Restrictions Continue at Morris Hospital
April 3, 2020, Morris, IL – With the extension of the stay-at-home order in Illinois, Morris Hospital will continue to postpone select services through at least April 30. Visitor restrictions will also remain in place.
Postponed services include: cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation; sleep center; patient transportation; health education classes and support groups; outpatient imaging for screening purposes, such as screening mammograms, screening bone density exams, and CT and ultrasound exams that are for screening purposes; and all elective surgeries and elective invasive procedures. Elective surgeries and elective invasive procedures generally include anything planned that is not for a life-threatening condition. Cases that are deemed emergent or urgent by the physician are proceeding.
Additional precautions that remain in place at the hospital include: no visitors for hospitalized patients, with the exception of 1 designated support person age 18 or older for laboring mothers and children 17 and younger; and 1 designated support person for patients having surgery or an invasive procedure involving sedation. No other visitors are permitted or allowed to accompany outpatients. Hospital staff will continue to screen patients, visitors, and anyone else who must enter the hospital for signs of illness.
The hospital’s walk-in care/occupational medicine centers in Channahon, Diamond-Coal City, Morris and Yorkville remain open 7 days a week. Anyone with fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, muscle aches or runny nose is not permitted inside these facilities but should call by phone instead for instruction.
The Morris Hospital Healthcare Centers (physician offices) also remain open and continue to implement special precautions, with each physician reviewing the daily schedule to determine which patients can be rescheduled for elective appointments such as yearly physicals, well child checks, sports physicals and well controlled chronic conditions. Appointments that are deemed necessary are being held in-person, by video, or by phone, depending on the specific patient.
“There’s no question that this is an extremely challenging time for everyone,” says Morris Hospital President & CEO Mark Steadham. “We understand that the limitations in the services that we are able to provide is difficult for our patients. And, our staff certainly misses being able to provide these services for our community.
“We know how difficult it’s been for family members who are unable to visit hospitalized patients. Our staff has done an extraordinary job stepping in so hospitalized patients don’t feel alone.
“We miss our volunteers, and we miss our patients in the service areas that have been limited or postponed. Yet, we all have to continue on, reminding ourselves that these are temporary circumstances and there will be an end to this pandemic.”
Steadham says the outpouring of support from the community is greatly appreciated and means so much to hospital staff, whether it’s encouraging comments on social media, notes, meals, lighting a candle on the front porch, or other thoughtful gestures that continue to surface at the hospital and its 24 other locations.
“As I’ve told our staff, healthcare workers everywhere have had to become soldiers in a war against a virus,” says Steadham. “I am so incredibly proud of our staff for the way they have adapted to an environment that changed very quickly. Every act of kindness from the community will certainly help us to persevere in the weeks ahead.”
Hospital officials continue to urge the community to follow the stay at home orders and physical distancing, referencing a news release issued by the Grundy Health Department earlier this week that indicated staying home doesn’t mean inviting friends over for a play date, nor does it mean inviting neighbors for a backyard barbecue, gathering to play a contact sport or with shared equipment, or hosting a small dinner party with extended family. Staying home does mean being indoors or outdoors with your usual household members, going for a walk or bike ride in the neighborhood while keeping a distance of at least 6 feet from neighbors you encounter, and having one household member go on infrequent and brief trips to the grocery store, pharmacy or gas station.
The Morris Hospital website, morrishospital.org/coronavirus, includes helpful resources for managing stress and anxiety, an acts of kindness log summarizing support received from the community, directions for donating supplies to the hospital, and links to the Centers for Disease Control website, including a COVID-19 self-checker.
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