·         We will tell you the truth.

·         We will listen to you.

·         We want you to help us decide the best ways to take care of you and help us with your plan of care.

·         You may talk freely with the health care team. What you say will not be told to others unless it is important to your care and safety.

·         Your health and what is was like before now.

·         Any changes you notice about how you are feeling.

·         Any medications you take.

·         Your family's needs or worries.

·         Any religious, cultural or special physical needs.

·         Who we are.

·         What we do at the hospital.

·         Why we have entered your room.

·         Why you are here and your health status.

·         What the health care team thinks will help you.

·         The papers you are being asked to sign.

·         Any words we use that you do not understand.

·         Why you are here and what we are doing for you.

·         How we can ease your pain.

·         How to get where you want to go in the hospital.

·         What your race or religion is.

·         If you are a boy or a girl, man or woman.

·         Where you were born.

·         What you can or cannot do.

·         What you look like.

·         How much money you have.

·         Tell us your ideas about how we care for you.

·         Follow the directions of your doctors, nurses and others taking care of you.

·         Let us know when you cannot follow our directions.

·         Learn what you can do to take care of yourself.

·         Keep your appointments, be on time and let us know if you must change your appointment.

·         We will help you and your family learn how to take care of you after you leave the hospital.

·         If you need care that we cannot give, we will help you safely get to a hospital that can give the care you need.

·         If you wish, you can go to another hospital. We will help you figure out how to do this safely.

·         You can leave the hospital even against the advice of your physician.

·         If you tell us you are sad or angry about a broken promise, we will still give you good care.

·         We have a process in place to address your concerns regarding quality of care issues.  Please let your doctor or nurse know if you have concerns.

·         Find a way to pay for your bill as soon as possible.

·         Ask for help if you have a problem paying your bill.

·         Give us any records or forms that your insurance company needs to pay your bill.

·         Leave your valuables at home.

·         Use only medications your doctor says you should use.

·         Keep our hospital smoke-free, alcohol-free and free of illegal drugs

·         Use hospital supplies with care and ask what is yours to take home.

·         Never bring a weapon into the hospital.

·         We will provide care for you in a safe setting, free from abuse or harassment.

·         You have the right to be free from restraint or seclusion of any form that is not medically necessary.

·         If you hurt, we will do what we can to help you feel better in a safe way.

·         If we ask you to be part of an experiment or research, you can say yes or no.

·         Your family and friends can be with you when the hospital rules say it's okay.  If you wish, we will help you limit their visits.

·         Your records will be kept confidential.

·         We will respect your privacy. We will be as gentle as possible when we care for you.

·         Give other patients and families privacy

·         Limit your visitors and observe visiting hours.

·         Keep the volume of your radio, television, tape player, and video games at a level that will not bother others.

·         Never hit or threaten another patient, family members, or staff member.

·         Do not use foul or abusive language.

·         Take care of hospital property.

Please contact our Customer Comment Line

(217) 937-5209

Or e-mail us at:

kathy.isaac@djwhospital.org

You can have an Advanced Directive. If you need assistance in formulating or changing an Advanced Directive, we will have someone here to help you. Tell your doctor or nurse if you need assistance with this.

Planning Ahead: How to make future health care decisions now. Who will make decisions concerning your health care if you become incompetent or disabled - your spouse, your child, a close friend, a judge? When these decisions are made, will your wishes be known and followed?
Documents known as "advance directives" allow you to answer these questions. Illinois law recognizes two types of advance directives: the Power of Attorney for Health Care and the Living Will.

Power of Attorney for Health Care permits you to name someone, called an agent, to make health care decisions for you in any situation where you are unable to do so. Through the Power of Attorney for Health Care, you may also leave specific directions regarding your medical care including life-sustaining treatments. By designating someone you trust to act on your behalf, you are able to control decisions concerning your future medical treatment.

 

A Living Will is a document that allows you to state in advance what types of medical treatment you do or do not desire in case you develop a terminal illness. Typically, a Living Will directs medical personnel not to use death-delaying procedures if you develop an incurable and irreversible condition. In appropriate circumstances, death-delaying procedures might include assisted ventilation, artificial kidney treatments, intravenous feeding or medication, blood transfusions, tube feeding and other procedures that serve only to delay death.

How does a Power of Attorney for Health Care differ from a Living Will?

A Power of Attorney for Health Care is much broader than a Living Will. A Living Will is a short form stating you do not want life-sustaining treatment used if you develop a terminal illness. A Power of Attorney for Health Care, on the other hand, is not limited to situations where you have a terminal illness. It allows you to designate an agent to make health care decisions for you in any situation where you are unable to do so. A Power of Attorney for Health Care also permits you to leave specific directions for your agent to follow when making decisions regarding your health care treatment.
If you do not wish to be kept alive by life sustaining treatment, you should consider signing both a Living Will and a Power of Attorney for Health Care. Most states (including Illinois) have statutes authorizing Living Wills, but many states do not provide for Power of Attorney for Health Care.

This information is not intended to replace or serve as legal advice. You are encouraged to consult your attorney regarding any specific questions on Power of Attorney for Health Care or Living Wills. Forms for both these documents are available here at Dr. John Warner Hospital.  You may have a copy of your completed Power of Attorney for Health Care or Living Will document maintained in your medical record. By securing your documents at the hospital, health care providers will have access to them in the event they are needed. If you choose to sign an information release, your documents can be sent to any other health care institution in an emergency situation, if requested.