[MUSIC PLAYING]
PRESENTER 1: [SPEAKING MANDARIN]
PRESENTER 2: [SPEAKING FRENCH]
PRESENTER 3: [SPEAKING ARABIC]
PRESENTER 4: [SPEAKING GREEK]
PRESENTER 5: [SPEAKING KOREAN]
PRESENTER 6: [SPEAKING SPANISH]
PRESENTER 7: Welcome to UChicago Medicine International
Programs.
And thank you for choosing the University of Chicago Medical
Center for your care.
At UChicago Medicine, we are advancing the forefront
of healthcare every day, and shaping modern medicine
with innovative discoveries.
We also serve hundreds of patients
from more than 75 countries around the world every year.
This program provides you with practical information
about how to prepare for your trip to Chicago,
and what to expect during your stay with UChicago Medicine.
We understand the stress associated with illness,
particularly when treatment is received
outside of one's home country.
Our goal is to make the process as easy
as possible so you can focus on your treatment and recovery.
Prior to your departure for Chicago,
our Guest Services team and your assigned care coordinator
will initiate a welcome call in order
to introduce you to our services for international patients.
Through the welcome call, we will
gather additional information to support your travel
preparation.
Chicago has a distinct four seasons.
Please check the weather in advance of your departure,
and prepare your clothing accordingly.
Please be sure to bring all your medical records translated
into English, any medical equipment you need,
and a minimum two week's supply of your current medication.
If you need any special arrangements,
such as kidney dialysis, oxygen, or a wheelchair,
please inform your care coordinator in advance.
Regardless of your arrival time in Chicago,
we offer complimentary private pickup and transportation
services from the airport.
We also assist with long and short-term lodging arrangements
for patients and family members at a discounted rate.
While our medical team provides world-class clinical care
for international patients, our bilingual and culturally
diverse team at the International Program
offers customized services to meet your cultural, religious,
and linguistic needs throughout your healthcare journey
with us.
Our international patient coordinator
will ensure that your visit is as comforting and stress-free
as possible.
Your care coordinator will be available to you 24/7
as a single point of contact to meet and address your needs
before travel, during your treatment at UChicago Medicine,
and even after discharge.
These services include scheduling consults
and diagnostic testing based on your clinical needs,
arranging a certified medical interpreter, escorting you
to your appointment, as well as arranging home health services
and ordering medical equipment as indicated by your physician.
We are fully aware that precise and professional interpretation
services is one of the most critical factors for your care.
Whenever necessary, we provide medical interpretation
free of charge for both your outpatient
visits and inpatient care.
Most importantly, we only work with certified interpreters
to keep the highest standard of interpretation quality.
For non-clinical needs, our Guest Services Unit
provides personalized services based
on individual preferences, such as complimentary transportation
for medical appointments, lodging
arrangements, assistance with daily tasks,
and cultural orientation.
Our financial services team assists you
with your financial planning throughout your journey
with UChicago Medicine.
Before you begin receiving medical care,
our financial coordinator will create a cost estimate
that shows anticipated charges for medical services based
on the medical records received.
Please note that final charges may vary,
and you will receive your final billing packet that
includes all hospital and physician charges approximately
30 days after your appointment.
Quality and safety are central to everything
we do at UChicago Medicine.
UChicago Medicine is committed to meeting
the health needs of you and your family
with the most advanced high quality
care in a safe environment.
This has been our commitment since 1927,
when our hospital opened its doors to patients
for the first time.
UChicago Medicine continually works
to improve patient safety.
Safety stations are spread all around the facility,
and staff is required to protect patients
from the spread of flu.
These are just a few examples of the many efforts
to protect against the spread of infection.
Even in a global pandemic such as COVID-19, our safety
protocols, such as mandatory wellness
screening at the entrance, universal masking,
social distancing practiced everywhere, and disinfecting
clinical areas, effectively minimize the risk of infection.
Our legacy has been recognized nationally
by healthcare watchdog Leapfrog Group with 17 consecutive A
grades for patient safety.
UChicago Medicine is one of only 32 hospitals
nationwide with straight As by Leapfrog as of May 2020.
Your care coordinator will remind you of your appointment
on the day before, while our Guest Service team will confirm
and secure your complimentary private ride to escort you
to your appointment.
Please remember, you need to bring your passport
and all your medical records to the appointments.
Once you arrive to our medical campus,
your care coordinator will meet and direct you
to our Center for International Patients.
In order to better assist you, you
will be asked to complete and sign the necessary forms.
A certified medical interpreter will be available to you
to deliver quality and precise interpretation.
In order to maintain professionalism,
interpretation can only be performed
by our qualified medical interpreters.
Please understand that patient's family members are not
allowed to provide medical interpretation.
After your appointment, your care coordinator
will assist you with any follow-up appointments needed,
as well as filling and delivering your medication
right to your doorstep.
If you are scheduled for surgery at UChicago Medicine,
your care coordinator will provide you
with all necessary information and guidelines
to prepare you for your surgery.
It is very important for you to tell us
about any allergies you have.
Provide your medical history to us,
and tell us about any other health problems,
such as hypertension, diabetes, and obesity,
as these issues could affect your surgery and treatment.
After surgery, you may need to stay
at our hospital for a few days for your care and recovery.
Our goal is to make your hospital stay
as comfortable as possible.
When needed, your care coordinator
will handle all preparation for your hospital stay
at the Center for Care and Discovery,
built in 2013 on the UChicago Medicine campus.
Interpreting services, provided either in-person or virtually,
will be available throughout your stay.
All of the inpatient rooms are private single occupancy spaces
and are spacious enough to accommodate your family
for overnight stays.
Our patient rooms are on the perimeter
of the building, which gives you more privacy
and quiet time as you recover.
Other in-room amenities include a flat screen TV
with multilingual menu screen, a reading light, Wi-Fi,
and room service.
Most patients receive, at their request,
room service dining, a special food service program
that allows patients to order meals
from an extensive menu at accommodating times.
Kosher, halal, vegetarian, and other specialty options
are available.
We also cater to any dietary restrictions you may have.
There are multiple chapels in the medical center, where
patients and family members can have quiet time for prayers
or meditation.
During your stay at the hospital,
you can also experience different kinds of fine arts
and music offered by our Healing Arts Program.
When your doctor confirms you are medically
ready to leave the hospital, your care coordinator
will assist you in discharge planning,
how to move safely from the hospital back home
or to another setting.
The coordinator will work closely with your care team
to prepare your medical records, discharge medication,
and equipment.
If you need rehabilitation services
before going back to your country,
we will help you make those arrangements.
Your care coordinator will also connect our physicians
to your physicians in your home country
for proper and necessary follow-up,
so that you can continue your care after you return home.
On the day you travel back to your home country,
our Guest Service Unit will support you
as you check out from your lodging
and also arrange private transportation to O'Hare
International Airport.
Even after you arrive back at your country,
your care coordinator will keep in touch with you regularly
to check your health status.
If necessary, we can provide remote second opinion
or teleconsultation services for you to conveniently follow up
with our physicians.
It is our commitment to provide the best treatment
options and personalized services
for international patients who come to Chicago for care.
We understand that traveling abroad for care
is a difficult decision for you and your family members
to make.
Our priority is to help you through your healthcare journey
with UChicago Medicine, and to make Chicago feel
as close to home as possible.
If you have any questions regarding
your visit to UChicago Medicine, please
feel free to contact the Office of International Programs.
We look forward to meeting you in Chicago soon.
Thank you.