistant. If your physician orders special tests that delay or cancel a meal, your tray will be held or you will be served a snack before the next meal. Occasionally, we may change your menu if your selections conflict with your physician's diet prescription. If you have any problems with food selections, staff from the Food Services Department will assist you.

Where can my visitors get something to eat?

Courtyard Gallery Cafeteria - Main Building
The Courtyard Gallery Cafeteria provides a selection of well prepared and nutritious food for visitors and employees.  It is open 24 hours per day, seven days per week.  The cafeteria is located in the main part of building, just follow the signs.

Breakfast Homestyle         6:00 am - 10:00 am
Breakfast includes eggs, sausage, bacon, hashbrowns and biscuits and gravy

Breakfast Grill                     3:00 am - 10:30 am
Grilled breakfast sandwiches, omelets to order, eggs to order, pancakes, waffles and French toast

Lunch begins at 10:30 am and continues through 3^rd shift.

Homestyle area serves homestyle meals with whipped potatoes, vegetables and soup.

Los Pablos area serves Mexican food including nachos, tacos, taco salads, southwest salads and a different special daily.

Grill area serves steak burgers, grilled chicken, grilled cheese, grilled ham and cheese, BLT, and grilled vegetarian sandwich.

Deli area serves deli and Panini sandwiches.

Dessert Café serves ice cream by the cup, cone, shakes sundaes, Razzles, Iced coffee Frappe and Starbucks coffee.

Salad Bar served by the ounce.

Also offered are grab and go sandwiches, salads, desserts and beverages. In the hot chute are ready to go chicken sandwiches, fries and steakburgers.

Spotted Cow Café - Gerlach Building
The Spotted Cow Cafe is located on the first floor of the Gerlach Building, off of admitting.  It is open from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm, Monday through Friday and 9:00 am to 5:00 pm on Saturday and Sunday.  They serve breakfast sandwiches, danish, specialty coffees and coffee cakes for breakfast and sandwiches, salads, soups, specialty coffees and cookies for lunch and dinner. They also offer 1 or 2 value meals every day which includes an entrée, chips and a soda.  Spotted Cow is known for its homemade ice cream which comes in many different flavors and can be made into shakes and sundaes.

Vending available off the Admitting area 24 hours per day.

Subway - North Building
Subway is located on the first floor of the North Building open 9:00 am to 8:00 pm, Monday through Friday and 10:00 am to 6:00 pm on Saturday and Sunday.  Just follow the Subway signs.  Subway is a full service national sandwich shop serving breakfast sandwiches and cinnamon rolls, for breakfast.  For lunch and dinner they serve hot and cold sandwiches on specialty breads, salads, pizza and cookies.  Any sandwich can be made into a value meal.

All seasonal specials (i.e. 2 subs for 7.99 or 3 subs for 11.99) will also be offered at this subway.

Haddad’s Food Cart - Summers In Rutherford Park
May – September
Join us in Rutherford Park, across the street, next to the Forest Park Building where the Haddad family are grilling up hamburgers, pork chops, chicken breasts, brats, polish sausage and of course the Gyro’s sandwiches.  They are here May-September from 11:00 am - 1:30 pm, Monday through Friday.

Does the hospital have a barber or beautician available?

Hair care is available but is not a service of OSF Saint Francis Medical Center.  For your personal care, a barber/beautician is available.  Call the Patient Relations Department at (309) 655-2222 for phone numbers of available stylists.  The Medical Center does not set fees for the stylists and their charges can not be added to your hospital billing.  Please check with your nurse before scheduling an appointment.

Does the hospital have a chapel or chaplains available?

OSF Saint Francis Medical Center believes that total patient care demands attention to the spiritual as well as the physical and emotional needs of the patient.  Members of the Pastoral Care Team (Roman Catholic priests, OSF sisters and Protestant ministers) are available to assist you and your family whatever your religious tradition.  The team includes chaplains who have specialized training for hospital ministry.  If you wish to see a chaplain, please ask your nurse or call the medical center operator (0) to page the chaplain on call.  Chapel services and communion schedules are also available through Pastoral Care at (309) 655-2084.

Is there a hospital gift shop or florist?

The gift shop is operated by the Medical Center Auxiliary and is staffed by volunteers.  It has gift items, jewelry, greeting cards, candy, toiletries, plants and flowers.  Visitors should check with the nurse before bringing gifts, food or drinks to patients.  Certain gifts, including food, fresh flowers and live plants, are not allowed in critical care units.  Hours are:

Monday through Friday		9:30 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Saturday		11:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Sunday		12:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Do you have a library of medical information for patients and visitors?

Accurate, Reliable Health Information Easier to Access
OSF Center for Health Resource Library

If you would like to know more information on a medical condition affecting you or your family, or if you are looking for information on exercise, nutrition, or keeping healthy, the Center for Health Resource Library has a special collection of materials available for your use.

Now you have a source for finding valuable accurate and up-to-date medical and healthcare information right here in your area - the OSF Saint Francis Center for Health Resource Library.  The Resource Library is open to the public from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, and is located on the 2nd floor of the Center for Health.  The Center for Health Resource Library is stocked with books, videotapes, online databases, and other printed materials on various healthcare topics. A computer workstation  provides free Internet access as well as Gale's Health & Wellness Resource Center database.  A medical librarian is always available to assist you in accessing appropriate materials, and to assist you in searching for reliable, science-based health information on the Internet.

For more information on the Resource Library, or to ask a reference question, call the Library at (309) 683-5309.  The Resource Library website is www.library.osfhealthcare.org.

Carol Galganski, MSLS, MSHSA Manager, Library & Resource Center (309) 655-2268

Does the hospital have books or magazines available for patients to read in their rooms?

Volunteers bring the library cart to all floors on a regular basis.  Books may be borrowed on a short-term basis at no charge.  Books may be delivered to your room by calling the Volunteer library office at (309) 655-2159.  Hours are 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Can a patient receive mail or flowers to their room?

Mail is delivered once a day.  Telegrams are delivered upon receipt.  Any mail received after you leave will be forwarded to your home.  Flowers and gifts are delivered as soon as possible after they are received.  Visitors should check with the nurse before bringing gifts, food or drinks to patients.  Certain gifts, including food, fresh flowers and live plants, are not allowed in critical care units.  Latex balloons are not allowed.  Only Mylar balloons are acceptable in the medical center.

How can I tell OSF Saint Francis Medical Center what I liked and disliked during my admission?

We want to know what you think about the care you received at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center. Your candid opinion helps us serve our patients better. Shortly after you return home, you will receive a survey in the mail. Please take the time to fill it out completely and return it in the envelope we provide.