PUBLIC MEMO
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
As the CEO of Herington Municipal Hospital, I want to update you on the current status of the COVID-19 situation at our facility. At this time, we have had no positive COVID 19 results to date despite the implication that a staff person may have been exposed. I would also remind you that we are anxiously awaiting test kits so that we may test for COVID 19 here on-site to better serve you. Our hope is that as knowledge is power, knowing if someone is positive or negative can help us keep you safe and provide appropriate care.
We were promised the test kits this week but as with everything right now the delivery has not occurred and we await word of when they will arrive. I also want to publically state to all who read this that I couldn’t be prouder to lead this team. Our frontline staff put their lives at risk every day to serve this community and I thank them for their commitment to the hospital and the people we serve.
I typically do not respond to public rants, complaints and adverse comments and opinions aimed at the hospital and I would rather not address this matter publically as I do not want to give any fuel or imply there is any credibility to recent social media publications. However, just as we encourage patients with concerns to call the Hospital if they have a complaint or concern rather than post it publically on Facebook groups, we provide for and expect our employees to follow certain processes if they have a concern or grievance.
I will be the first to say we are not perfect. We work hard to make smart, consistent, fair decisions that will serve each employee. We follow the rules and guidelines issued by the department of labor among other agencies and do our best to take measures to adequately protect our staff and serve our community. As those policies are changing daily we continue to make sure we are remaining current and acting in the best interest of our employees and the hospital.
Some of you may ask, “What is she talking about?” and I want to take the approach of educating and informing the public because the topic of COVID 19 in any fashion causes panic and fear. It’s easy for a person to post information and not be held to any standard of truthfulness, accuracy or decorum when they don’t think anyone will challenge that power.
Please know that as a nurse who practices my profession with the patient at the center of every decision and focus, I now treat this hospital as my patient and that means every decision, good, bad or somewhere in between is done based on what is best for the organization and based on what is fair to each employee.
I would also like to point out that by making a decision that affects all, I have to make sure it doesn’t somehow end up being detrimental to the organization because I am very aware that our community relies on us being here 24/7/365.
Please also consider that just because someone states in public that he/she feels a certain way and did everything correctly and has no fault or blame in a matter; doesn’t necessarily make it fact. My administrative team and I work very hard to follow the regulations and rules and make decisions based on them. This COVID 19 has created unprecedented circumstances and fears like none we have ever seen. The reality is that people travel outside of the county for a variety of reasons and despite the stay at home instructions some have even traveled out of State. I would caution our community to seek to understand the facts or at least not believe something posted as a personal agenda.
If you have any questions or need further clarity I invite you to call the hospital and be directed to me. I thank you for your time.
Respectfully, Isabel Schmedemann CEO, Herington Hospital