As services resume, hospital stresses the importance of individual medical care
By Robbie McKay Lincoln News • June 18, 2020
MILLINOCKET – With each phase of Maine’s plan for reopening after the Covid-19 shutdown, more and more services in healthcare are becoming available. Millinocket Regional Hospital is now operating at full capacity, and is encouraging the community to not delay in getting the medical services and tests that they need.
Bob Peterson, D.Sc., and Chief Executive Officer at MRH, said that people should not be afraid to seek out services due to fears of contracting COVID-19.
“We encourage you to continue your medical care. When it lapses, we are unable to monitor your condition and that’s when things can happen,” Peterson said. “The risk of delaying care is far greater than the risk of contracting COVID-19 in a hospital setting, where we are hyper vigilant and taking all the precautions to keep our patients and staff safe,” he said.
Some of these procedures include being screened upon arrival for possible symptoms and then being fitted with a mask. There are hand sanitizing stations throughout the hospital as well as Primary Care, courtesy of Davenport Associates and Soapwell. By utilizing these upon arrival and departure from the hospital, patients and visitors will prevent the spread of germs from entering or leaving the hospital.
The surgical teams are outfitted in full personal protective gear, including N95 respirator masks. Katie Mackin, Marketing Director for MRH said that every precaution to protect patients is being taken.
“All surgical patients are tested for COVID-19, whether they are symptomatic or not, to help mitigate any potential spread of the virus,” she said. “Should a patient test positive, their surgery will be delayed until they receive a clean bill of health,” Mackin said.
MRH is taking additional precautions, including COVID-19 testing for inpatients who are in close proximity of staff for longer durations.
While the numbers are continuing to look encouraging, MRH urges the community to continue being proactive to keep themselves and those around them, healthy. A big part of that is making sure you are getting the healthcare you should be. Peterson conveyed those points in a message to the community.
“MRH always has, and will, remain open and available to attend to your healthcare needs. Please do not delay medical care because you’re worried about COVID. Delaying care can result in poor outcomes,” Peterson said.
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About Millinocket Regional Hospital
Millinocket Regional Hospital (MRH) is a 25 bed Critical Access Hospital nestled at the base of Baxter State Park that provides vital healthcare services to those who live, work and play in the Katahdin Region. Beyond the friendly staff and award-winning patient care, MRH provides an impressive range of specialty and general services; with a recent expansion resulting in the addition of eight new specialties and a Walk-In Care facility. In 2018, MRH was awarded the Press Ganey ‘Guardian of Excellence Award’ for exceptional patient experience; a nationally-recognized symbol of achievement for hospitals who consistently perform within the top 5%. Providing jobs to approximately 250 people, MRH is the largest employer in the Katahdin Region and a crucial economic driver within its community. For more information, please visit www.mrhme.org or www.facebook.com/MillinocketRegionalHospital