Info Desk [Paperwork, ordering, wait times, procedures, booklets, prescriptions...]

casualorca14 said:I'm assuming this topic belongs here; I honestly wasn't sure where else to post it...
So, my mom is currently in the hospital. Her hearing isn't great, so when my dad and I come by during visiting hours, the medical staff keeps insisting on ushering us right back out.
From what I understand, families are supposed to be allowed in during visiting hours, but I'm not entirely certain, so I didn't want to make a scene. Does anyone know if we actually have the right to stay?

That’s just standard practice in pretty much every hospital.
There are specific windows of time set aside for visitors, so you just have to stick to those rules.

There’s absolutely no reason why you shouldn't consult your mother's doctor later on. You mentioned she isn't hearing well—well, don't be afraid to point that out to the nurses, too; just ask them to repeat things if they notice Mom didn't catch what was said. And of course, ask about her condition. You have every right to request information. That said, during rounds, the dynamic is almost always strictly patient, doctor, and head nurse. 🤷

casualorca14 said:As far as I know, family should be allowed during rounds, but I'm really not sure so I didn't want to say anything. Does anyone actually know if we have that right?

First time I've ever heard that. Why on earth would family be inside during rounds? I've been in a few different hospitals before and it’s always the same deal—during rounds, it’s just patients in the room. No relatives, no family, nothing.

If you need to ask about a family member's condition, you gotta talk to their doctor, but definitely not while they're doing rounds.

I mean, last time I was hospitalized, there were six of us in one room. A whole group of doctors rolls in for rounds; can you imagine if family members were hanging out in there too? It'd be ridiculous.

Not only do they make sure only patients are in the room, but the nurses always come by before rounds to check that beds are made, lockers are tidy, and everyone is tucked into their own bed. 😁

Yeah, they dread those visits like kids dread the Boogeyman.😁

I had originally assumed that having family present wasn't an option, so I was perfectly fine with how things were set up. However, I just caught a doctor on TV explaining that this is considered a true family presence and that we actually have the right to request it. Now I’m feeling a bit conflicted and confused, which is why I wanted to reach out and ask.
Thanks to everyone for the input.

casualorca14 said:I honestly thought that having family present wasn't an option—which is why I was perfectly fine with how things were handled—but then I catch some doctor on TV claiming that being together as a family is a legitimate right that we are entitled to demand. Now I’m sitting here completely confused by the contradiction, so I figured I'd ask for some clarity.
Thanks to everyone for the responses.

Look, let’s get one thing straight: "rounds" aren't actually for the patients—they are for the hospital staff. We're talking doctors, nurses, the whole crew. The head of the department moves from bed to bed, reviewing charts, digging through medical histories, and checking statuses. Depending on how the specific facility is run, rounds often serve as the official shift handover, which is why you might see a group of ten or more people hovering around at once. Every hospital operates under its own internal logic. In some places, there's a briefing session held before rounds to go over the surgical schedule and other logistics; in others, that meeting happens afterward. It all depends on the institutional structure. If they had their meeting beforehand, the doctor will simply relay what was decided during that meeting—for example, confirming if an operation has been cleared. As for communication, some doctors engage quite a bit with patients during rounds, while others barely say a word. Again, I’ll say it: it all boils down to the schedule and the way the place is organized. If rounds start at 7:30 AM and surgeries are scheduled to kick off at 8:00 AM, don't expect a deep conversation. At that point, the doctor isn't there to chat; they're just there to confirm the day's plan. Consultations have their own separate time slots entirely.

The family might as well find something else to do during the morning rounds—that window of time when the department is strictly off-limits to everyone except the hospital staff.

By the way, I have to say—listening to the woman in the room next to mine was absolutely hysterical. Just constant, pathetic whining about how "bored" she was being stuck in her room, complaining that she couldn't just wander off for a coffee because she had to wait around for the doctor to show up whenever they felt like performing her exam. Honestly? Give me a break. You’re in a hospital, lady, not hanging out at a local cafe.🙂

I'm not sure where this question belongs, so I'll just drop it here:

So, the monthly fee for $27 supplemental coverage is due. Is it possible to pay for several months in advance, or am I stuck paying month-to-month? Any kind of answer would be appreciated—either right here on the thread or via

swiftfalcon43 said:I wasn't really sure where to drop this question, so I figured I'd just put it here:

So, I pay my monthly fees for $27 supplemental coverage. Is there a way to prepay for several months at once, or am I stuck paying month-to-month? Any kind of answer helps—feel free to post it here or just hit me up via PP.

When you're filling out the paperwork to set up your contract, you actually get to pick your preferred payment method right then and there.

You can check out the details here:

Hello there, I'm not entirely certain if I'm asking this in the right corner of the forum, but I'll give it a shot anyway 😁

So, my doctor recommended that I get some blood work done to check my thyroid hormone levels (specifically T3, T4, and TSH), and I should have the referral from my provider in a few days.
I was wondering if anyone could tell me which hospitals or clinics in Chicago handle this kind of testing? Also, do I need to make an appointment in advance, what time should I aim to arrive—I assume early in the morning is best 🤷—and is there anything specific I should or shouldn't do right before the draw?

Any advice or insight you could share would be greatly appreciated 🙂

wearydriver13 said:Hey everyone, I’m not entirely sure if I’m asking this in the right spot, but I’ll give it a shot. 😁

So, someone recommended I get my bloodwork done to check my thyroid hormones (T3, T4, TSH), and I should have the referral from my doctor in a few days.
I was wondering which hospitals in Chicago handle this kind of testing, whether I need to make an appointment, what time I should show up (I’m assuming early morning 🤷), and if there’s anything specific I should or shouldn't do right before the draw?

Any help would be much appreciated! 🙂

The Vineyard hospital definitely does that. Just heads up—you might be waiting a month or two for an opening. If you don't want to wait that long, there are private labs where you don't need a referral; you just pay out of pocket.

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wearydriver13 said:Hi everyone, I'm not entirely sure if I'm asking this in the right spot, but I'll give it a shot. 😁

So, my doctor recommended some blood work to check my thyroid hormones (T3, T4, TSH), and I should have the referral from Medicare in a couple of days.
I was wondering which hospitals in Chicago handle blood draws for this kind of thing? Do I need to make an appointment, what time should I show up (I assume early morning 🤷), and is there anything specific I should or shouldn't do right before the test?
Any help would be greatly appreciated! 🙂

Vineyard, the Tumor and Trauma Clinic, or Vuk Vrhovac. You definitely need to call ahead and schedule an appointment. Just get there in the morning—you don't need to be there at dawn or anything. Also, no special prep required.

Thanks, everyone. There’s a Vineyard location quite close to me, so I think I'll just head over there.
It was honestly a bit of a shock to hear that the wait times can stretch from one to two months 😲; I had imagined this would be a quick procedure, much like a routine blood draw 😵, and I haven't even managed to get my referral sorted out yet.

It’s just your standard blood draw, but unfortunately, the wait times are absolutely brutal. :/

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It’s not that I mind waiting, really, but I have an appointment scheduled for early July where I need to present the results from these tests, and right after that, I’m heading back home—I don't actually live in Chicago. It looks like I'll have to pick up the pace and check a few different places, specifically those locations vividsailor7 mentioned, just to see which one might have the shortest wait times. 😁

Also, if I'm totally off base here and just asking out of curiosity, do you happen to know roughly how much these tests would cost at those private labs?

Ugh, I honestly can't tell you if I personally waited at the Vineyard location. But I did look into private options, and I think prices are roughly around 200-$100. You should check out the price list on the Analiza clinic website 🙂

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wearydriver13 said:Not trying to be totally out of left field here, just purely curious—do you happen to know how much these tests would run me at those private labs?

Honestly, I think prices stay pretty much the same across most private labs.
I actually remembered one place that lists their prices for each individual hormone separately right on their site:

And here's another one for you:

I was wondering if it's possible to visit the Infectious Disease Clinic "Fran Mihaljević" without a referral and just pay for the tests out of pocket? Also, does anyone know if they offer total IgE along with anti-candida IgG and IgM testing?
Additionally, does anyone happen to know where one can go to get tested for D-arabinitol?

Hey everyone, it’s me again, still wrestling with my thyroid hormones 😁

I finally managed to get my referral, and I’m planning to head over to the Vineyard hospital. Does anyone happen to know the operating hours for the registration desk where I need to sign in? Or even just a rough idea of when they typically accept referrals during the day? 🤷
Sorry if this sounds like a silly question; things tend to work quite differently at the hospitals back in my hometown, and thank God, I don't have much experience navigating the Chicago hospital system yet.

wearydriver13 said:Hey everyone, it's me again dealing with thyroid hormones. 😁

I managed to get a referral and I'm heading to the Vineyard hospital. Does anyone know the operating hours for the registration desk where I need to sign up? Or at least roughly when they accept referrals? 🤷
Sorry if this sounds like a stupid question, things work totally differently at the hospital back home, and thank God, I have zero experience with the hospitals here in Chicago.

Just scan the referral and email it to them. Google "Mercy Hospital" and follow the instructions for centralized patient scheduling via email. You can also fax the referral over. Good luck!

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Hey, quick question—can I ask my gynecologist for a referral for a full STI panel (I want to get everything checked) but then go have the tests done in a different city? I live in this tiny town where everyone knows everyone else's business, and I'd really rather not deal with the gossip... Plus, I don't exactly trust the lab techs who handle all the results and stuff :/