Hospital Guide
Information for our Patients
Admission Information
St. Anthony's Memorial Hospital strives to make your hospital stay as comfortable as possible. Please bring any information or paperwork given to you by your physician, as well as copies of living wills or power of attorney, advance directives, or other information you would like placed in your medical record. All information is confidential.
Your Medical Care
Your complete medical care is under the direction/supervision of your physician, who is a member of the hospital Medical Staff. It is your physician who determines what diagnostic tests you will take, whether or not you require x-rays, therapy or medication and what food you can eat. Hospital nurses, technicians and other specialists will follow your physician's directions in providing your care.
What to bring
You will need to bring any personal items, such as pajamas, robes, slippers, shaving equipment, toothbrush, and any others you use daily. We advise you to leave any valuables at home.
Medication
Please do not bring medications from home unless your physician requests you to. You should have a complete list of all medications, including dosages, you take at home. If your doctor requests, all medications you bring from home will be stored and given by the nursing staff.
Identification Bands
You will be required to wear an identification band at all times during your stay. This ensures you will receive proper treatments and medications. DO NOT remove the band for any reason. If the band becomes tight, alert the nursing staff.
Treatment
You will be asked to sign appropriate consent and release forms to authorize hospital personnel to provide services your physician has ordered for you.
When you check in at Registration, you will be required to sign a Consent For Treatment and an Authorization To Bill Insurance.
If you are a Medicare recipient, you will be required to sign a Medicare Secondary Questionnaire and a Medicare Rights Statement.
Remember to bring a Social Security Card, all insurance cards, picture ID, and a living will if you have one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Where do I go the day of surgery? Where does my family go?
A: During your pre-op visit, the nurse will show/instruct you where to report. Your family will be able to accompany you to the surgical waiting area.
Q: What do I need to bring to the hospital?
A: If you are having an outpatient procedure, normally all you need to bring is a care partner/driver. If you are going to stay overnight or longer, you may choose to bring an overnight bag with self-care items. These self-care items include:
- mouthcare
- haircare
- lotion
- kleenex
- robe
- slippers
- comfortable clothing for your trip home.
We would ask that you leave your bag out in your vehicle until after you have been taken to your room. Your family can then bring it in.
Q: Should I bring my medicines to the hospital? What medication do I take the day of my surgery?
A: Unless specifically instructed to bring, DO NOT bring your medication with you the day of surgery. During the pre-op visit, the nurse will instruct you on what medications to take.
Q: How long will I be at the hospital?
A:The time will vary according to the surgical procedure. Patients having outpatient surgery can discuss this with the nurses. Recovery time varies with the type of surgery and anesthesia. Patients having more invasive surgery should discuss this with their surgeon.
Q: How long is my surgery?
A:The time varies with all surgical procedures, how quickly you recover from anesthesia, etc. This is a question which your surgeon can best answer. The surgical team may also be able to answer this question.
Q: How long will I be off work?
A: The time off of work will vary according to your doctor's recommendations. This is a question which your surgeon can best answer.
Q: When can I eat or drink last?
A: Normally this is 8 hours prior to surgery, but the surgeon's office sometimes adjusts this time
Q: What is the cost of my surgery? Is the hospital or anesthesia PPO providers?
A: This question can best be answered by contacting our Business Office at 217-347-1205.
Q: Will I be with my child when they go to sleep and when they wake up?
A: This is decided by the Anesthesia department during the anesthesia visit prior to surgery. Any further questions or explanations should be addressed to Anesthesia staff.
Q: Can my family stay with me if I am admitted?
A: There are no family sleeping areas. A family member may be allowed to stay with the patient, using the chair that is in the patient room. There could be exceptions depending on the nursing unit.
Q: Will I need to take my clothes off?
A: Prior to your surgery procedure you will be asked to change into a hospital gown. Depending on your procedure, you may be allowed to leave your underclothes on.
Q: Why do I have to be pre-admited? Can I just do it the day of surgery?
A: We like to see patients prior to the day of admission for the pre-admission visit. This can decrease the possibility of a delay in your surgery. We obtain a pre-op nursing history and review any prep needed for surgery. We try to answers questions the patient or family may have, helping to alleviate apprehension and have the patient prepared as much as possible. This also provides a smoother flow the day of surgery.
Q: Do I have to have a history and physical, and when?
A: Unless you are having a procedure that does not require any anesthesia, you will need to have a history and physical done within 30 days prior to your procedure.
Q: Can I talk with my surgeon before surgery?
A: If you would like to speak with your surgeon prior to your procedure, please let the nurses know this in the prep area.
Q: Why do I have to be here so soon?
A: Normally you are requested to be here 1 to 1 1/2 hours prior to approximate surgery time. This allows for you to be prepped for surgery. This includes completing admission paperwork, vital signs, changing into a gown, having your visit with the Anesthesia department, and having your intravenous line (IV) started. Some procedures require a longer prep time or additional testing prior to the procedure.
Q: Do I need to bring my child for the pre-op visit?
A: If your child is the patient and there has not been any pre-op lab work ordered, then your child does not need to come for the pre-op visit.
Healthcare Decisions...Advance Directives
Factors to Consider
Human life is a precious gift, and at St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital, we are committed to providing care and support for all in need. When illness becomes critical, it is necessary to think about those difficult decisions regarding lifesaving measures.
St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital has an Institutional Review Committee to assist healthcare providers, patients, and families in dealing with these difficult decisions. Pastoral Care is also available 24 hours a day to provide spiritual guidance and assistance.
Lifesaving procedures may include cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), ventilation, or defibrillation. As a patient, you have a right and obligation to make your wishes on critical healthcare decisions known to family members, physicians, and hospital staff. If you do not wish to receive lifesaving measures, you may request a “No Code” or DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) order be placed on your medical chart. A “No Code” or DNR order can be reversed at any time. A copy of an Illinois Department of Public Health Uniform DNR order also will be made a part of your permanent record. The “No Code” or DNR status does not mean all medical and nursing care will be withheld. Patients will continue to receive high-quality supportive care that includes providing foods and fluids, personal hygiene, pain control, and ongoing personal attention and comfort.
In the following section, Planning Ahead, it discusses the legal aspect of making your healthcare wishes known.
Planning Ahead
Illinois law gives you the right to accept or reject medical treatment. You also have the right to give direction, in advance, about the kind of healthcare you want if the time comes when you cannot make your own decisions.
You can control your future healthcare by signing a form naming a trusted relative or friend to communicate for you and by signing a document that tells the kind of life-sustaining treatment you want. These documents, called Advance Directives, are written statements you make in advance about your future medical treatment decisions.
Compliments and Concerns
Patient satisfaction is a priority at St. Anthony's Memorial Hospital. As a patient at St. Anthony's, your comments and concerns are of great importance to us.
If you have a comment or concern while being treated at St. Anthony's, you may speak to our nursing supervisor, who is designated to handle patient-related issues, by contacting the switchboard operator at extension 0. If you have concerns after you leave, please contact our hospital administration at 217-347-1324 during business hours, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or write to St. Anthony's Memorial Hospital, c/o Administration, 503 North Maple Street, Effingham, IL 62401.
If you are unable to resolve your concern in this manner, contact the Illinois Department of Public Health's 24-hour, toll free Central Complaint Registry at 800-252-4343, TTY at 800-547-0466 or write to the Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Health Care Facilities and Programs, 525 West Jefferson Street, Springfield, IL 62761-0001.
To help ensure that patient needs are being met, Professional Research Consultants, Inc., an independent company, has been contracted to conduct a patient care survey. Surveys are done by telephone on a random basis. As a recent patient treated at St. Anthony's, you may be contacted and questioned concerning the care you received at our hospital.
Let us know how we are doing so that we can better serve your needs.