A message from our President & CEO, Jerry Esker (5/8/20)
It has been nearly two months since the first diagnosed COVID-19 case hit our community, and we suspended nearly 1,000 elective procedures to ensure we had bed capacity and enough PPE (personal protective equipment) to handle a surge in the virus. Now, it has been two weeks since a positive COVID-19 test has been reported in Coles County. Beginning Monday, May 11, we will resume elective surgeries and procedures. It is a positive sign that things are beginning to return to normal.
At the outset, all the surgeries being rescheduled are outpatient procedures. Prior to surgery each person must have a negative COVID-19 test, have an available driver to take them home, and someone at home to help them as needed. Our nursing staff is calling each person to reschedule surgeries/procedures and a COVID-19 test. The surgeries will be performed in the surgery suites in the Health Center and in our new Surgery Center that opened just a month before the pandemic hit.
The types of surgeries and procedures being scheduled include eye, ENT, some orthopedic, general surgeries, pain management procedures, podiatric, and gastroenterology procedures and others.
Our staff is as anxious to get back to work as those of you who are anxious to resolve your health issues. I can assure you that Sarah Bush Lincoln is a safe organization. We follow all CDC and Illinois Department of Public Health recommendations. All exam and procedure rooms and all the equipment in it are cleaned with antibacterial agents. Our staff members continue to self-monitor daily by taking their temperatures, washing and sanitizing their hands often and wearing masks to protect others. We are committed to our community’s and patients’ safety.
Community Testing
Also starting on Monday, May 11, we are establishing drive-thru COVID-19 testing for non-symptomatic essential workers in the SBL Center for Health Living parking lot on the east side of the campus. Those interested in being tested will first call 217 258-7490 to pre-register. People with last names beginning with A to M can come anytime from 8 am to 5 pm on Mondays and Wednesdays, while people with last names beginning with N to Z can come anytime from 8 am to 5 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Any pre-registered person can come from 8 to 5 pm on Fridays. Our staff will begin taking pre-registration calls at 1 pm on Thursday (May 7) and thereafter 8 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday.
There are no out-of-pocket costs for this test.
We are grateful to Coach House Garage in Mattoon for the use of one of its drive-thru garages and to Ne-Co Asphalt for the traffic cones to help steer cars in the appropriate directions. We ask that people coming for testing arrive from the Loxa Road entrance and exit the same way. Please follow the signage. In coming days, we hope to offer similar test sites in other communities.
Thank You
As we hit another milestone on Sunday, May 10, our 43rd birthday, we are reminded how fortunate we are to serve this community. We are grateful to everyone who has supported us throughout this pandemic with the many gifts of personal protective equipment, viral transport media made by EIU faculty, thousands of hand-sewn masks, hundreds of 3-D crafted face shields made by Lake Land College and other local entrepreneurs, food to nourish our staff during stressful times, and access to supply chains to help us get the protective equipment we need to keep everyone safe and healthy. We are also blessed by our neighbors in Arcola – the Libman Company, which provided $50,000 to help feed our seniors through Peace Meal and provided 20,000 masks, and to those who contributed funds to help us defray the cost of the pandemic.
Leapfrog
Last week received word that we received another “A” grade from Leapfrog, a national watchdog group that rates hospitals based on quality and safety. This is our third “A” in a row, followed by the Top Rural Hospital designation we received in the fall, which places Sarah Bush Lincoln in the top 6 percent of hospitals nationwide for quality and safety. We are extremely pleased with these designations, and we continue to learn and make improvements in the care we provide with your safety and good health in mind.
We are a strong organization because of you, and we will survive this pandemic. We appreciate all your positive and uplifting comments. Your trust of Sarah Bush Lincoln for your healthcare needs guides our growth and decisions we make to invest in our future. With an incredibly grateful and full heart, thank you.
To learn more about what is going on at Sarah Bush Lincoln regarding COVID-19, any temporary closings or reduction of clinic hours, click on the links at www.sarahbush.org/covid-19/
