OP-ED: It’s safe to seek care from local independent health systems
From coast to coast, people who are injured or living with chronic conditions are delaying care because they are fearful about contracting COVID-19 in health care settings. The independent community health systems in Washington County want you to know that it is completely safe for you to seek treatment in our facilities.
It’s especially important to seek care for urgent and emergent injuries or ailments. The longer you wait to be treated, the higher the risk for complications from underlying conditions and some patients may even face longer recovery times.
We are also concerned that people with issues like high blood pressure or diabetes are putting their lives in jeopardy when they miss regular lab tests. Certain screenings should also continue to be performed. It is proven that early detection of some cancers reduces the likelihood of their spread and leads to more positive outcomes. While virtual physician visits are convenient, sometimes personal exams are warranted for an accurate diagnosis. You should work closely with your primary care provider to determine what tests, screenings and types of visits are right for you.
The reality is that no one should be afraid to seek care from our health systems.
In Washington County, Monongahela Valley Hospital and Washington Health System have the best of the best in terms of physicians, nurses, aides, technologists and the many allied professions at our hospitals and outpatient facilities. For years, we have been preparing for every imaginable situation, including pandemics. Our highly skilled teams of medical professionals have received education and participated in drills to protect themselves and ultimately our patients from exposure to hospital-acquired pathogens. In addition, we follow rigid protocols that ensure patient safety every day – every time – every patient; there are no deviations. While we are recognized for having some of the lowest infection rates in the region in terms of hospital-acquired infections, during the past six weeks, we’ve implemented even greater safety measures to safeguard our patients and staff from exposure.
To add even more protection to non-COVID patients, we have created separate areas inside our hospitals and we have dedicated staff members who provide care to COVID-19 patients or those awaiting test results. Patients who test positive or who are under investigation are placed in dedicated rooms. People receiving care for other ailments would never be placed in these rooms or be seen by a COVID dedicated staff member.
We have suspended visiting hours within all Washington and Greene County hospitals. We have also implemented new procedures in the hospital and outpatient sites. One example is that patients do not sit in our waiting rooms prior to receiving care. In the Emergency Department, they are taken to treatment rooms immediately. At the outpatient sites, patients wait in their car until a medical professional calls them on their cellphone to tell them they are ready to be seen. In addition, the proper personal protective equipment, according to the Centers for Disease Control guidelines, is always worn. Rooms are thoroughly sanitized after each patient. Washington Health System and Monongahela Valley Hospital are here for you and doing whatever it takes to keep you healthy.
Louis J. Panza Jr. and Brook T. Ward are the president and CEO of Monongahela Valley Hospital and Washington Health System, respectively.