Mercy Update – March Update

This month’s update from Mercy Hospital Joplin includes:

• A spotlight on the recommended colonoscopy age, which has been lowered from 50 to 45. (Check your insurance for coverage)
• An update to Mercy’s visitor guidelines that would allow visitors for COVID-positive patients.
• A reminder on the importance of sleep as we approach National Sleep Awareness Week, which runs from March 14 to 20.

Recommended Colonoscopy Age Lowered

The earlier it’s detected, the better your odds. Protect yourself from colorectal cancer and introduce a colonoscopy to your regular health plan beginning at age 45.

Learn more and download Mercy’s free Colonoscopy Fact sheet here.

Mercy Welcomes Visitors to Our Facilities

Your safety and that of our patients and co-workers is our priority. So, please make sure to follow the guidelines below.

As with any public place, there remains a chance for exposure to COVID-19 while in this facility. We’ll provide a medical-grade mask for all visitors to wear over their nose and mouth at all times.

If you’re not feeling well or have been COVID-19 positive or exposed within the last 10 days, please refrain from visiting Mercy patients.

Visitor Guidelines for Hospital Patients in Isolation for COVID-19

At Mercy, we understand how much visits mean to hospital patients and their families, especially for patients with COVID-19. At the same time, the safety of our patients, their visitors, and our co-workers is our top priority.

The guidelines below are intended to keep everyone safe from this highly contagious virus:

• Only on designated visitor at a time.
• If you had a positive COVID-19 test within the last 10 days or have COVID symptoms, we ask that you seek medical care and quarantine at home.
  • If you were exposed to this patient without testing positive within the last 90 days, the CDC advises that you quarantine at home for five days after your last exposure to the patient, and that you wait 10 days before returning or visiting another health care facility.
• Please leave personal belongings in your vehicles. Purses and bags are not allowed in the patient’s room.
• Please check with the nursing staff before each visit. The staff will make sure you have the correct personal protective equipment (PPE) on for your safety.
  • Required PPE includes an isolation gown, gloves, an N95 mask, and an eye covering, such as a shield. Please note that personal eyeglasses are not sufficient to protect you.
  • Keep all of this on while in the room. If you remove any part of the PPE, you will be asked to leave. COVID is highly contagious, and we practice strict isolation precautions.
  • Please make sure you use hand sanitizer before and after.
• Once you are in the room, please remain in the room. Once you have concluded your visit, please remove all PPE other than your mask at the door to the patient’s room, use hand sanitizer, and exit the hospital. Please do not visit the cafeteria, gift shops, or other common areas. This is to reduce the risk that you may transmit COVID-19 to others around the hospital.

COVID-19 is highly contagious, so please understand that there is an increased risk of becoming infected with COVID-19 when you enter the room.

Thank you for helping us maintain a safe place for you, our patients, and our co-workers.

National Sleep Awareness Week

Anyone can experience an occasional night of poor sleep. But when sleep loss becomes a continual problem, the Mercy Sleep Center in Carthage can help. The effects on your health can be serious and can include:

• Fatigue
• Irritability
• Depression
• Reduced attention span
• Inability to concentrate
• Difficulty with memory
• Lost work time
• Workplace or auto accidents.

If you’re interested in scheduling a sleep study, please call u sat 417.556.2808 or talk with your Primary Care Provider.