Due to the confirmed cases of COVID-19 in South Dakota, Pioneer Memorial Hospital & Health Services is taking precautions to protect the health & safety of our residents, patients, and staff to prevent the spread of COVID-19. They are working closely with local, state and federal officials to evaluate the COVID-19 emergency in our community, and are actively monitoring and rigorously following current infection control protocols.
Understandably, the residents and families under our care are concerned about coronavirus – COVID-19. We know that the virus is much more severe in the elderly and the numbers for impact go up significantly after 70 and 80 years old. So everyone at Pioneer Memorial Hospital & Health Services is on high alert.
We are practicing all of the things we preach. Good hand washing, routinely cleaning frequently touched surfaces, making sure employees stay home if they are sick and regularly assessing residents’ symptoms of respiratory illness and fever. We’re focusing on all the things everybody else is – supply chain management, staffing and logistics issues, good hygiene practices, medication storage.
To protect the health and safety of our residents, patients and employees during the COVID-19 outbreak, we have restricted visitation in the Hospital, Independent Living, Assisted Living, and Nursing Home. Visitors are only allowed in rare circumstances where it is critical to the resident / patient and must be approved prior to entrance. The restrictions come following recommendations from the CDC, Dept. of Health, American Health Association during this international outbreak of COVID-19.
If you are in need of coming to one of our clinic locations and suspect that you have the Coronavirus (COVID-19), it is important to call one of our clinic locations first. Your provider will give you instructions on what to do next and this will help reduce the spread of germs. For appointments at one of our clinic locations, no visitors are allowed. The only exceptions include minor patients (17 years old and younger); 1 parent and guardian is allowed; and patients requiring assistance (1 caregiver is allowed).
Our therapy / rehabilitation department is still fully operating with our physical, occupational, and speech therapy services. We are accepting new patients and offer rehabilitation therapy for all ages, including pediatrics.
The virus is the enemy here. We’re all in this together. We are working with families who have critical needs on a case by case basis. The residents and patients who enter our doors become family, and we will continue to look out for each other during this time. All our employees are being screened at the beginning of their shift to ensure there are no health risks when working with our patients, residents, and fellow staff.
There are simple things all of us can do to help keep healthy:
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
FOR MORE INFORMATION contact: Pioneer Memorial Hospital & Health Services
315 N. Washington St. PO Box 368 Viborg, SD 57070, (605) 326-5161, www.pioneermemorial.org