Mar 20, 2020

MHS provides update in wake of COVID-19

Posted Mar 20, 2020 5:49 PM

ABILENE -- Following is an update from Memorial Health System (MHS) concerning the COVID-19 pandemic.

MHS is now screening everyone who enters the building. (screening tool attached)

Heartland Health Care Clinic (HHCC) is temporarily suspending the walk-in clinic. HHCC providers will see patients in person or via telemedicine. In order to schedule an appointment, patients must call in advance (785) 263-4131.

All patients who call in with respiratory complaints, cold symptoms, cough and/or fever, will be phone triaged by clinic nurses prior to an appointment being made.

A nurse from HHCC will contact patients via phone for triage, to determine the type of visit (in person vs. telemedicine) that is necessary. MHS noted that it was optimistic that telemedicine visits should be ready to go by early next week.

Patients who are suspected to be COVID-19 patients are being advised to treat their symptoms at home. Treatment instructions will be provided to these patients. HHCC will not be doing "in-person" suspected COVID-19 visits in the clinic.

If a person is suspected to have COVID-19, they will be advised to stay at home at treat symptomatically. If condition worsens, or they have trouble breathing, etc. they will be advised to go to the Emergency Room or call 911. Only those patients critical enough for the ED, and who meet criteria, will be tested for COVID-19.

Patients who are ill (not suspected COVID-19, and need to be seen in person, will be scheduled in the morning between 7:15 a.m. and 11 a.m.

The clinic will be thoroughly cleaned mid-day.

Patients who are well, and need to be seen in person, will be scheduled in the afternoon between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.

HHCC waiting room will still be divided into “well” and “not well” sections.

The tent set up near the Emergency Department is not being utilized at this time. It has been set up as part of the disaster preparedness protocol. MHS would like to thank Dickinson County for working in cooperation with us during this time.

Specialty Clinics: MHS is leaving that up those individual providers to decide if they want to hold a clinic at MHS at this time

All elective (non-emergent) surgical procedures, including epidural steroid injections, are being postponed for at least two weeks.

Waiting areas are arranged to keep people six feet apart.

The Pain Clinic will be calling its scheduled patients to pre-screen for risk factors, and reschedule if indicated.