COVID Information

 

Effective, September 23, 2020 visitor restriction will be initiated for the hospital and clinics.  At each point of contact with patients, the staff will verbally reinforce the visitor restriction to ensure all patients are aware of the restriction.

With the visitor restriction in place, MHLC recognizes that support persons will be allowed when essential for patient care for pediatric patients, patients who have an Activated Power of Attorney or Guardianship and certain situations.   This support person will be screened to ensure that they do not have any signs/symptoms of COVID before entering the building.

MHLC understands that support for decision-making is needed for certain situations.

• Ask staff how we can help accommodate electronic or phone communication during visits.
• Call patients with your well wishes instead of visiting in person. Your concern will be just as genuine – and welcomed.

Visitor restrictions are temporary and may change as we monitor the COVID-19 worldwide pandemic.

Thank you for your willingness to keep our patients, staff, and community safe.

If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19:  Fever, Cough, Shortness of Breath, Sore Throat, Runny Nose, Headache…

Please isolate yourself and call your local clinic.

If you have severe symptoms, call 911 for ambulance transport OR call ahead to the MHLC Emergency Department at 776-4466 to alert staff that you are coming.

 

Memorial Hospital of Lafayette County knows that this is a very stressful time for everyone.

We want to assure you that we are committed to continuing to provide the highest quality of safe care during this time.

 

---

The following clinics are open:

1. Primary Care Clinic Darlington remains open – 608-776-4497 including night clinics
2. Primary Care Clinic of Argyle beginning June 1st – 608-543-3392
3. Primary Care Clinic of Shullsburg May 11th – 608-965-4475
4. Specialty Clinic remains open – 608-776-5748

• Virtual Visits available at all 4 Clinics.

You must have an appointment.   No walk-in appointments will be taken.   To minimize contact, when you arrive for your appointment, call the clinic and wait in your car until you are notified that they are ready for you.   If you do not have a cell phone step into the first door of the clinic.

As more services open up, requirements will stay in place including visitor restrictions, temperature checks, symptom screening, masking and social distancing.

 

OUR PROCEDURES MAY HAVE CHANGED BUT OUR DEDICATION TO YOUR HEALTH HAS NOT!
In order to protect the health and welfare of our community and staff we have implemented new procedures. Everyone entering the hospital or our clinics:

• Will be screened
• Will be required to wear a mask
• Will have COVID 19 testing performed prior to any non-emergent procedure
•  May be asked to wait in the car to allow for social distancing
•  May have telemedicine for some appointments
•  May be limited to just the patient; however in limited incidence a support person      may be allowed for medical reasons.

 

If you have questions or immediate needs related to COVID-19, you can:

Si tiene preguntas o necesidades inmediatas relacionada con COVID-19, puede:

• Text (texto) COVID19 to 211-211
• Visit 211 Wisconsin.org, or Visita al 211Wisconsin.org, or
• Call 211, Llame al 211

 

Are you in crisis or struggling?  You are not alone.  

Look to Southwestern Wisconsin Behavioral Health Partnership for sources of help.

• Call 800-985-5990 to speak to a trained crisis counselor or text TalkWithUS to 66747.
• Find resources of help at the Southwest WI network of Care website:  http://southwestern.wi.networkofcare.org

The Wisconsin Department of Health has created a page with additional resources to help us all cope.  Resilient Wisconsin

 

Useful links and resources:

https://www.lafayettecountywi.org/healthdepartment

http://cdc.gov

 

A MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO:

One constant over the last several weeks has been change, endless change.
The constant change of information around COVID-19 is exhausting to say the least, news stories share varying messages and sources keep updating their suggestions making us all feel confused, frustrated, and scared. At MHLC we are working with accredited sources to ensure our organization is not only operating with best practice but we share that information with our community.
We know people avoid getting medical care they urgently need due to fear of the virus or misunderstanding of how healthcare is operating during these changing times. I want you all to know MHLC is committed to keeping our team, our patients, and our communities safe. Your health and safety always have been and always will be our top priority. In addition to our previous high standards of infection control, we have implemented a screening program for those who need to be coming into our buildings. We are taking these additional steps to ensure that when you do need to walk into our buildings, you are safe.
When you hear you are safer at home, remember that does not mean you are safer to postpone the healthcare you need. MHLC providers can setup a virtual visit with you from the privacy and safety of your own home. Should you need to come onsite, know your safety is always on the forefront of our minds. You are safe here and with our team.
During these times, we have seen our community pull together, while staying apart, to help us all through these constant changes. Thank you to all of you. You remind us why healthcare in rural areas is so important; it is because of all of you. To MHLC, our patients are more than just a patient; our patients are most often our classmates, family, friends, or our neighbors. You are why we do what we do.
I always knew we had an amazing team at MHLC, this pandemic has reminded me, yet again, how proud I am to work with all of them. In times of trial, true character shows through and our team stepped up to this challenge with their whole hearts to ensure we were doing our best for our patients and our community.
Our communities have not seen the surge we feared. If that day comes we are ready at MHLC. Thanks to your commitment to flattening the curve by altering your lives to keep us all safe. As the world changes around us, we change as we are all learning our “new normal”. We can do this.
There may be a lot of change in our world these days but know one thing that will stay the same, is our dedication to your health and safety. We will never compromise your health and safety, ever.

Kathy Kuepers