Direct Line with Steve Edwards for 6/26/2020

COVID patient video story

Last month, I shared the story of a young patient with COVID-19 who had an emergency C-section and was on a mechanical ventilator. The patient was the first at CoxHealth to receive the drug Remdesivir. The patient, Hanna Siems, and her husband Kyle, who also tested positive for COVID, share their touching story of recovery here.

Visitor restriction change at ambulatory clinics

This week, patients being seen at CoxHealth clinics began to be able to have one adult visitor (age 18 or over) during their appointment with a provider. Both patients and visitors must be masked and temperature-screened as they enter the facility. Our visitor restrictions are being updated on coxhealth.com.

Pre-surgery COVID testing underway

This week, CoxHealth began testing patients for COVID-19 prior to all surgeries and select procedures. This decision, which includes all hospitals and facilities, is made to help streamline care as disease prevalence rises throughout the region.

Medicaid Expansion FAQ

On August 4, Missouri voters will decide whether to support Medicaid Expansion. There have been many questions around this initiative, so we wanted to share some information here.

CoxHealth begins offering cochlear implants

Cochlear implants, which can help with nerve-based hearing loss, are now available at CoxHealth. The implant is a small device that can help provide a sense of sound to individuals with moderate to profound hearing loss.

Bike giveaway

Earlier thisyear, many people in the area donated bikes to be given away through our Pediatric Safety Fair. When that event was canceled because of COVID, our Injury Prevention at CoxHealth team came up with a new plan: Have kids submit videos of random acts of kindness. From those videos, several children were selected to receive bicycles, and they came to pick them up recently, as told in this video.

CoxHealth in the news

KOLR-10 reported on CoxHealth’s preparedness to care for COVID-19 patients.

KY3/KSPR covered universal preoperative COVID-19 testing at CoxHealth.

KOLR-10 reported on the reopening of CoxHealth Fitness Centers.

Proud to work at CoxHealth

“As an employee of CoxHealth, I am so very appreciative of this effort to take care of us. It would be so easy to take the course of other health care systems and lay off workers and eliminate jobs. The work of those in HR and Administration shows the commitment to those who choose to work for this fantastic organization. Thank you again for giving me yet another reason to ‘Be Proud.’”​

Voice of the patient

The doctor "was kind and called each day to let us know how mom was doing and gave us updates. Thank you! There was a nurse named Rachel that allowed her granddaughter to talk with her. She held the phone so she could hear. Thank you! Everyone was so kind and compassionate to us. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!"

Respectfully,

Steve