CASS COUNTY, Ind. (WLFI) - Logansport Memorial is officially starting to slowly resume elective procedures. They are starting to reschedule appointments, surgeries, and procedures that were postponed out of necessity and safety during the pandemic.
Currently about a quarter of LMH's 13 COVID beds are occupied. That's according to the hospital's President and CEO Perry Gay. He said for the past month they had been running at full capacity in the COVID unit. Several of the hospitals more severe patients have gone to neighboring hospitals in Lafayette.
He said they are still being very vigilant about keeping non-covid patients separate from those who are positive. The surgery department is where they saw the most restrictions.
"We're taking it one step at a time, very cautiously and well thought out," he said of their plan to reopen in phases. "So we will open to about 50% capacity this week, 75% percent next week and then on June 1st we are going to hopefully 100% capacity in the surgery unit."
He emphasized that they have been open for all patients who have needed medical care since the beginning of this pandemic. However, he knows some people don't feel like it's safe to go to the hospital with fear of coming in contact with the disease.
He wants to make sure everyone who needs medical attention isn't scared to come to them for the care they need.
"Anyone who has an affliction should not wait at home," he said. "We take the patient's safety as our primary concern every single day that we operate, that does not change just because we have a pandemic going on."
Cass County, which was once one of the Indiana's fastest growing outbreak counties, has had no new positive cases reported since Saturday. Gay said this is good, but that this isn't the time to back down completely on restrictions. He said Most of those cases were in the 50 to 59-year-old range, meaning the elderly and vulnerable populations in the county are still at risk.
There are still restrictions for people going to LMH for a health problem. In a press release, the hospital said beginning Monday, May 18th, patients and approved visitors may access Logansport Memorial Hospital through one of two entrances: Medical Office Building East (7:30 am – 5 pm) or the ER Entrance (8 am – 8:30 pm) for screening/visitation and all 24/7 emergencies.
Regarding visitor restrictions, the hospital said the following in its statement:
"Visitor restrictions remain in place to limit the number of people in the hospital. At this time, there are no changes to our zero visitors policy. For children under the age of 18 and adult patients who require a support person because of a disability or issues with mobility, one healthy adult may be approved to accompany the patient."
LMH is also looking for recovered COVID-19 patients to donate plasma for convalescent plasma procedures. Click here to learn more.
