COVID-19 Update – Hotline launched. Cancellation of all non-essential health care.

Published On: March 20th, 2020|Categories: News|

As the COVID-19 situation continues to evolve rapidly, we want to reassure you that the safety of our patients, staff and communities remains our highest priority. As part of our response, we are continuously evaluating the preparedness of our hospital, caregivers, supply availability and our capacity of services. We are staying vigilant on the spread of the virus in our local communities.

Hotline
MCHC has set up a COVID-19 hotline at 507.642.5206. The hotline will be accepting calls from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Callers will speak with one of our care team members, but if there is no answer, try back in 10 minutes. In an emergency always call 911. We ask for your patience when calling our hotline because we anticipate high call volumes. This phone is not monitored after hours, and there is no voice mail option.

Restricting Elective Clinic, Physical Therapy, and Radiology Appointments
Effective March 23, 2020, MCHC is only taking appointments for Urgent Care and Emergency care.

  • Our care teams are currently evaluating patient appointments on a case-by-case basis. If your visit can safely be deferred four or more weeks without negatively impacting your health, your appointment may be rescheduled or may be converted to a telephone or virtual consult.
  • If you have an appointment that can be deferred, you will receive a phone call from the Madelia Clinic in the next few days to discuss your options. We will do our best to accommodate your needs in collaboration with your provider’s schedule.
  • All patients are being screened for symptoms of COVID-19 in addition to their travel history prior to being scheduled and again when being seen for an urgent care appointment.
  • Extra visitors with patients at appointments will not be allowed, unless the patient is a minor or needs assistance. In these cases, the visitor will also go through the required screening.
  • Our clinic is open its normal scheduled hours: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays, and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.
  • Our Physical Therapy Department is cancelling all massages until further notice.

Postponing of Elective Surgeries and Procedures
MCHC, along with hospitals throughout the state, are postponing nonessential surgeries and procedures that can be delayed without negative consequence to patients such as a threat to life, permanent disability, and spreading metastasis or a delay in cancer staging. This is in line with an executive order from Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. While this is a difficult decision, it is the right thing to do to protect our patients and preserve supplies, equipment and staffing for the most urgent and time-sensitive patient needs. We recognize that this is disappointing for our patients, but this protects their health as well. Our physicians will ensure that surgeries and procedures that are lifesaving and needed for the health of our patients will go forward. We will contact patients with upcoming elective surgeries regarding their care plans.

We apologize for any inconveniences this may cause, but need to take necessary action to protect our caregivers and patients as much as possible. We appreciate your patience and continued trust in the Madelia Community Hospital and Clinic and our caregivers during this difficult time.

Share This Post