Finding a provider: Connecting you to the experts at UW Health

For care in Illinois contact the patient navigation hub:

• Call (779) 696-7455

For care in Wisconsin, contact the Welcome Center:

• Call (608) 821-4819 or (800) 552-4255

• Email welcomecenter@uwhealth.org
  
  

UW Health staff will assist you in transferring your records. You might need to sign a release of information (pdf).

Please contact your insurance company to ensure that UW Health providers are within your network.

UW Health MyChart is our secure internet-based service that allows you to have access to your medical records, test results and communicate with your clinic team. If you would like to receive a paper copy of your medical record, please complete and submit an authorization for release of medical information form.

No. SwedishAmerican is now UW Health, which means you do not need to do anything with your existing medical records. If you use MyChart there is also no need to change anything as your information is already available in MyChart.

It is important for all UW Health patients to have a Primary Care Physician (PCP). You and your PCP will work together to coordinate your care.

One of the most important changes in our recommendations relates to the "annual physical." A head-to-toe physical examination for someone without symptoms has never been proven to extend life or decrease illness or discomfort. Your first appointment with your Primary Care Physician (PCP) should be based on your particular needs. If your previous PCP has recommended a certain timeframe in which to receive care, schedule your appointments based on that timeframe. You can then work with your new PCP to determine when you need care.

Wellness (and health promotion) is key to the overall plan for your care. Preventive care and screening tests help find health concerns early before they become major problems. The frequency of screening tests or exams is determined by your age and your personal and family health history. Your care team members regularly check to see if you are due for screening tests or exams. If you are due for a test someone from your care team will notify you by telephone, MyChart message or letter.

If you have urgent needs, please inform the clinic scheduler. Typically, the scheduler will take a message for the nurse who will return your call to review your care options with you.

We are happy to offer you a team approach to meet your health care needs. Each patient has a care team of staff and providers who are focused on partnering with you. The care team includes you, the physician, nurse, medical assistant and receptionist. Your care team may also include a nurse practitioner, physician assistant, social worker, resident physician, pharmacist or others.

If you have remaining refills, you might be able to fill them (check with your insurance formulary if you have a new insurance). The Patient Navigation Hub for Illinois-based patients and the Welcome Center for Wisconsin-based patients can help coordinate refills and necessary appointments for new patients if needed.

If you are seeking care in Illinois, please call the Patient Navigation Hub at (779) 696-7455 for assistance. If you are in Wisconsin, please call the Welcome Center at (608) 821-4819 for assistance in arranging for your first appointment.

Please see our Locations and Clinics search for clinic hours, in addition to urgent care and immediate care locations and hours.

In the event of an emergency, call 911. For urgent questions or concerns, please call your primary care clinic phone number. We have staff available 24/7.

No. To better accommodate your family members' needs, it might be more convenient for one physician to know your family history and care for you, but it is not necessary for each family member to see the same physician.

For more information, visit our web pages about:

• Primary care

• Family medicine

• Internal medicine

• Pediatrics

• Geriatrics
  
  

It can be hard to know ahead of time exactly how much you'll be charged for a visit. Charges are based on such things as time spent with the clinician, services ordered, diagnoses associated with those services and supplies that are used. You can get an estimate of what a procedure or treatment will cost.

Copays will be collected when you check-in. Payments can be made via cash, check or credit card.

• A list of questions and concerns. Write down your most important questions on our Preparing for Your Appointment Form (pdf). To help prepare your list, try the Question Builder Tool created by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

• Any home-monitoring information (for example, blood pressure or blood sugar readings).

• Your medicine bottles and containers or list of all current medicines, including prescription medicines, over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, herbal/naturopathic remedies and vitamins/supplements.

• A pen and paper to take notes.

• A family member or close friend (primary support) can accompany you to your appointments. Please check our patient and visitor guidelines for details.

If you need directions, visit our Locations and clinics search.

Please arrive 15 minutes early for your scheduled visit to check-in and allow nursing staff to gather your health information.

UW Health takes photographs of patients at all our hospital, emergency department and clinic locations. The photo will be safely stored in your file to identify you on your next visit. Please be sure to bring a form of photo identification on your next visit to any of our hospital, emergency department or clinic locations to help us enroll you in our patient photo program. Acceptable forms of ID include:

• Current driver's license

• Government-issued identification card

• Tribal identification card

• United States uniformed service identification card

• Passport

• Certificate of Naturalization

• Employment card

• Student identification card

Note how you've been feeling and any recent changes you have noticed. Your provider - doctor, nurse practitioner (NP) or physician assistant (PA) - will ask you questions about your symptoms, so take a minute to think about how you will describe this information to your care team.

Ask questions and be involved in your care.

Provide your questions and concerns to your care team and doctor right away.

If you're being treated by any other doctors, please tell your care team. This will help them better coordinate your care.

Ask questions if you don't understand.

You might receive an After-Visit Summary (AVS) document, which lists the main points from your visit.

Follow the plan that you and your clinician agreed upon.

If you scheduled a follow-up visit with your doctor, nurse practitioner (NP) or physician assistant or a referral visit to another doctor, put these dates on your calendar right away.

Call or send a MyChart message if you are unclear about any of the instructions or think of more questions to ask.