On behalf of our entire team of dedicated staff members at the Phillips County Hospital and the Phillips County Medical Clinic, I want to thank you for the trust and loyalty that you have placed in us to meet your healthcare needs in the past. That trust and loyalty continues to inspire us during a very uncertain time of anxiety and change.
My letter today is to reassure you that our patients will always be our top priority. We remain committed to your health and safety and to our Board-inspired mission statement of “patient-centered excellence” in an “every patient, every time” approach as we provide care.
Please be assured that we will not waiver from our mission statement or our commitment to you in the face of any challenge, including the concerns about the new coronavirus (COVID-19). In a prudent and measured manner, Phillips County Health Systems has been in communications with many other healthcare organizations and associations to determine the proper course of action to ensure the safety of our community and our employees. For several weeks, and especially in the last few days, we have been developing coordinated response strategies to address growing concerns regarding COVID-19. Below are some of the extra measures our team will take to reduce potential exposures for our staff and for visitors and patients to PCHS.
Exclusive and coordinated entry into PCHS through the emergency room entrance, along with visitor screening and sign-in requirements.
New visitor limitations in the patient care areas and in the emergency room.
The clinic has added enhanced pre-screening and arrival protocols to limit visitor and staff exposure while also conserving supplies such as masks, gowns, and gloves.
Our team continues to work in close partnership with other healthcare organizations. We participate in many weekly educational and informational sessions to heighten our mission-readiness capabilities.
Ensuring that our providers and staff have the necessary training and supplies to deliver the very best patient care in the safest manner possible for patients and staff.
Our hospital always receives high scores on its overall cleanliness because of the hard work of our Environmental Services Team (EVS). We want our community to be aware that our efforts during this time will involve increasing our cleaning protocols to add extra time sanitizing exam rooms, waiting areas, registration desks, and other surfaces. We are also adding new cleaning supplies to enhance the safety for anyone visiting or working at our hospital or clinic.
Increased meetings highlight coordination and education. Phillips County Health Systems is currently hosting weekly community/county meetings spearheaded by our Medical Chief of Staff Dr. Doak Doolittle, and Vice-Chief of Staff Dr. Tyson Wisinger. These meetings will be expanded to include representation from all of our county healthcare organizations such as long-term care organizations, emergency response and preparedness, elected officials, schools, law enforcement, and pharmacies. As would be expected with an increase in other informational and educational offerings related to COVID-19, representatives from PCHS are active participants in those opportunities. Team members also continue monitoring websites such as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE. Finally, our internal team will continue to meet not less than weekly for appropriate information exchanges and effective planning efforts.
Our local health system has been preparing and planning for COVID-19 with an individual dedicated to coordinating the PCHS response to COVID-19. Her name is Jaimie Baker, RN, who previously worked at Wesley Medical Center. She will continue to work with members of our provider community, public health officials and other business partners to ensure our overall preparedness and the safety of our patients, visitors, and staff.
The trust and confidence that you have for PCHS and our team of dedicated and talented individuals continues to inspire us to focus in an “every patient, every time” way to meet your healthcare needs, with your safety ensured and your expectations exceeded. As a team, we promise to be both a source of information for you and also to remain exceptionally informed about how best to serve you during this time of extreme disruption and concern. Together, we will get through this. During my time with PCHS, our staff continually responds to any challenge faced by reassuring me, “We got this!” Please be assured that this same approach and resolve is being applied to dealing with the challenges posed by COVID-19.
Very truly yours,
Rex D. Walk, FACHE
Chief Executive Officer
Phillips County Health Systems