Direct Line from Steve Edwards: 4/30/21

April 30, 2021

COVID-19 update

Our number of COVID-19 patients remains low, but is still slowly on the rise. We have 31 inpatients as of this morning, which compares to 26 a week ago, and seven are in critical care. We have enough staff, space and PPE to care for these patients and many more – but we want to prevent those numbers from increasing. Vaccinations remain key. We know these vaccines are safe, and are seeing it firsthand: Out of more than 93,000 doses we have administered at CoxHealth, only one person required attention for a severe anaphylactic reaction. The issue was addressed quickly and the person went home the same day.

To continue providing vaccinations in an easy and convenient way, anyone who lives or works in Missouri and is 16+ can simply call 417-269-INFO to be scheduled for a vaccine. We have locations where it’s available in Springfield, Branson, Monett, Lamar and Nixa.

DAISY Award honorees

We are fortunate to have so many caring and skilled people who serve our patients at CoxHealth. Just a few of them are highlighted in our most recent round of Springfield DAISY Award honorees, which may be read here. Our employees’ desire to make a difference for our patients never ceases to amaze me. We have so many wonderful individuals who work here, and use their lives to make a difference for others.

iovera Therapy

It’s always exciting when new procedures and options become available to improve our patients’ lives. An example is iovera Therapy, a new treatment for knee pain that helps limit or eliminate the need for pain medication. This procedure can benefit patients before surgery, or simply for ongoing discomfort. It’s currently available at Cox Branson, but we expect it to expand elsewhere in the system soon. Click here to learn more about it.

Voice of the Patient

From a Facebook comment about health care providers who have made a difference: “OBGYN Dr. Gregory Stamps and his NP Angela Jones. They have gotten me straightened up from a few health problems, and they both truly care and are kind. I've received phone calls from them personally just to check on me. Dr. Robert Strang (neurologist) and his staff -- so organized and caring. Dr. Norman Mechlin was my internist before he went into administration. The finest doctor I have ever had! Very pleased overall with my Cox doctors, and I am so thankful for them!”

Vaccine Voice

From an employee in CoxHealth Corp. and Employee Wellness: “There are many reasons why I got vaccinated. I am immunocompromised and need all the help I can get. I contracted COVID at the beginning of October and am grateful that I only had a mild case. I share a home with my 88-year-old grandfather and would never want to do anything to compromise his health. My family is very important to me and I have several family members who are high risk. Recently I lost my father to COVID. He was in his early 70s and was still working full time. He was a mountain of a man with the biggest heart. He should not have fallen from this. So many depend on heard immunity and I do not wish the hurt I am feeling on anyone. WE CAN STOP THIS, if only more felt the same way.”

Thank you for all you do,

Steve