Hospital Care

Medical Health Locations

St. Mary’s Hospital

Website: St. Mary’s
ER Address: 6420 Clayton Road, Richmond Heights, MO 63117
Phone: 314-768-8000
One visitor per patient
Services:
- SANE guaranteed
- Physical exam
- Plan B (within 72 hours)
- STI prophylaxis
- Forensic exam/evidence collection kit (free under the state of MO funding)
  - Most effective as soon as possible, but can be done up to 72 hours after
- Shortest wait times
- Not affiliated with WashU
- Accessible from campus by bus (takes 8 minutes but it only comes every 30 minutes during specific times of day), a 25-minute walk, or a 5-minute drive

Barnes-Jewish Hospital

Website: Barnes Jewish
ER Address: 400 S. Kingshighway Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63110
Emergency Phone: 314-362-9123
General Phone: 314-747-3000
Only one visitor allowed in the emergency department
Services:
- Physical exam
- Plan B (within 72 hours)
- STI prophylaxis and free HIV prophylaxis (PEP)
- Forensic exam/evidence collection kit (free under the state of MO funding)
  - Most effective as soon as possible, can be done up to 72 hours after
- Accessible by metro (15 minutes) including 10 min walk or 10-minute drive
- Affiliated with WashU
  - Habif might be contacted if a caller is on student insurance
    - Anyone can ask for their primary care physician to not be contacted

Mercy Hospital

Phone: 314-251-6000
Location: 615 S. New Ballas Road St. Louis, MO 63141
One visitor allowed, but only once the patient has gotten into their room
Services:
- Physical exam
- Plan B (within 72 hours)
- STI prophylaxis
- Forensic/evidence collection kit (free under the state of MO funding)
  - Most effective as soon as possible, can be done up to 72 hours after
- Accessible from campus by metro (1 hour) with a bus ride & walk or 15-minute drive

Saint Louis University Hospital (SLU)

Phone: 314-577-8000
Location: 3635 Vista Ave, St. Louis, MO 63110
One visitor per patient
Services:
- SANE guaranteed
- Physical exam
- Plan B (within 72 hours)
- STI prophylaxis
- Forensic/evidence collection kit (free under state of MO funding)
  - Most effective as soon as possible, can be done up to 72 hours after
- Strong security protocols for crime victims
- Dedicated “soft room” for survivors of all genders – designed to be trauma-informed & less sterile-feeling
- A separate waiting area, private shower, and interview space
- Not affiliated with WashU
- Accessible by metro (25-minute ride) with 15-minute walk or 15-minute drive

What to Expect at the Hospital:

If an individual is going to the hospital after an assault and is considering evidence collection (forensic exam), here is an outline of the process:

1. Make a plan for getting to the hospital.

WUPD can offer free rides to the hospital. You do not need to disclose your reason for going or your name.

2. Decide if you want someone to accompany you to the hospital.

You can decide if you would like someone in the examination room with you. Evidence collection (if wanted) can be a difficult process. The option of bringing someone with them to the hospital makes some people feel more comfortable.

3. Preparation.

If you want to proceed with evidence collection, the following activities could lead to more accurate results:

Avoid bathing (showering or washing hands)
Avoid using the restroom (if necessary, go in a cup)
Try to bring items that may be used for evidence, like clothes or sheets. If possible, place in a paper bag.
Bring a change of clothes for when you leave the hospital.

It is normal to want to get rid of evidence (bathe, wash, throw out related items) after an assault. We would like you to know that individuals who have done any of these activities can still have an exam. DNA evidence typically needs to be collected within 72 hours of the assault, but an exam can still be done after this time frame.

4. Tell the triage nurse.

When arriving at the hospital, if individuals tell the triage nurse that they have been sexually assaulted, they should be given the next available private room. Unfortunately, you do have to be pretty specific when telling the triage nurse, and label your experience as sexual assault or rape. However, this should not need to be verbalized out loud to the nurse if writing it down somewhere or typing it is easier.

5. A SART volunteer should be called.

SART (Sexual Assault Response Team) volunteers provide support, information and resources to people who have experienced sexual assault in local hospital emergency departments. SART volunteers are there to support survivors and are available 24/7 every day of the year. The survivor can choose if the SART stays. They can also choose if they would like the SART to be in the examination room with them and what type of support they would like to receive.

More Information

After the process gets started, these are the people who will probably be in the room with you:

SART: A SART volunteer will be there to support individuals during their visit to the hospital. It is the survivor’s decision whether to use this resource.
SANE: A Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner is a nurse who is specifically trained to conduct forensic exams for sexual assault.
Police officer: A police officer is there in case the individual wishes to file a report. They can be asked to leave, but they may still wait in the hallway.
Friend/supporter: The person who you bring to the hospital if you choose to do so.

Please press here to learn more about what happens in the Forensic Exam.

People undergoing an examination get to choose what types of care and evidence collection they receive. They are allowed to stop, pause, and skip any parts of the examination. It is up to the person undergoing the examination to decide what types of care and evidence collection they would like to receive. While we listed different items that the exam offers, a person gets to decide what they would like to undergo. While we listed all of the normal steps offered for an exam, a person gets to decide which of these they would like done.

A follow-up appointment often occurs to test for STIs, infections, or pregnancy.

Billing

RSVP center can help will billing advocacy so that emergency departments do not bill parents.

Habif Health and Wellness Center is an alternative option for medical attention post-assault, as they do not bill anyone or any insurance but they cannot complete forensic exams.

Missouri covers forensic exams.