Date Last Updated: October 2, 2023
As our ministry continues to respond to COVID-19, our highest priority remains the safety of our patients, families and team members. Prevention is the key to containment of viruses like COVID-19, which is why for your safety, St. Francis Medical Center will allow limited visitation for patients.
We strongly recommend people who have chronic conditions such as diabetes, lung or heart disease or are older than 70 do not visit patients in our facilities for their own protection.
We understand and recognize how important the support of family and loved ones are to our patients while we care for them. We encourage our patients to visit virtually with their loved ones through cell phones so they can still be connected and feel supported during their time with us. We have iPads in the hospital to help facilitate virtual communication between patients and their loved ones who may be unable to visit at this time.
We believe in delivering the safest care possible. Open communication with the nurse and care team is the key to ensure we are aware of the patient's needs. A family member may notice a change in the patient's condition before the nurse, doctor or other provider does. The change may be subtle and noticeable only to someone who is close to that person. Calling a Condition H is like calling 911 when in the hospital. The team responding includes a nurse, respiratory therapist and, if needed, a doctor. Other providers who care for you during your stay, such as the care coordinator, social worker and chaplain, are also available. Your nurse can contact them for you.
When to Call a Condition H
If you notice a sudden medical change in the patient's condition including difficulty breathing, a sudden onset of confusion, or he/she is becoming less responsive. If you have serious concerns about how the patient's care is being planned or managed and you are not getting the response you need from your care team. For more information about Condition H, talk to your nurse. Thank you for being our partner in care.
Information you’ll need while waiting for a loved one admitted to our intensive care unit:
Patient Advocate - (318) 966-4352
Case Management - (318) 966-5028
Ethics Committee - provides consultations to help with difficult decisions. Contact them by dialing "0" while in the hospital.
To protect the privacy and safety of our patients, we have developed the following communication guidelines for the ICU:
St. Francis offers free wireless internet access for our patients and visitors. Connect to the network called “GuestWifi." No password is required. Our guest wireless network is a complementary service, but we cannot provide personal technical support.
Please be aware that this is a non-secure computer network. Users of this network must agree to and comply with the user agreement.