KCH Medical Director Encourages Public To Seek Medical Care
June 20, 2020 at 3:55 a.m.
KCH Medical Director Encourages Public To Seek Medical Care
By David [email protected]
In an interview Friday at his KCH office, Silveus discussed why people should not put off medical care and what the hospital is doing to keep its patients and staff safe.
He said the elderly especially are more concerned about going to healthcare facilities for care because of COVID-19.
“They’ve heard on the radio about how high-risk they are, which is true, so they certainly are less inclined just to come in. But we try to emphasize patient safety and the safety of our team as a first priority,” Silveus said. “Lutheran Health Network and KCH are taking active steps to maintain a safe environment of care for the community.”
The precautions include screening of everyone who enters the hospital doors, including employees; requiring all staff, visitors, employees and physicians to wear masks; emphasizing cleaning and disinfecting, especially on frequently touched surfaces; and, when necessary, isolating the COVID-19 patients in a dedicated area to keep them away from non-COVID patients.
Kosciusko County had its first confirmed positive case of the coronavirus in late March. As of Friday, nearly 400 county residents have tested positive for COVID-19.
On a weekly basis, Silveus said the number of cases KCH sees is “always changing.”
“We’re more than prepared to treat all the patients who come for treatment. We continually remind patients about masking, social distancing and hand hygiene,” he said.
As for staff, all are screened when they enter the facilities and are required to wear a mask.
“Anyone who does test positive is sent home for quarantine and their vitals are checked and they’re monitored and managed from home, if they’re not sick enough to be in the hospital, until they meet certain criteria for being well for at least three days before they are allowed to return to work,” Silveus said.
With Kosciusko one of several counties in the area experiencing a surge in the coronavirus, Silveus said almost all states are seeing a surge.
“I think it is a result of just the widespread prevalence of the virus, more testing and the gradual reopening of the state, and some people are unfortunately relaxing their vigilance as far as wearing masks and hand hygiene and social distancing,” he said.
Long term, Silveus said KCH will continue to treat patients in a safe environment for their individual specialized needs.
“Safety is always our first priority and we promise that to our patients and staff. Lutheran Health Network and KCH will continue to urge the local community to seek emergency care when it is needed without delay,” he said. “Receiving care in a timely manner will support the best possible outcome. Necessary treatment for urgent medical conditions could be the difference actually between life and death, so we urge people to call 911, go to the hospital, just get the help you need. Emergencies don’t stop for COVID-19.”
His recommendations for people to avoid contracting COVID-19 include social distancing, wearing a mask, engaging in good hand hygiene and “just seeking medical care when you need help, not delaying treatment.”
As for what he’s learned from the pandemic, Silveus said, “It’s impressive to me how the communities come together, working very hard to level the curve, especially the physicians, nurses and employees of KCH. Their dedication and hard work have enabled us to continue to provide safe, high-quality, comprehensive health care for our entire community in a timely manner, even in these trying times.”
On a final note, he said KCH is working every day, from senior administration to physicians, nurses and other staff members to “always maintain, as best we can, a safe environment so that we can adequately take care of our patients.”
In an interview Friday at his KCH office, Silveus discussed why people should not put off medical care and what the hospital is doing to keep its patients and staff safe.
He said the elderly especially are more concerned about going to healthcare facilities for care because of COVID-19.
“They’ve heard on the radio about how high-risk they are, which is true, so they certainly are less inclined just to come in. But we try to emphasize patient safety and the safety of our team as a first priority,” Silveus said. “Lutheran Health Network and KCH are taking active steps to maintain a safe environment of care for the community.”
The precautions include screening of everyone who enters the hospital doors, including employees; requiring all staff, visitors, employees and physicians to wear masks; emphasizing cleaning and disinfecting, especially on frequently touched surfaces; and, when necessary, isolating the COVID-19 patients in a dedicated area to keep them away from non-COVID patients.
Kosciusko County had its first confirmed positive case of the coronavirus in late March. As of Friday, nearly 400 county residents have tested positive for COVID-19.
On a weekly basis, Silveus said the number of cases KCH sees is “always changing.”
“We’re more than prepared to treat all the patients who come for treatment. We continually remind patients about masking, social distancing and hand hygiene,” he said.
As for staff, all are screened when they enter the facilities and are required to wear a mask.
“Anyone who does test positive is sent home for quarantine and their vitals are checked and they’re monitored and managed from home, if they’re not sick enough to be in the hospital, until they meet certain criteria for being well for at least three days before they are allowed to return to work,” Silveus said.
With Kosciusko one of several counties in the area experiencing a surge in the coronavirus, Silveus said almost all states are seeing a surge.
“I think it is a result of just the widespread prevalence of the virus, more testing and the gradual reopening of the state, and some people are unfortunately relaxing their vigilance as far as wearing masks and hand hygiene and social distancing,” he said.
Long term, Silveus said KCH will continue to treat patients in a safe environment for their individual specialized needs.
“Safety is always our first priority and we promise that to our patients and staff. Lutheran Health Network and KCH will continue to urge the local community to seek emergency care when it is needed without delay,” he said. “Receiving care in a timely manner will support the best possible outcome. Necessary treatment for urgent medical conditions could be the difference actually between life and death, so we urge people to call 911, go to the hospital, just get the help you need. Emergencies don’t stop for COVID-19.”
His recommendations for people to avoid contracting COVID-19 include social distancing, wearing a mask, engaging in good hand hygiene and “just seeking medical care when you need help, not delaying treatment.”
As for what he’s learned from the pandemic, Silveus said, “It’s impressive to me how the communities come together, working very hard to level the curve, especially the physicians, nurses and employees of KCH. Their dedication and hard work have enabled us to continue to provide safe, high-quality, comprehensive health care for our entire community in a timely manner, even in these trying times.”
On a final note, he said KCH is working every day, from senior administration to physicians, nurses and other staff members to “always maintain, as best we can, a safe environment so that we can adequately take care of our patients.”
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