Quincy Reporter

Blessing Health System issued the following announcement on April 30.

Blessing Health System wants you to know you may soon receive a phone call regarding postponed procedures and expanded opportunities for provider office visits.

When COVID-19 hit the region in March, thousands of invasive tests and procedures, including elective surgeries, were postponed and face-to-face office visits with providers were limited due to the threat of COVID-19. Blessing Hospital in Quincy and Illini Community Hospital in Pittsfield are ready to begin rescheduling the care that can be rescheduled based on state requirements that allows hospitals to resume elective procedures, and expand opportunities for face-to-face provider visits as of May 11.

“Patient safety is the priority of Blessing Health System every day in every situation,” said Maureen Kahn, RN, MHA, MSN, president/chief executive officer, Blessing Health System/Blessing Hospital. “We will follow the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Illinois Department of Public Health and feel confident about the rescheduling and safe provision of the care that was postponed.”

As a result of a low COVID-19 infection rate, Blessing Hospital will be removing the tent from its Emergency Center parking lot that had been used for patients with viral symptoms. However, all other COVID-19 precautions for the safety of all patients, visitors and staff, remain in place including the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) by Blessing and Illini staff, the wearing of face masks by all patients, visitors and non-caregiving staff, and symptom screening at all entrances. Expanded visiting restrictions that have been in place will remain, too.

Blessing and Illini staff will begin calling patients who had procedures and elective surgeries postponed because of COVID-19 soon. Based on the assessment of the patient’s physician, the patient’s current health condition and the type of care required, the procedure will be rescheduled or continue to be deferred.

In addition to the May 11 dates for resumption of elective surgeries and invasive procedures, radiologic procedures, including mammograms, will also be rescheduled and resume May 4 at Blessing and Illini hospitals. Walk-in mammograms are unavailable until further notice.

Blessing Physician Services and Hannibal Clinic providers have been seeing patients with acute and chronic healthcare needs face-to-face during the crisis using safety precautions, as well as offering the option of a virtual visit to patients with other health care needs. Virtual visits will continue as an option and the availability of face-to-face visits will be expanded as of May 11, continuing to follow all safety measures put into place as a result of the COVID-19 response. Those measures include screening at clinic entrances and a limit on the number of people who can accompany a patient to their appointment. Blessing Physician Services and Hannibal Clinic will continue to operate their Flu-Like Illness Screening Centers for adults and for children until further notice so patients with respiratory issues can be seen separately from other patients.

Finally on May 11, the hours of the Blessing COVID-19 Hotline will change to Monday-Friday, 7 am to 8 pm; and Saturday-Sunday, 7 am to 5 pm. The Hotline is staffed by registered nurses who help callers with questions about COVID-19 or symptoms they are experiencing. The Hotline is 217-277-3504.

Original source can be found here.