April Welcome to Medicare Seminar

 

August is Child Eye Health and Safety Month

 

    With schools starting again, what better time to talk about child eye health and safety.

Did you know that 80% of classroom activities are taught visually? It can be hard on eyes to read white boards at school and now many children also use Chromebook computers to complete assignments, which can also strain their eyes. Let’s start the school year off right and make sure our children have no problems seeing.

            Why not get your child in for an eye exam? When children are not able to see well it doesn’t only effect their academic ability, but also puts a strain on their extracurricular activities such as band or sports.  Just imagine trying to play an instrument and not being able to read the notes or throwing a football and your eye site is blurry.

            Some common signs of vision problems that your child may have to give you a clue that there may be a problem include: rubbing eyes, squinting/squeezing eyes, turning his/her head to focus on an object, and reports of headaches.

            Eye safety is just as important as eye health. Every year many children sustain an eye injury, but many of the injuries could have been prevented if precautions had been taken. Injuries can happen at any time, whether it be from fireworks, toys, etc.  Always purchase toys that meet the safety standards of American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) and wear protective eyewear when necessary.  Most protective eyewear is made from a lightweight polycarbonate and is activity-specific. Corrective lenses and regular eyeglasses are NOT sufficient.

            If your child should experience an eye injury, DO NOT let your child rub their eye- if there is debris in the eye it can easily be scratched.  If chemicals get into the eye, wash the eye immediately with cold water.  If you have tried rinsing their eye and the debris does not come out, DO NOT try and remove it manually. This could cause an eye infection and/or damage; seek medical treatment in such cases.

            We all want our children to start the school year out right, let’s help protect their little eyes as much as we can!  

 

2020 HMH Board of Trustees

Back Row: 
Vance Lundell, Christina Kjar-Hanson, Kelli Boyle, David Forbes, Cole Boger

Front Row:   
Keith Robinson, Secretary; Peter Goldsmith, Vice Chair; Jean Burns, Chair; and Jennifer Conover, Treasurer

MASK UP IDA COUNTY!

It has been six months since the first U.S. Novel Coronavirus 2019 case was confirmed in Washington State on January 21, 2020.  During this time we have learned a lot about COVID-19. But many aspects of this virus are still unknown such as how many virus particles must a person be exposed to before they get sick.   

We do know that the virus spreads by respiratory droplets.  Coughing, sneezing, singing, talking and breathing release droplets.   Infected people can spread the virus up to 48 hours before they get symptoms.  Some people become infected but do not develop symptoms and it is unknown what role these people have in viral spread. 

The most effective ways to protect yourself include washing your hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds or using hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available, and physically distancing yourself from others.  Wearing a face covering when in public and unable to maintain a physical distance of six feet does offer protection against the spread of COVID-19.  Because it’s possible to have coronavirus without showing symptoms, it is best to wear a face covering even if you think you are healthy. A mask worn over the nose and mouth helps contain small droplets that come out of your mouth and/or nose when you talk, sneeze or cough. If you have COVID-19 and are not showing symptoms, a face mask reduces your chance of spreading the infection to others. If you are healthy, a mask may protect you from larger droplets from people around you.

Coronavirus.iowa.gov provides current statistics about COVID-19 activity in each county, resources, guidance and Test Iowa information.  County case numbers may fluctuate.  Cases are assigned to counties by zip code.  When local public health departments complete the case interview, the county of residence is verified and the county case number is adjusted accordingly.

Horn Welcomes New Surgeon

Horn Memorial Hospital is pleased to welcome general surgeon, Dr. James Hegvik.  Dr. Hegvik sees patients in the specialty clinic and does surgeries on Tuesdays at Horn Memorial Hospital.  Dr. Hegvik specializes in general surgery services including, but not limited to, hernia repair, minimally invasive surgery, surgical oncology, colon and rectal surgery, trauma, critical care and endoscopy.

Dr. Hegvik received his Doctorate at the University of North Dakota School Of Medicine and completed his residency at the Iowa Methodist Medical Center. In addition to his education, he has published research in the Journal of American College of Surgeons.

Dr. Hegvik shared, “As a surgeon, one of the most rewarding aspects of my career is building strong relationships with patients. By listening and taking time with patients, along with the use of the most current surgical techniques, I will be able to provide individualized care plans for the best possible outcome. I look forward to working with patients to make them feel comfortable and confident with their care.”

We are very pleased to welcome Dr. Hegvik and are excited to add his knowledge and experience in surgical care to Horn Memorial as we continue to strive to meet the healthcare needs of the people in our community.

Following Self-Isolation and Self-Quarantine Guidelines

Although your individual risk of complications from COVID-19 may be low, you may pass the virus along to others, including your family members, friends, neighbors and coworkers.  Some of these people will be at greater risk of serious complications, including death.  How can we help to minimize the threat in our communities?  Self-isolation and self-quarantine are public health measures used to slow the spread of contagious diseases.  You may ask what the difference is between self-isolation and self-quarantine, and what are the guidelines for each.

Self-isolation separates sick people with a contagious disease from people who are not sick.  If you have tested positive for COVID-19 or have symptoms, stay home.  Do not go shopping, run errands, go out to eat, or gather with other people.  Rest and drink plenty of fluids.  Stay in a specific room away from other people and pets in your home.  If available, use a separate bathroom.  If you need to be around other people in the home or when going to the doctor, wear a cloth face covering and try to stay at least 6 feet away from people.  Monitor your symptoms, including your fever daily.  Cover coughs and sneezes.  Everyone in the house should wash hands often, for 20 seconds with soap and water.  Don’t share dishes, drinking glasses, eating utensils, towels, or bedding with other people in the home.  Wash these items after use.  Have someone clean frequently touched surfaces (phones, remotes, doorknobs, bathroom fixtures, toilets, keyboards, tablets, tables, counters) in the house throughout the day.  If a bathroom cannot be dedicated to you, surfaces should be cleaned after use.  If someone else needs to clean the bathroom for you, they should wear a cloth face mask and wait as long as possible before the next person needs to use the bathroom to clean.  Most people have mild illness and can recover at home.  If your symptoms are getting worse, call ahead to your doctor before going to the office for care.  If you are having trouble breathing or other concerning symptoms, call 911 for immediate help.

You can stop self-isolation when you have had no fever for at least 72 hours (three full days of no fever without the use of medicine that reduces fevers) AND other symptoms such as cough and shortness of breath have improved AND at least 10 days have passed since your symptoms first appeared.  COVID-19 is a reportable disease to the Iowa Department of Public Health.  If you tested positive Public Health will call you to complete a required investigation of your illness and determine if anyone else was exposed and needs to self-quarantine.  Public Health completes a follow-up phone call 10 days after your symptoms started to determine if you can be released from self-isolation.

Quarantine separates and restricts the movement of people who were exposed to a contagious disease to see if they become sick.  For exposure to COVID-19 this period starts with the day of exposure and continues for 14 days from the last day exposed.  Currently, exposure is defined by the CDC as being within 6 feet of a contagious person for more than 30 minutes.  Self-quarantine includes staying at home and at least 6 feet away from other people and animals.  Follow all of the other guidelines as for self-isolation.  You may be contagious 48 hours before you have symptoms.   If you are required to go to work, wear a face mask.  Go home immediately if you do not feel well.  Call your doctor’s office for further directions.  More information on what to do if you are sick can be found at www.cdc.gov/coronavirus.     

Intubation Box Added to List of PPE

Horn Memorial Hospital has added an intubation box to their acquired list of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). PPE is so important, which is why Horn Memorial has been proactive in getting an appropriate supply in stock as a major step of preparedness. Charlie Delaney, Nurse Anesthetist, commented, “the intubation box provides one more layer of protection for both the patient and the provider, in essence, it’s like putting a mask on the patient.” Horn Memorial Hospital is very thankful for the community’s support in helping accumulate the supply of PPE for our staff and patients.