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(352) 733-0111

Contacting Patients

Visiting Hours & Welcome Centers

Email

Friends and family from all over the world can send messages to any UF Health patient through the CareMail service offered at UF Health Shands Hospital. The messages, much like postcards, are then delivered each weekday with the patient mail. Tell your friends and family today about the service. UF Health is made up of several hospitals. To ensure your message is delivered as rapidly as possible, please be sure to select UF Health Shands Hospital. Send a patient message now.

Calling patients

For a visitor calling to reach an inpatient at UF Health Shands Hospital, UF Health Shands Cancer Hospital or UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital, please call the main hospital operator at (352) 265-0111, provide the patient’s first and last name and ask to be connected to the patient’s room. If the patient in question has not opted out of the hospital directory as a privacy preference, the operator will be able to connect the caller.

In-room phone

Remember, patients can use their hospital bedside phone to visit with loved ones if they don’t have access to a smartphone, tablet or laptop.

Free Wi-Fi

While on-site at UF Health, use our free Wi-Fi. It’s available in patient rooms, lobbies, waiting rooms, dining areas and terraces. No password is needed; just read and accept the “Acceptable Use Policy” to connect. The network name is ufhealthguest.

Free tools and apps

Consider using some of the following tools and apps on your personal smartphone, tablet or other device. Data charges may apply if you’re not using our free Wi-Fi.

  • Email
  • Texts
  • Applications downloaded from the App Store (Apple) or Play Store (Android).

How to connect

Step 1: Connect to our free Wi-Fi

Step 2: Select your app

If your smartphone, tablet or laptop has a camera, you may already have some of the following apps installed. Note: Both people communicating will need to download the same application. Most apps are free to download.

Face-to-face on your smartphone and devices (requires a camera on both devices):

  • FaceTime (Apple)
  • Google Duo (Android)

Connect with video, voice or text via the internet or on a device:

  • Facebook Messenger (messenger.com)
  • Google Hangouts (hangouts.google.com)
  • WhatsApp (whatsapp.com)
  • Skype (skype.com)
  • Google Duo (duo.google.com)
  • Signal Private Messenger (signal.org)

Step 3: Video chat, call or text your loved ones

If you plan to use the camera/video feature with the app you’ve chosen, make sure you’re connected to the internet.

For Apple Devices: FaceTime

  • In your device’s contact list, select the person and then select the video icon at the top of the contact screen. OR: Open FaceTime and select the “+” (plus) button, start typing the person’s name and select it when it appears.
  • If you do not have the person’s information stored in your contacts, in FaceTime, select the “+” (plus) button and type in their phone number or email address, hit “return” and you’ll be ready.
  • Once the contact appears in the “To” field, tap the phone icon to make a voice call or the camera icon to video chat.

For Android Devices: Google Duo

  • Select “search contacts or dial”
  • If you have the person saved in your contacts, begin to type their name and select it when it appears.
  • If you do not have the person’s information stored in your contacts, type in their phone number or email address, then select them.
  • You can then select from the options to make a voice call, video chat or message them.
  • If you see the option to “invite,” it means the other person does not have Google Duo installed on their device and they may not be able to connect with you.