Calling a Patient's Room

Friends and family members who wish to call a patient’s room must first call the hospital’s main number at 605-882-7000 or toll-free at 1-877-917-PLHS and ask to be connected with the patient’s room.

Gifts and Flowers

Gifts are welcomed for patients in the hospital. At Prairie Lakes, we recognize that patients enjoy receiving gifts and family members and friends enjoy giving them. Patients in the Critical Care Unit or with a respiratory illness are usually best served with gifts that are not flowers, like balloons, stuffed animals, or cards.

If you’d like to give flowers, the ones that make the best gift for hospital patients have little or no scent and are allergy friendly with minimal pollen. Lilies especially have posed allergy difficulties. High fragrant flowers, such as freesia, lilies, and lilacs, may be sent home with visitors or stored in another room until the patient is discharged.

Gift Shop: 

A team of volunteers operates the Prairie Lakes Gift Shop, located on the first floor of the hospital. An assortment of unique gift items, balloons, candy and cards are available. Proceeds from the gift shop benefit the Prairie Lakes Healthcare Foundation. The gift shop is typically open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Phone orders are welcome during business hours.

Visitors

Visitors are welcome at Prairie Lakes Healthcare System. Masks are required if:

• You have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 10 days
• You have been exposed to COVID-19 in the last 10 days
• You are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19: Shortness of breath, fever, cough/sore throat, fatigue/muscle pain, chills/dizziness, vomiting/diarrhea, loss of tast and smell, headache, congestion or runny nose

Visitors may be asked to step out of the patient’s room during testing, therapy, or for other medical treatment administration. Patients have the right to receive or deny visitors and may change their visitation list. The hospital's main entrance hours are 7:00 am - 9:00 pm.

Cafe

Prairie Lakes Cafe is located on the first floor of the hospital. A variety of meals and snacks are prepared by our team. The café is open every day of the week, as well as on holidays.

Monday - Friday 7:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Weekends and Holidays 11:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Learn more and view the hot food menu

Visitors are also welcome to use the Room Service program, payable upon delivery.

WiFi

Free wifi is available under the network PLHSGuest.

Caring Club House

The Prairie Lakes Caring Club House is a home away from home located on the Prairie Lakes campus. The Caring Club House offers convenient and comfortable lodging for outpatients and family members of patients receiving care at Prairie Lakes. If a visitor is interested in staying at the Caring Club House, please call 605-882-6888 for registration information. For visitors who wish to stay at the hospital with the patient, rollaway beds are available.Learn more

Chapel

A non-denominational chapel is located on the second floor of the hospital for use by all visitors and patients. Pastoral care representatives are available by calling 605-882-6743.

Directions and Hours

Prairie Lakes Hospital is located on the main campus in Watertown at 401 9th Ave NW. Main entrance hours are 7:00 am - 9:00 pm. Learn more

Telephones

A public telephone is available in the lobby. Cell phone use is permitted throughout the facility.

Waiting Areas

Waiting areas are located near Same Day Surgery, Emergency Services, Critical Care Unit, Maternal Child Health, Dialysis, Specialty Clinic, second floor patient care, and third floor patient care (Medical/Surgical/Pediatrics).

The staff at Prairie Lakes Healthcare System is committed to helping you as you prepare for discharge. At Prairie Lakes, the social worker is a key person in the discharge planning process.

The social worker is available to work with you to identify any help you might need and also to assist with contacting those in the community who might be able to help you. A social worker is available 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. M-F to help you with the discharge planning process at 605-237-1519.

The nursing and therapy staff will also play a role in identifying any assistance you might need. One of the goals of the entire team is to help you safely transition from Prairie Lakes to the next step in your healthcare journey.

The following information will give you and the healthcare team a set of tools to evaluate what sort of discharge arrangements will be needed so you are safely discharged from the acute care setting.

Mobility Assessment

• I can get in and out of bed by myself
• I can safely get to and from the bathroom
• I need someone walking with me to support me
• I need a walker for safety
• I have stairs into my home
• My bathroom/bedroom is upstairs
• I have fallen or am afraid of falling

Social/Support System

• I have someone who will stay with me if I need it when I am discharged
• My spouse can assist me with everything that needs to be done
• I have friends/family who will check on me daily - I have friends/family who will help with laundry, grocery shopping, meal prep, etc
• I have services from the Department of Social Services - My social worker’s name is ________________

Personal Care Activities & Daily Living Assessment

• I will need help with bathing
• I will need help with a shampoo
• I will need help with laundry
• I will need help making the bed
• I will need help with meal prep
• I will need help with shopping, groceries, housekeeping, etc.
• I will need help with medications

Follow-Up Needs

• Home Health - nursing, therapy aide
• Therapy services
• Housekeeping/aide help
• Meals on Wheels
• Transportation
• Swing bed
• Skilled nursing facility
• Lifeline

Important Phone Numbers

• Home Care
  605-882-7745
• Hospice
  605-882-7745
• Department of Social Services
  605-882-5003
• Rehabilitation/Therapy
  605-882-7700
• Meals on Wheels
  605-882-2166
• Watertown Area Transit
  605-882-5287
  Free for medical appointments.

Mail

Patients may receive mail in care of:

Prairie Lakes Healthcare System
401 9th Ave. NW
Watertown, SD 57201

Patient mail is delivered daily. Patients may also receive e-cards. These are messages sent via Prairie Lakes website. E-cards are delivered Monday through Friday, except holidays.

Medications from Home

Nursing staff will administer medications during your stay. If you have brought medications from home, please inform your nurse when you arrive.

Smoking

Prairie Lakes Healthcare System is a non-smoking campus.

Valuables

Please do not keep valuables with you during your stay. Send them home with a loved one. Patients will be notified by postcard if a personal item has been left behind after discharge.

Going Home

From the time you’re admitted as a patient to the time of discharge, the care planning team works with you to plan the best arrangements for you following your discharge. Whether you’re going home, to the Swing Bed program or to another care facility, we will work with your physician to assess your continuing needs following your hospitalization.

Every person feels and responds to pain differently. As a result, you are the only one who knows how you feel. We understand that managing pain is important. Pain control can help you be more comfortable while you heal. Pain control can also help you get well faster. When your pain is controlled at a comfortable level, it can help you start walking, complete breathing exercises, and regain strength. Please use the following scale to indicate to your physician or nurse what your pain level is. Be honest when they ask how you are feeling. Pain control will only help in your recovery.

Pain Scale:

As a patient of Prairie Lakes Healthcare System, your comfort and well-being are our primary concern. In this area of our website you will find information about services and polices that have been implemented for your convenience and safety.

Please share the following toll-free number and contact information for Prairie Lakes Healthcare System with your friends and family. 

Prairie Lakes Toll-Free Number: 1-877-917-PLHS (7547)

Local Number: 605-882-7000

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Address:

401 9th Ave. NW l PO Box 1210
Watertown, SD 57201

It is our privilege to care for you and to make your stay or visit as comfortable and convenient as possible. 

Dialysis Hours:

• 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. M-F

Dialysis Hours:

• 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. M-F

South Entrance (Upstairs): 605-882-4743

• Mallard Pointe Surgical Center

North Entrance (Downstairs): 605-882-7740

• Prairie Lakes Ear, Nose, Throat & Facial Plastic Surgery Clinic
• Outreach Clinic

The Caring Club House operates much like a residential home with ongoing expenses such as utility bills, maintenance expenses and provisions that will help make our guests as comfortable as possible during their stay. Guests are asked for a donation of $10 per person and $3 for each additional guest per family per night. Your generous donation will help pay these utilities and help furnish the house with needed items.  With your help, our guests will enjoy a convenient, comfortable and affordable place to stay during their medical situation. No one will be turned away due to inability to pay. 

To make a reservation to stay the night at the Caring Club House, please call 605-882-6888 or the Caring Club House Caregiver at 605-868-1868.

Campus Directions:

Located on the corner of 10th Ave NW and 3rd Street NW in the northwest corner of the main Prairie Lakes Healthcare System Campus. 

Cancer Center Hours: 605-882-6800

• 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. M-F