Providing COVID-safe Care

12/10/2020

Keeping you safe when you are in Northwest Health - Starke or another Northwest Health care location is our highest priority, especially while we are all working to prevent COVID-19. Our team is taking extraordinary measures to provide COVID-safe care for the protection of our patients, our caregivers and the community.

What is COVID-safe care?

Numerous precautions are in place to ensure you can safely receive the medical services you need.

• Entry points are limited so we can screen everyone who comes into the facility.
• Everyone who comes to our hospital is screened for symptoms before being allowed to enter.
• Visitor restrictions reduce the number of people in our hospital to enable social distancing and to keep our patients even safer.
• Facemasks are worn by everyone inside the hospital – patients and employees – and our caregivers are using other appropriate PPE (personal protective equipment) and washing hands before and after caring for every patient.
• Our normal deep cleaning processes are already intense and designed to protect people in our hospital, but we have enhanced all cleaning protocols with extra measures and increased frequency, including disinfection of frequently touched surfaces and all patient care areas.
• Furniture in waiting areas has been rearranged to ensure appropriate social distancing.
• We are limiting the number of procedures performed each day.
• Patients who are undergoing elective surgeries and other discretionary procedures are screened and cleared before coming to the hospital for their appointments.
• Non COVID-19 care zones have been established where patients who are screened as negative for COVID-19 receive care from a dedicated group of physicians and nurses. If, at any time, we are caring for COVID-19 positive patients, those patients are grouped together in the same unit, separated from all other patients and cared for by a dedicated team of caregivers.
• All Northwest Medical Group providers offer telehealth appoints as well as in-person appointments. Discuss a telehealth appointment option when you call your providers office. To find a Northwest Medical Group provider visit NWMedicalGroup.com.

Emergency Care

Delaying care during a medical emergency can put your life at risk. Our Emergency Department safety protocols are designed to ensure you can seek emergency treatment confidently. In the event any patients come to our ER with COVID-19 symptoms, they are separated from other patients immediately. Our caregivers and all patients wear facemasks and we are taking extraordinary measures to keep our Emergency Department safe and clean.

When every minute counts

Never delay emergency care for sudden symptoms that may indicate a medical emergency, including:

• Chest pain, shortness of breath and other heart attack warning signs
• Stroke symptoms including facial drooping, arm weakness or difficulties with speech
• Accidents resulting in injuries, burns, or possible broken bones
• Sudden or severe headaches
• Abdominal pain that comes on suddenly or is severe or persistent
• Significant bleeding
• Coughing up or vomiting blood

In a major medical emergency, call 911 and get help as fast as possible. This list of emergency symptoms does not include all emergency conditions.

This information is provided by your friends at Northwest Health – Starke. Learn more about us at NWHealthIN.com.

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