Given the increase in the spread of COVID-19 in our community, our infectious disease team is encouraging high-risk patients to take special precautions.

Dr. Christopher Penn, infectious disease physician at LMH Health, reminds us that COVID-19 is a new disease, and as such, theres limited information about the impact of underlying medical conditions and how they might create additional challenges for patients with COVID-19.

The CDC indicates that patients of any age with the following conditions are at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19:

Additionally, people with the following conditions might be at an increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19:

If you fall into one of the above categoriesor if you live with someone who doesDr. Penn said its all that much more important to protect yourself from exposure to COVID-19. This means limiting your interactions with other people as much as possible.

Yes. Dr. Penn explained that our hospital and clinics have the most up-to-date COVID-19 precautions in place. These safeguards help protect you, our staff and ultimately the community. As we contact you to schedule or remind you of an appointment, we will ask several screening questions to verify your health status. We will gather as much registration, health history, insurance and payment information in advance as possible, and we will also notify you of changes to our process when you arrive at our campus and entrances.

Not every health need requires an in-person visit. LMH Health offers TeleCare, a service that is available to almost all clinics and appointments. Any existing or new patient can take advantage of this serviceall you need is a smart device such as a tablet, smartphone or laptop. TeleCare can be very effective even outside of a pandemicthink of it as another convenient option for care delivery. Ask your treatment team if a TeleCare visit is an option for you.

Dr. Penn said that the most important thing for all patients to keep in mindespecially those who fall into a high-risk category due to certain conditionsis to avoid any and all delays to necessary emergency care. Delaying your care can create even more significant health issues, and the infection prevention measures in place in our Emergency Department are meant to keep you safe.

If you cant avoid interaction altogether, remember that the virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person, specifically:

You can best protect yourself and those around you by following this guidance from the CDC:

Monitor your health daily, and be alert for fever, cough, shortness of breath, or other symptoms of COVID-19. If you think youve been exposed to COVID-19, call your healthcare provider before coming in. If you dont have a provider, you can contact Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health.

You can also keep track of your symptoms, and watch for emergency warning signs. Seek care immediately if you have trouble breathing or experience confusion, chest pain or chest pressure.

For nearly 100 years, our community has relied on LMH Health to provide exceptional, safe care. This has always been our top priority, and it remains true now more than ever. Our purpose is to be A Partner for Lifelong Health, in all times, but especially in these challenging ones.

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High-risk individuals urged to take special precautions to protect against COVID-19 | LMH Health | Lawrence, KS - LMH Health