As the number of COVID-19 cases begins to stabilize in our community, Logansport Memorial Hospital (LMH) is looking ahead and preparing to re-open in our new environment. Logansport Memorial Hospital has worked with state legislators from our district to confirm that Cass County should expect to move through the phases of the Governor’s “Roadmap to Re-opening Indiana” at a pace that is two weeks behind most other Indiana counties.
Phase two of the Governor’s re-opening plan
The target date for Cass County to move into Phase 2 of the Governor’s re-opening plan is set for Monday, May 18. With that timing in mind, we are starting to reschedule appointments, surgeries, and procedures that were postponed out of necessity and safety during the pandemic. We will continue to provide care for patients with COVID-19, while also meeting the ongoing medical needs of people who have delayed care or who need routine care to stay healthy.
Our top priority as we prepare to re-open and to resume offering other medical services is to keep you safe in our care. As you consider scheduling in-person appointments and procedures, including surgeries, please know that we have put additional safety precautions in place to protect patients, visitors, and staff from possible exposure to COVID-19. We are confident that we can provide safe, essential care.
Restricted entrances
Beginning Monday, May 18, patients and approved visitors may access Logansport Memorial Hospital through one of two entrances:
- Medical Office Building East (Women’s Health Center, Cancer Care Center, Surgical Services): 7:30 am – 5 pm
- ER Entrance: 8 am – 8:30 pm (for screening/visitation); 24/7 for all emergencies
All patients and visitors (if approved) will be screened at each entrance for any symptoms or changes in their health condition. Everyone will be asked to sanitize their hands as they enter the building. All patients and visitors (if approved) must wear a mask throughout the entire visit. Cloth or other homemade masks are acceptable. If you arrive without a mask, we will provide one.
Visitor restrictions
Visitor restrictions remain in place to limit the number of people in the hospital. At this time, there are no changes to our zero visitors policy. For children under the age of 18 and adult patients who require a support person because of a disability or issues with mobility, one healthy adult may be approved to accompany the patient.
At this time, there are no changes in visitation for surgery patients – one healthy support person will bring the patient to the hospital but will not be allowed to enter. The support person will wait in their vehicle to be contacted by surgery staff when the patient’s procedure is complete. For OB patients, the visitor policy has changed slightly to allow one healthy support person for the entire stay of mom and baby. The one designated visitor may not come and go from the hospital or the patient room; he or she is expected to stay with the patient the entire time.
Special exceptions to visitation may be made for certain care situations, such as end-of-life or comfort care. Under this zero visitors policy, patients should still make every effort to continue paying bills online or over the phone. Café Express is also still closed to the public at this time. Community Pharmacy is accessible for the medications you need with in-person customer service and pick-up, curbside pick-up, and home delivery options.
Express Medical Center as the walk-in respiratory clinic
Beginning Monday, May 18, Express Medical Center will re-open as the new location for the walk-in respiratory clinic. The Respiratory Clinic at the 4-H Fairgrounds, operated by the Cass County Health Department and Logansport Memorial Hospital, will be closed. If you are sick with symptoms of COVID-19 or other respiratory illness, or if you believe you have been exposed, please report to Express Medical Center for care. To limit traffic in the waiting room and to help minimize potential exposure, you may be asked to wait in your car until you can be seen.
Please continue reporting to the ER Entrance at Logansport Memorial Hospital for care after-hours or on the weekend that is not an emergency. ER staff will continue to triage you appropriately and direct you for the care you need.
Phases for rescheduling surgeries
Beginning Monday, May 18, scheduled outpatient surgeries will slowly resume. We will only be scheduling about half of the normal amount of surgeries and procedures that we would typically perform, staggering appointment times and actively monitoring PPE usage out of an abundance of caution. Patients whose care needs are most urgent will be contacted to reschedule procedures and surgeries that were previously postponed.
All scheduled surgery patients will be tested for COVID-19 prior to surgery. Approved visitors will be screened for symptoms or changes in their health condition when they arrive with the patient.
Physician office appointments
Each patient’s individual circumstances will be evaluated by their provider to determine how soon that patient should return for in-person care or a scheduled procedure, or if their care needs could be handled through a telehealth visit. Logansport Memorial Hospital will continue to offer telehealth visits going forward, as they have been effective in helping our providers address the health needs for many of our patients.
To limit traffic in waiting rooms and promote safe physical distancing, you may be asked to return to your car to wait, if the waiting area is already at a safe, acceptable capacity with scheduled patients. We will contact you using information provided from you when an exam room is ready.
What we are doing to keep you safe
Logansport Memorial Hospital is taking every precaution to reduce the spread of COVID-19, so that you can feel comfortable getting the medical care that you need. Here’s how we’re working to keep you safe:
- We are screening every person for symptoms before entering the hospital.
- All providers and staff will wear masks during all patient encounters. Every staff member at Logansport Memorial Hospital is masked at all times, following strict protocols for proper usage of PPE. This is the best tool we can use to minimize exposure of COVID-19 to other patients and throughout the hospital.
- We are performing enhanced cleaning in between every patient. We clean exam rooms and equipment with EPA-recommended products that are approved by the CDC, specifically to kill viruses like COVID-19. Our specially trained Environmental Services team is also performing additional deep cleanings daily.
- Office appointments, procedures and surgeries have all been spaced out, to accommodate patients for rescheduling while limiting the number of people in a clinic or in a public waiting area at one time.
- All waiting rooms and public areas have been rearranged to encourage physical distancing.
- Employees are washing their hands and performing hand hygiene with increased frequency. This is still promoted by the CDC as the best way to reduce and prevent the spread of any infection, including COVID-19.
How you can keep yourself safe – while here at the hospital, and out in the community
COVID-19 has created a “new normal” for all of us — it is not a short-term event, and we anticipate that it will be around for months to come. Whether you come to the hospital, go to the grocery store, or attend a community event, you should continue following the everyday preventive actions recommended by the CDC to protect yourself and your family:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
- Avoid touching your face – specifically your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Practice physical distancing, maintaining at least 6 feet between yourself and others as much as possible in public areas.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Clean and disinfect frequently-touched objects and surfaces around your home. This includes (but is not limited to): tables, counter tops, light switches, door knobs, bathroom fixtures (including the toilet flush handle), TV remotes, and your cell phone.
As a last reminder, please never delay care you need out of fear for COVID-19. Delaying necessary medical care can lead to complications and advanced stages of disease. Our physicians, providers, and staff are committed to making sure that you are safe while you’re here, but also that you can stay healthy at home and as you return to everyday activities. You can trust that you will receive the same safe, high-quality, and compassionate care from our award-winning hospital that you always have, from before COVID-19 and now beyond it.
