Hospital Report Card Act

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is responsible for making certain the adopted rules of the Hospital Report Card Act* are followed. The Act was passed by the Illinois Legislature in 2006 and became effective in March, 2007. Basically, the Act requires hospitals to provide to patients and anyone inquiring the number of nursing staff assigned to a patient unit during a work shift.

Nurse staffing includes the number of registered professional nurses, licensed practical nurses and other nursing personnel assigned to each patient unit each day.

To receive this information while you are or your loved one is hospitalized; contact the nursing staff supervisor on the specific nursing unit. Your request will be answered by a nursing supervisor or manager within two hours of your request during normal business hours on weekdays and within 4 hours on weekends in compliance with the adopted rules published by IDPH.

Additionally, any requests about our nurse staffing unrelated to an individual person's pending or current inpatient hospital stay can be made between 9 AM and 5 PM Monday through Friday either in writing or by contacting our Chief Nurse Executive noted below. Again, in compliance with the adopted rules published by IDPH, we will comply with a written request within seven business days after its receipt.

You may call primary contact Deb Smith, Chief Nurse Executive/Patient Services at 1-309-665-5756, or put your request in writing to:

Deb Smith
Patient Services
OSF St. Joseph Medical Center
2200 E. Washington Street
Bloomington, IL 61701

You may also call secondary contact Sandi Scheidenhelm, Director, Professional Practice at 1-309-665-4714.

*Illinois Department of Public Health Notice of Adopted Rules - Title 77: Public Health, Chapter 1: Department of Public Health Subchapter b: Hospitals and Ambulatory Care Facilities - Part 255: Hospital Report Card Act; pp. 5847 - 5863.