Do Not Delay Care

5/28/2020

Moberly Regional Medical Center is urging the local community to seek emergency care when needed – without delay. If you experience a medical emergency such as chest pain that may be a heart attack or stroke symptoms, getting care timely will support the best possible outcome. As the hospital responds to COVID-19 it is taking extra precautions, going above and beyond all normal efforts, to keep the hospital clean and safe for patients and caregivers.

The latest campaign by the American Heart Association (AHA) – Be Certain In Uncertain Times – reinforces the critical need to secure treatment as soon as possible. The AHA is working to remind everyone that heart attacks, strokes and cardiac arrests don’t stop for COVID-19.

"Many people are delaying care because they are afraid of exposure to COVID-19. My concern is that individuals who delay care may put their lives, health and wellbeing at risk. I want to stress that it is important to seek timely care for chronic conditions and symptoms that may indicate a medical emergency. Because of the safety protocols in place at our hospital and clinics, patients can feel confident seeking care. This may include scheduling surgeries, procedures and appointments,” Dr. Heather Gessling, Moberly Regional Medical Center Chief of Staff, said.

Heart attack, stroke and cardiac arrest symptoms are always urgent so call 911 without hesitation. Emergency workers know what to do to protect and care for you. Emergencies don’t stop for COVID-19. Safety remains the hospital’s highest priority and it has taken action to enhance infection prevention, restrict access to the facility and support social distancing to maintain a safe environment for patients who need medical care.

“Our hospital is taking extraordinary measures to keep patients and staff safe. We screen everyone who comes to our hospital including patients and staff and have limited access doors and restricted visitors to reduce the number of people in our facility; we are currently asking that everyone use the ER entrance when coming to the hospital. Everyone with patient contact inside our hospital wears personal protective equipment, including facemasks. We have increased and expanded already rigorous cleaning and infection control protocols,” Brent Parsons, CEO of Moberly Regional Medical Center, said. “We have tested numerous patients for COVID-19 from our physician offices, our ER, surgical patients, and admitted patients to the hospital with none testing positive in many weeks. In the event there are any ]COVID-19 positive patients in our care, they would be treated in a separate area with a dedicated team of caregivers. Non-COVID patients are treated in a different area of the hospital. Also, we have rearranged our waiting rooms and other environments to enable social distancing,” Parsons said.

Getting fast medical treatment could be the difference between life and death – so Moberly Regional Medical Center asks everyone to pay attention to the signs of a health emergency and act quickly. Call 911, come to the hospital, and get the help you need.

Know the Signs and Symptoms

Heart Attack

• Chest discomfort.
• Discomfort in other areas of the upper body.
• Shortness of breath.
• Other possible signs include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.
• Women’s most common heart attack symptom is chest pain. Some women are more likely to experience shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting and back or jaw pain.

Remember to act F.A.S.T. for Stroke

• Face drooping; Does one side of the face droop or is it numb?
• Arm weakness; Is one arm weak or numb?
• Speech difficulty; Is speech slurred, are they unable to speak, or are they hard to understand?
• Time to call 911; If the person shows any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call 911 and get them to the hospital immediately.

Cardiac Arrest

• Cardiac arrest occurs when the heart malfunctions and stops beating unexpectedly.
• Within seconds a person becomes unresponsive, is not breathing or is only gasping.
• Survival depends on getting immediate CPR.

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