Living in Chicago General Information | Health and Medical
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Health and Medical

Health

Medical Emergency Procedures

The University of Illinois at Chicago Department of Family Practice, has a health clinic located on the 11th floor of University Hall (UH). This is not a walk-in clinic; appointments are necessary. However, depending on the medical situation, appointments may be given the same day or within seventy-two hours. Clinic hours are 8:30 am to 5:00 PM Monday through Friday. To make an appointment phone 996-3388. If the situation is an emergency, ask to speak to the triage nurse.
For after-hours medical attention, the University of Illinois Hospital is available. The University of Illinois Hospital is located at 1740 W. Taylor (on the West campus). The hospital has a complete emergency room and trauma center. You will need to take the UIC shuttle, CTA bus or taxi to reach the hospital. In the case of a true medical emergency, an ambulance may be summoned by calling 911.

In all medical instances, please take your USIA insurance card, your university photo I.D. and medical claim form with you. In addition, you will need to pay an up-front charge of $25 when services are rendered. The clinic and hospital accept cash, Mastercard or Visa credit cards only.

Please contact one of the Institute staff either before or immediately after you seek medical attention so that we are aware of any problems and may be of assistance.

Other Emergencies

If an emergency arises during office hours, please call the Institute office at 355-0423 and ask for Janette Salamanca, Neil McCarthy or Renee Welch. After hours, please follow the procedures outlined below.

1. Contact the SUSI cell phone at (312) 636-3462 and ask for Janette or Neil.
2. If Neil's not there, contact Peter Hales via his cell phone at (773) 416-6233. If Peter doesn't answer, leave a message, and then call again a minute later.
3. Contact Peter Hales at home (773) 764-9805.

Safety

Chicago is not the dangerous gangster-riddled mythic place most non-Americans imagine. It is a huge metropolis with a wide range of economic classes - from underclass to very wealthy - and an equivalent range of cultures. You will find, we think, that it is a richly rewarding, lively, beautiful place.

Like all huge metropolitan centers, however, it is also a place where visitors need to be attentive and even a little wary. We care about your personal safety, but we don't want you to be afraid to travel, to see the sights, meet people, and have the wide range of experiences this U.S. city offers.

Here are a few hints to keep in mind:
· Almost anywhere in the city is safe when you are in a place with many people. Daytimes and weekends, clubs, festivals, parades and the like are happy events.
· The public transit systems is generally safe in the daytime, though the stations may seem a bit dingy. Empty stations are places to avoid if you're alone.
In these crowded public spaces, however, pickpockets, purse-snatchers and con-artists are common. Keep your wallet in your front pocket of your pants, keep your purse (small, zipped) and camera around your neck, keep just what you need in your purse or wallet, and avoid taking your passport unless you must. At night, don't carry a purse or camera. Wear sensible clothes, and keep a couple of dollars in a spare pocket, along with a piece of paper containing phone numbers you can call.

· Late at night, travel in groups if possible, and take cabs if necessary.
· Avoid lonely streets.
· Plan your route ahead. If you find yourself lost, police officers and CTA officials are reliable sources of directions and help.
· Scam artists are very interesting. You'll learn to recognize them after a little while. They usually work in pairs or small groups. One serves to trip up the unwary, the other helps the poor victim - and helps him or herself to your wallet, purse, etc.! They usually work in crowded CTA stations downtown, in public festivals, and on downtown streets where tourists are most often found. Don't give anyone your suitcase, purse, etc. Don't give money to people. A recent study by The New York Times and a similar study in the Chicago suburb of Evanston discovered that the "homeless" use 90% of the money for drugs and alcohol. If you want to help them, we will be glad to supply you with a list of organizations that provide housing, food, and rehabilitation.