Thank you for trusting us with your care during these challenging times
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A message from Marty Guthmiller, Chief Executive Officer, Orange City Area Health System
On behalf of our nearly 600 employees – who live and work by our Core Values every day – we want to say THANK YOU!
THANK YOU for observing important social distancing guidelines during this unprecedented coronavirus outbreak. Not only does “sheltering” help protect you and your loved ones, it assists our health system team in being able to care for both acute and well patients during this challenging time. Please continue to adhere to the “rules” as set forth by our national and state leaders. Be vigilant. Stay strong. Stay healthy.
THANK YOU for trusting Orange City Area Health System to be your partner, now and through a lifetime of care. Our Incident Command process is in place and is designed for situations such as that which we are facing today. You can be confident that our entire employee team – from incident command leadership to patient caregivers on the front lines to all the support staff at each of our facilities and campuses – are approaching their responsibilities seriously and safely.
Finally, THANK YOU for relying on credible sources for information and updates regarding coronavirus/COVID-19 – including Community Health Partners, the Iowa Department of Public Health, and the Centers for Disease Control. You can find links to those sources – as well as our local updates – on our web site page. You can also stay in the loop on our Facebook page, which is kept up-to-date via our Incident Command structure.
Be vigilant. Be safe. Be well. Together, “we got this.”
Measures in place throughout our health system facilities
During this time, we have implemented some important measures throughout our campuses to ensure the health, well-being, and safety of the people we serve in this region. These include:
• Opened Well Clinics in the Medical Building at our Orange City campus, and at the Family Medicine Clinic in Hospers.
• Closed our senior care campus (Prairie Ridge Care Center and Landsmeer Ridge Retirement Community) to visitors, as well as to resident/ tenant outside excursions.
• Restricted visitation and patient support in our hospital, ER, and birth center.
• Closed dining services at the PuddleJumper Grille to the public.
• Postponed elective surgeries to conserve Personal Protective Equipment supplies.
• Implemented screening protocols at each of our facilities.
• Initiated phone outreach to seniors in our community to assist with specific needs.
Our Incident Command Team, as well as all of our skilled and courageous patient care and support personnel, are focused and prepared to meet the challenges we face. Thank you for trusting us to be your partners for a lifetime of care. Call 712-737-2000 with questions.
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From Amanda Keller, Aspire Therapy & Wellness
I am so excited to launch our “virtual adult run club” during this time of social distancing. The video shown here introduces the concept, and here are more details, including why this is so important.
One of the recommendations I have seen over and over when experts, scientists, and doctors talk about ways to prevent possible Coronavirus infection is … to be a healthy adult. Some health factors are certainly out of our control due to things like genetics and family history for example. But even with a sad family history, there are many variables we DO have the privilege to make choices about every single day! Do we eat healthy meals at home? Do we regularly get adequate sleep and hydration?
And the one I am here to encourage us in … is physical activity a priority in our everyday lives? Friends it is NEVER to late to start and studies show us that going from not being physically active to doing even 10-20 minutes a day has a powerful impact on both our physical and mental health!! Are you lacing up your shoes yet? Just sharing info like this makes me excited!!
Ok, so that’s the why – your health matters, now more than ever!!
What is a virtual run club? I’m glad you asked!
This is us, as a community, making choices to intentionally get out and move the body God has gifted to us. Maybe you are not a runner (yet). That is totally fine … you can join us by walking or even riding a bike. We don’t have access to fitness facilities right now, but it IS ok to be outside as long as you are not presenting signs of illness and respecting whatever the current social distancing guidelines are! {If we get new or different guidelines from IDPH or CDC we will let you know!}
Each week I will lay out a plan on our Facebook page (OCAHS Yoga and Fitness and Lemons to Lemonade) with both suggestions of what to do and possible routes to run (walk or bike). I will outline suggestions for beginners and more advanced runners. Make the plan fit into your week – however that looks and of course have fun with it!!
Each week we will provide a place for you to record your mileage.
Oh and we will throw in some weekly challenges and prizes at the end!!
Phone calls to area elderly connect them to needed services and support
People of all ages throughout our region have been practicing “social distancing” guidelines at various levels during the current coronavirus outbreak. The most vulnerable population – seniors over age 70 – have been encouraged to “shelter in place.” This often leaves the elderly isolated, possibly without needed services or essentials – from prescription refills to groceries, or even spiritual and emotional support.
Orange City Area Health System is addressing those needs on a personal level, using hospital patient care personnel to reach out to seniors via private, one-to-one phone calls.
“We simply did not want to assume that people’s needs, particularly in this age group, were being met,” explained Marty Guthmiller, CEO of Orange City Area Health System. “The coming together of the availability of our clinical staff, this need, and our mission of caring for the health and well-being of all the people in this region provided the platform to launch this effort.”
With some of the standard medical procedures – including elective surgeries – postponed during the COVID-19 outbreak to conserve personal protective equipment and other supplies, health system staff can be utilized for this outreach program. Patient care personnel, including surgery techs, nurses, radiology techs, and others, are familiar with the potential health and medical needs that seniors might be lacking, and can help discover those needs during a personal phone call.
Monica Aalbers, PT, who serves patients in the health system’s Physical and Occupational Therapy department, is leading this effort.
“It has been an honor to be a part of this initiative to ensure that our most vulnerable community members are still being cared for during this time of social distancing,” commented Aalbers. “We wanted to find a way to meet their health concerns (both physical and emotional) during this time when they are strongly encouraged to stay home.”
She added, “Constraint often drives creativity. It has been inspiring to see the employees here at Orange City Area Health system respond so quickly and openly. From administration to nurses to aids and techs, they are all rising up to different job duties and stepping into different roles in order to make sure our patients receive appropriate care. It is truly evident how much our employees care about our patients.”
For more information about this Outreach Service to Seniors program, please call 712-737-2000.
–by Dr. Alan Laird, Chief Medical Officer at Orange City Area Health System
Not surprisingly, the situation with this new illness continues to evolve. We are learning new things about this agent. The situation in the USA continues to change and more cases are expected. As of 3/2/2020, the risk in Iowa is low. Let me recommend some tools that may be helpful.
First, do not believe everything you hear on the TV or read on the internet. As my Dad used to say, “Consider the source.” The Iowa Department of Public Health has been a good source of information. They have up-to-date information on what is happening with coronavirus (now called COVID-19) in Iowa as well as resources about how to prepare in case things get worse. There are resources there for businesses, health care agencies, schools, etc. Their website (idph.iowa.gov) has easy to follow links – check it out.
Second, the risk for influenza remains higher in Iowa than for the new virus. And influenza can be deadly too. Protecting yourself from COVID-19 (should it arrive here), will be similar to protecting yourself from the flu. Wash your hands. Cover your coughs or sneezes (forearm or elbow is best). Stay home if you are ill.
If you come to the hospital or one of our clinics, you will be asked about your illness, travel, and exposure to this new virus. It seems like medical people have lots of forms and questions. We do. Please understand we are doing this to try to help everyone the best way we can. As has been our practice throughout this flu season, we ask you to please use one of our masks (available at the door or reception desks) if you have cold or flu symptoms. Please put one on for those around you. It doesn’t mean you are inferior to others, it means you care about them and want to limit any chances of sharing your illness. And if we are wearing masks, it is not because we think less of you, but because we have families we want to keep healthy too.
If you think you may have been exposed to this new coronavirus (COVID-19), we ask that you call us before you come to the hospital or clinic. There may be some special instructions we need to go over with you prior to your arrival.
In closing let me restate that the risk remains low in Iowa. But it is a good idea to discuss with your family what you would need to do if you were ill and needed groceries, or your daycare provider became ill, or if you are sick and can’t work for several days. These are good topics to think about not just because of coronavirus, but for influenza or any of life’s curveballs that come our way.
Wishing you good health and an early spring.
