Comer Children's Patient & Visitor Guide

The permanent art installation in the Center for Care and Discovery (CCD) features more than 60 pieces by renowned local artists, including the works of more than 27 diverse talents to energize and enrich the lives of our patients and visitors. The Healing Arts Program has a history of bringing the fine arts to our medical campus to share with patients, visitors, staff and the surrounding community.

A constant supply of blood is necessary to perform life-saving treatments for patients. For those who are able, donating blood at our blood donation center is a simple, meaningful way to give back and to help support our patients.

Through our Directed Donor Program, you can even donate specifically to a family member or friend. Assuming you and the recipient have compatible blood types, our staff will coordinate the delivery of your blood donation to that individual.

As a small token of appreciation, we thank our donors by offering them the choice of a food court coupon, a complimentary AMC movie ticket or free parking validation.

Make an Appointment

Call 773-702-6247 or complete our online form to make a blood donation appointment.
The Blood Donation Center is open Monday through Friday 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Location

Duchossois Center for Advanced Medicine
5758 S. Maryland Ave., Room 2E
Chicago, IL 60637

A Barnes & Noble bookstore is located at 970 E. 58th St. There is also a small café located inside.

ATMs are located in the following locations around our Hyde Park campus:

• The Center for Care and Discovery (ground floor east lobby)
• Bernard A. Mitchell Hospital lobby (second floor)
• The Goldblatt Pavilion lobby
• The Duchossois Center for Advanced Medicine (DCAM) lobby
• The Comer Children's Hospital lobby

Communication with friends and loved ones outside the hospital is an essential part of any child's recovery. Learn about how to communicate with a child staying at Comer Children's through our communication services.

We know how overwhelming traveling for health care can be. Our Destination UChicago team takes pride in helping our patients and family members on their journey.

If you are coming to UChicago Medicine from within the United States, our dedicated team of professional, compassionate and respectful navigators can assist you.

You can find step-by-step directions to Comer Children's from the north, south and west directions by visiting our driving directions and parking pages.

Located on the main floor of Comer Children's, the Family Learning Center is staffed by health professionals who can assist parents in obtaining information about childhood health and illness. In the center, families also have access to the Internet, videos, books, and brochures.

A children's library is also available in the Family Learning Center. Siblings of hospitalized children are welcome to make use of this library.

There is a state-of-the art athletics center on the University of Chicago campus. You can find information about hours and fees by calling 773-702-3871.

UChicago Medicine has two gift shops at our Hyde Park campus with a wide range of items. We offer online shopping and telephone ordering as well. Find out more about our gift shops.

During treatment, patients and their families may receive a discount at many Chicago hotels during their visit to Comer Children's. A pediatric patient liaison is available from 6:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., seven days a week, to provide you with information about the accommodations available. Your child's nurse can help you contact the liaison.

The nearby Ronald McDonald House is available on a first-come, first-served basis to those who meet the selection criteria. If you are interested, contact the Comer Children's Social Work office at 773-702-3087. Learn more about hotel accommodations.

Patient rooms are cleaned once daily. A nightly "turn down" service enables housekeeping to give rooms a final routine check.

Housekeeping can be reached 24 hours a day from any internal phone at 2-6296.

Our staff can provide wheelchairs, directions to clinical areas, and other assistance. Information desks are located in the following buildings:

• Center for Care and Discovery Lobby: 24 hours a day, seven days a week
• Bernard A. Mitchell Lobby: Monday through Sunday, 6:00 a.m. to 12:30 a.m.
• Chicago Lying-in Lobby (5841 S. Maryland Ave.): Monday through Friday, 5:45 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and Saturday, 6:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
• Goldblatt Pavilion Lobby: Monday through Sunday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:45 p.m.
• Surgery Brain Research Lobby: Monday through Sunday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

UChicago Medicine is committed to provide interpreters at no cost for patients who need American Sign Language or who's preferred language is other than English.

• When making an appointment, our scheduling team will ask if you need an interpreter and what is your preferred language. 
• When you arrive at the medical center, your health care team will be prepared with one of our modes of interpreting to assist with the visit.

A lactation consultant and room are available to breastfeeding mothers. For more information, please ask your child’s nurse or visit the Family Learning Center on the first floor of Comer Children's.

A washer and dryer are located on the second floor of Comer Children's and are available 24 hours every day free of charge to families. Limited laundry supplies are also available free of charge. Ask your nurse for further details.

Children staying in the hospital often look forward to receiving mail from friends and loved ones.

Mail addressed to patients at Comer Children's should be formatted as follows:

The University of Chicago Medicine
Comer Children's Hospital
(Child's Full Name)
5721 S. Maryland Ave.
Chicago, IL 60637-1470

Mail received after your child is discharged will be forwarded to his or her home.

Additional Information:

• Mailboxes are located at the U.S. Post Office and in the lobby of Mitchell Hospital.
• FedEx and United Parcel Service (UPS) drop boxes are located near the U.S. Post Office on 58th Street. Additional FedEx drop boxes are in the Goldblatt Pavilion Lobby and on the corner of 59th Street and Maryland Avenue. Pickup times vary, but are posted on the drop boxes.
• There are many other resources in Hyde Park for your shipping needs. Please check the listing in the Family Learning Center.

Returning patients may use MyChart to view their medical information, request prescription refills, review results, schedule appointments, schedule video visits and more. MyChart is licensed from Epic.

Comer Children's is a smoke-free facility. Smoking is not allowed anywhere in or near the buildings.

We hope you can explore the Hyde Park neighborhood and downtown Chicago. Learn more about our neighborhood.

The Patient Garden is an open air space located in the Wyler Courtyard. It is open to patients and visitors, weather permitting.

The "room service" approach to meals at Comer Children's allows children to order the food they want any time from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. by calling 4-3000. Learn more about patient meals.

The pharmacy is located on the first floor of the Duchossois Center for Advanced Medicine (DCAM) building. The pharmacy is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. You can reach the DCAM Outpatient Pharmacy at 773-834-7002.

Playtime for a child is an important part of the healing process. Play areas offer safe, fun-filled places of refuge where no medical procedures are performed. All play areas are geared for children of all ages and all abilities.

Play areas at Comer Children's can be found in the following locations:

• The playroom on the first floor
• The teen room located inside the playroom area
• Floor 3 within the pre-op and recovery area
• Floor 4 within the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU)
• Floors 5 and 6 near the central nurses' station
• The playground just outside of the central playroom

Brothers, sisters and cousins are also welcome. Hours of operation may be found at the Family Learning Center, the family lounges and in the Child Life department.

In addition, Hyde Park and surrounding neighborhoods have numerous parks, playgrounds and trails within walking and driving distance of Comer Children's.

Our pediatric social workers provide support for you and your child, helping you to access information and resources during your child's hospital stay and outpatient treatment.

There is a shower and tub room for families who do not have access to a shower in their child's room. Ask your child's nurse for more information.

Chaplains offer spiritual, emotional and religious support 24 hours a day, seven days a week for patients and family members. The chaplains of Comer Children’s are focused on attending to your unique spiritual and emotional needs. We offer compassionate support during your hospitalization or the hospitalization of your child/loved one. Call 773-702-6246 for more information.

The Spiritual Care office is located on the first floor of the Center for Care and Discovery (CCD). Our chapels are located in the Center for Care and Discovery (seventh floor Sky Lobby), Comer Children's (first floor) and in the Bernard A. Mitchell Hospital (second floor). They are open to patients and visitors.

To call your child's room from outside the University of Chicago medical campus, dial 773-702-1000, then tell the operator your child's name or room number as well as your child's assigned access code. You may choose to bypass the operator by calling the direct phone number posted in your child's room.

Calls from Your Hospital Room

To reach hospital personnel or services, call the operator at 2-1220 for assistance. Calls within Chicago and nearby suburbs are free. For details on making an outside phone call, see the information on the patient's bedside telephone.

Learn more about our communication options.

Download the UChicago Mobile app for quick access to helpful campus resources, including a calendar of events, points of interest, news, maps and transit, including the University of Chicago bus tracker. UChicago Mobile is available for download on Android (Google Play) and Apple (Apple App Store) devices.

Our Volunteer Services Department provides a variety of services, including newspaper and magazine delivery and the distribution of patient mail. Volunteers are also available for room visits, and can bring board games, cards, puzzles and more. Call 773-702-4421 for information.

Child life volunteers are available to play with pediatric patients in their hospital rooms. Please call 773-702-4214 for more information.

Internet access is available in each child's room with the exception of the intensive care units (complex intermediate care unit, and neonatal and pediatric ICUs). Computers with Internet access and printers are available in the Family Learning Center.

Additionally, we provide free, secure, high-speed Internet access for all patients and visitors.