January 22 – Daily COVID-19 update from Putnam County

PCHOSP • Jan 22, 2021

(Greencastle, Ind.) Putnam County officials announced today that there have been 2941 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the county since March. Putnam County is currently at a 12.1% positivity rate. For a further breakdown of cases please visit www.coronavirus.in.gov. The positive case number also may include positive cases at the state correctional facility located in Putnam County. To learn more, visit https://www.in.gov/idoc/3780.htm.

Putnam County is now back at a level orange according to the ISDH website. These requirements are in effect when a county reaches the orange metric and remain until a county moves to a lower status for two straight weeks.

Putnam County Hospital continues to offer curbside COVID testing. To schedule your appointment please go to https://scheduling.coronavirus.in.gov If the website is showing that there are no open appointments for the day please call our COVID curbside phone number. Testing hours are Tuesday-Friday 10:00am-6:00pm and Saturday 9:00am-2:00pm. If you have any further questions or if the online scheduling is showing full please call (765) 301-7019. Putnam County Hospital asks that patients arrive no earlier than five minutes before their scheduled test to help with the flow of traffic. When a patient arrives they will follow the COVID-19 testing signs. These signs will direct them to the proper testing area.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) allowing shipments of COVID-19 vaccine to be sent to Indiana and other states.

Who is eligible to receive vaccine?

If you answer yes to any of these questions, you are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine:

  •   Are you age 70 or older?
  • Do you work or volunteer in healthcare and have (physical or close) contact or face to face interactions with patients? Examples include:
    • Inpatient, outpatient, provider office setting, nursing homes, residential care facilities, assisted living facilities, in-home services
    • This includes all clinical and non-clinical positions: clinicians, dietary, environmental services, administrators who have direct contact with patients, clergy who see patients in the healthcare setting, non-clinicians who assist in procedures, transportation staff, etc.
    • This also includes local health department staff who interact with patients at test sites, health clinics or provide direct patient care
  • Do you have exposure to COVID-19 infectious material? (Examples include cleaning of rooms or material from COVID-19 patients, performing COVID-19 testing, other exposure to infected tissue, performing autopsies or other post-mortem examinations of COVID-19 patients)
  • Are you a first responder (fire, law enforcement, emergency medical services, reservists and volunteers) who has contact with the public and could be called to the scene of an emergency?

Click here for a list of who is eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.  If you are eligible, click here to register and make an appointment. The timeline for additional phases of vaccine administration is yet to be determined. Check back here frequently for updates.
Please be patient, as vaccine supply is limited. If you are a licensed healthcare provider, make sure your email is updated with the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency and continue to check your email and SPAM. If you are eligible and haven’t received an invitation, please ask your employer.
The Putnam County Health Department continues to work with ISDH to administer the COVID-19 vaccine. PCHD will provide prompt updates on their website ( www.putnamhealthindiana.org ) once more information becomes available.

Putnam County is providing regular updates on COVID-19 to citizens as part of its effort to complement the daily updates from the Indiana State Dept. of Health. The updates can be accessed via www.coronavirus.in.gov.

How can you prevent the spread of COVID-19 until the vaccine is available?

The vaccine is in limited supply at first and won’t be widely available until next year. Until there is enough vaccine for everyone, it’s crucial for you to continue to take these steps that we can do now to prevent the spread of COVID-19:

  • Wear a mask to protect yourself and others
  • Stay at least 6 feet apart (about 2 arm lengths)
  • Practice good hand hygiene by washing with soap and water or using hand sanitizer
  • Isolate yourself if you’re sick and stay home if you’ve been exposed to someone with COVID-19
  • Clean frequently touched surfaces often

 

To learn more about Putnam County’s coordinated response to COVID-19, please visit the Putnam County Hospital at www.pchosp.org/covid-19-updates or the Putnam County Health Department at www.putnamhealthindiana.org .

 

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Putnam County Hospital Receives Performance Leadership Award for Patient Perspective from Chartis Center for Rural Health Greencastle, Indiana, November 15, 2022– As part of the National Rural Health Day celebration, Putnam County Hospital today announced it has been recognized with a 2022 Performance Leadership Award for excellence in Patient Perspective. Compiled by The Chartis Center for Rural Health, the Performance Leadership Awards honor top quartile performance (e.g., 75th percentile or above) among rural hospitals in Quality, Outcomes and Patient Perspective. “We are proud to be recognized by the Chartis Rural Hospital INDEX. That staff at Putnam County Hospital strive to be your first choice in healthcare and to exceed the expectations of every patient, every time. This award in the area of Patient Perspective score validates this patient service vision” Said Putnam County Hospital CEO, Dennis Weatherford. The Performance Leadership Awards are based on the results of the Chartis Rural Hospital Performance INDEX™, the industry’s most comprehensive and objective assessment of rural hospital performance. INDEX data is trusted and relied upon by rural hospitals, health systems with rural footprints, hospital associations and state offices of rural health across the country to measure and monitor performance across several areas impacting hospital operations and finance. “Although the last two years have placed unprecedented pressure on the rural health safety net, the dedication to serving the community that we’re so accustomed to seeing from rural hospitals across the country hasn’t wavered,” said Michael Topchik, National Leader, The Chartis Center for Rural Health. “Let us celebrate the power of rural on National Rural Health Day and honor the facilities working tirelessly to provide access to high quality healthcare services to their communities.”  In 1908, 26 Putnam County female citizens started what would be the founding of a hospital to serve their family and friends. The hospital would offer solutions to their ever changing healthcare needs, and would bring technologies only previously offered in larger cities to their rural community. Prior to the hospital opening, Putnam County residents depended on the house calls of local physicians to treat their ailments. Minor operations could be performed in the doctor’s office, but if major surgery was required, the patient had to be transported to Indianapolis. The money needed to build the hospital was raised through community fundraising events. The week of October 1, 1908, a fair was held in downtown Greencastle to raise money. Hospital bonds were also sold for the facility and many monetary donations were made by local residents and organizations. In 1924, the hospital opened its doors to begin offering services for the members of Putnam County. During the 55 years at the original location, the Hospital served thousands of patients. The Hospital expanded and was moved for the original location on Shadowlawn Avenue to the current site at 1542 South Bloomington Street, in 1979. With the addition of the new, updated facility, the Hospital was even better equipped to serve the citizens of Putnam County. In 2001, the Medical Office Building was constructed to offer room for the expansion of Specialists, Physical Therapy and Oncology. In 2005 the Outpatient Surgery Center was expanded and updated to provide the latest in equipment and procedures. The Oncology Center also expanded and was moved to the second floor to allow more treatment bays for patients undergoing chemotherapy treatments. Today, over 100 years later, Putnam County Hospital still serves the same mission and standards set by its founders: to provide exceptional healthcare to our friends and family in Putnam County, by continuing to provide a number of outpatient and inpatient services as a Critical Access Hospital in Greencastle, Indiana. Putnam County Hospital offers a 24-hour Emergency Department, Intensive Care Unit, an Acute Care Medical/Surgical unit, and three surgical suites. Observation, inpatient care, and rehabilitation programs are offered within the units. A host of outpatient services are also available. Cancer treatments, rehabilitation services, an outpatient clinic with over 10 varied specialties, digital radiology, laboratory and respiratory services are conveniently located in-house to provide more options for patients in one stop. The hospital employs nearly 425 individuals, including physicians. Putnam County Hospital’s missions is to provide exceptional healthcare close to home. For more details about The Chartis Center for Rural Health and the Chartis Rural Hospital Performance INDEX, contact Billy Balfour at wbalfour@chartis.com.
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