Patient Handbook

Going Home

Discharge Planning

Your doctor determines when you are ready to leave the hospital and will write a discharge order. Silver Cross is certain that you will have what you need upon discharge. A case manager will talk with you and your family soon after admission to identify educational and discharge needs.

Discharge Instructions

Your physician and nurse will give you final instructions about post-hospital care. If you have any questions about your diet, activities, medications, or other matters, please ask at this time.

Personal Belongings

Collect all of your personal belongings and double-check closets and drawers. If you have any valuables stored in the hospital safe, notify your nurse to obtain your belongings.

Medications

Your physician will give your prescriptions for home use prior to discharge. The hospital does not have a pharmacy to fill your prescriptions so arrangements must be made to have them filled at an outside pharmacy.

Escort Service

When you are ready to leave, a member of the hospital staff will escort you to the front entrance and help you into your vehicle.

Health & Wellness Programs

Silver Cross is committed to the quality of your life and offers a wide variety of classes, community health programs, screenings, and support groups to help you get well and stay healthy. For a complete listing of classes and programs, call Silver Cross Wellness Promotion at (888) 660-HEAL (4325) or visit www.silvercross.org.

Home Health Care

Silver Cross Home Health offers comprehensive in-home services for patients who are ready to complete their recovery in the comfort of their own homes. Our expert staff provides a full range of skilled services, the latest equipment and supplies and information to make recovery at home easier.

To qualify for home care services, Medicare patients must be homebound, in need of intermittent care and under the care of a physician. In addition, anyone who requires professional medical assistance to remain at home may request our services. We also care for patients who have come from other health care facilities and reside in our service area. Medicare, Medicaid, HMOs and various private insurance companies usually cover costs. Silver Cross Home Health will help research your coverage prior to beginning services. For more information, call (815) 740-7124 or fax (815) 740-3563.

Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit

The Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit at Silver Cross Hospital is a place where patients suffering from disabling conditions such as stroke, heart attack, joint replacement surgery or amputation can rediscover their independence to lead a productive life. Rehabilitation can also help people dealing with chronic conditions such as lung disease, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease and muscular dystrophy.

Silver Cross Hospital's dedicated team of rehabilitation specialist work closely with each patient to help them get back to life as quickly as possible. Physicians, patients and their families, social workers/case managers and allied health professionals may initiate a referral to the unit. For more information, to make a referral or to arrange a tour of the Silver Cross Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit, call (815) 740-1234, ext. 4285.

Patient Satisfaction

Our goals is to provide you with the highest quality of care and services and strive to make your experience at Silver Cross the best health care experience possible.

To achieve this goal, we need your help in evaluating our performance by letting us know how we are doing. Therefore, in approximately one week after your discharge, you will receive a patient satisfaction survey in the mail. By completing this survey and returning it in the postage-paid envelope, you will be helping us improve our quality of care and service.

The survey uses the following scoring system: 5 = very good; 4 = good; 3 = fair; 2 = poor; 1 = very poor. If for any reason you cannot rate us a "5," or failed to live up to your expectations, please contact your nurse or call our Customer Service Hotline at (815) 740-1234, ext. 2772.

Rehabilitation Services

Your physician can order physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy if you require such services during your hospitalization. All of our physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech and language pathologists are graduates of accredited programs and are licensed to practice in Illinois. In addition, several of our staff members are able to perform hand therapy, early intervention techniques, vestibular rehab, McKenzie techniques and vocal cord dysfunction treatments.

Silver Cross offers rehabilitation services at three convenient locations: