As OSF HealthCare continues to open services that had been temporarily closed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, it wants to remind community members to continue proactive measures for their health.
OSF HealthCare primary care and specialty practices have added several options, including telephone and video visits, to ensure everyone can get care even if they’re not comfortable coming to a practice for an in-person visit.
Preventive and routine health needs that shouldn’t be ignored include:
- Routine physicals that can help catch serious disease in an early stage when it’s easier to treat.
- Screening procedures, such as mammograms.
- Recommended and seasonal immunizations for children and adults.
- Lab tests that monitor conditions and alert providers to changes in your health.
- Ensuring that prescribed medications are refilled and updated as needed.
- Specialist visits to monitor and treat chronic health conditions.
“It’s important for individuals to continue to follow the health routine established with their physician or other care provider, especially for those with chronic health conditions,” said Ken Beutke and Dawn Trompeter, Presidents of OSF Saint Elizabeth and Saint Paul Medical Centers. “Most of our physician practices are offering video visits, and for those who want or need an in-person visit, we have implemented changes for everyone’s safety and peace of mind, including allowing more time between patients and cleaning and disinfecting surfaces between appointments.”
OSF HealthCare emergency departments are open and taking every precaution to separate the sick from those with other emergencies. If you are having symptoms of a heart attack or stroke – or think you might be – call 911 and get to the nearest emergency department without delay.
Some symptoms or conditions are always a potential emergency, and need to be checked out immediately:
- Symptoms of stroke, heart attack, or serious injury. That includes dizziness, severe chest or abdominal pain, numbness, and difficulty breathing.
- Open wounds that might require stitches.
- A feeling that your health is deteriorating, such as weakness or shortness of breath.
- Sudden worsening of chronic conditions, such as diabetes or COPD.
Physical therapy for injuries or recovery from surgery or stroke is vital to a person’s quality of life. Most OSF Rehabilitation locations are open and ready to serve patients safely.
For mental health wellness, OSF HealthCare offers SilverCloud, a free, secure, anonymous, and interactive platform that helps people manage the feeling and causes of depression, anxiety, or stress.
Individuals can also chat with Clare, the digital assistant on osfhealthcare.org, who can help direct you to resources to meet your needs.