CMH COVID-19 Updates

August 24, 2020

A Citizens Memorial Health Care Foundation employee that works at both Ash Grove Healthcare Facility, Ash Grove and Lake Stockton Healthcare Facility, Stockton, has tested positive for COVID-19. AGHCF and LSHCF are owned and operated by CMH Foundation, Bolivar.

The employee was asymptomatic and last worked at AGHCF Wednesday, Aug. 19, and LSHCF Thursday, Aug. 20. The employee learned Friday, Aug. 21, of being in direct contact with an individual who tested positive for COVID-19 and was tested Saturday, Aug. 22.

Aug. 20, 2020

A Butterfield Residential Care Center resident has tested positive for COVID-19. The resident is asymptomatic and all other tests were negative, which included 51 residents and 31 staff members. All residents and employees have been in quarantine and closely monitored for symptoms after a Butterfield employee became symptomatic Aug. 12, and was tested Aug. 13. The employee has not worked since Tuesday, Aug. 11. All Butterfield residents and employees will be retested Tuesday, Aug. 25.

Aug. 17, 2020

Employees and residents of Citizens Memorial Health Care Facility and Parkview Health Care Facility received good news from their latest rounds of test results. No new positive cases of coronavirus among employees and no residents have been infected with the virus.

Aug. 13, 2020

A Butterfield Residential Care Center employee has tested positive for COVID-19. The employee was asymptomatic and last worked Tuesday, Aug. 11, became symptomatic Wednesday, Aug. 12, and was tested Thursday, Aug. 13. All employees and residents will be tested Tuesday, Aug. 18.

Aug. 12, 2020

A Citizens Memorial Health Care Facility (CMHCF) employee has tested positive for COVID-19. The employee was asymptomatic and was tested Aug. 10 during random employee testing at the facility.

Aug. 10, 2020

Two additional Parkview Health Care Facility employees have tested positive for COVID-19. No residents have been infected with the virus.

Aug. 8, 2020

Results from Lake Stockton Healthcare Facility’s Aug. 7 mass COVID-19 testing show no new positive cases of coronavirus among employees and no residents have been infected with the virus. This is the second consecutive week of negative test results.

Aug. 5, 2020

A Parkview Health Care Facility employee has tested positive for COVID-19. Parkview is a skilled nursing facility in Bolivar and is owned and operated by Citizens Memorial Health Care Foundation, Bolivar.

The employee has not worked since Aug. 1, when she developed symptoms and a fever mid-shift Aug. 1 and went home. The employee was tested for coronavirus Aug. 4 and received test results Aug. 5. Parkview administration has contacted residents, family members and employees of the potential exposure.

Aug. 2, 2020

Colonial Springs Healthcare Center received welcomed news from their July 31, mass COVID-19 testing event. No new positive cases of coronavirus among employees and no residents have been infected with the virus.

Aug. 1, 2020

Lake Stockton Heathcare Facility received good news Aug. 1, from their mass COVID-19 testing event July 31. No new positive cases of coronavirus among employees and no residents have been infected with the virus.

July 29, 2020

A Lake Stockton Healthcare Facility employee has tested positive for COVID-19. Lake Stockton is a skilled nursing facility in Stockton and is owned and operated by Citizens Memorial Health Care Foundation, Bolivar. 

The employee has not worked since July 25. The employee developed symptoms and a fever July 26 and was tested July 27. Test results were received the evening of July 28. Lake Stockton administration has contacted residents, family members and employees of the potential exposure.

The facility and CMH Foundation are working closely with the Cedar County Health Department, Citizens Memorial Hospital infection prevention specialists and Department of Health and Senior Services – Long-Term Care Division to rapidly contain any possible exposures. The employee is at home in quarantine and is being monitored by the Cedar County Health Department. 

July 18, 2020

One additional Colonial Springs Healthcare Center employee tested positive for COVID-19 and no residents have been infected with the virus. The employee last worked July 14 at 6 p.m., became symptomatic July 15 and was tested the same day and received negative results July 16. The employee tested again during the mass testing event at the facility July 17 and was positive. Four Colonial Springs employees are currently quarantined at home and are being monitored by the Dallas County Health Department.

A Citizens Memorial Health Care Foundation Senior Health Center employee has tested positive for COVID-19. The employee was masked and did not have symptoms or a fever while working July 7, 8 and 9 and developed mild symptoms and a fever the evening of July 9. The employee was tested for COVID-19 July 10 and received a negative result July 13. The employee continued to feel unwell and tested for COVID-19 again July 15 and received a positive result July 16. The employee has not worked since July 9 and has been at home in quarantine. The individual is being monitored by the Polk County Health Center. 

July 17, 2020

Outdoor visits at our long-term care facilities are currently on-hold due to the high number of COVID cases in the area.

CMH Senior Health Center is currently closed due to the high number of COVID cases in the area.

July 11, 2020

Two additional Colonial Springs Healthcare Center employees have tested positive for COVID-19. No residents have been infected with the virus.

July 8, 2020

A Colonial Springs Healthcare Center employee has tested positive for COVID-19. Colonial Springs is a skilled nursing facility in Buffalo and is owned and operated by Citizens Memorial Health Care Foundation, Bolivar.

The employee was fever free and masked while working July 3, 4 and 5 and has not worked since 6 a.m. July 6. The employee developed a fever July 6 and was tested the same day. Test results were received the afternoon of July 8. Colonial Springs administration is contacting residents, family members and employees of the potential exposure. Colonial Springs has 114 residents and 110 employees. All residents and employees will be tested this week and closely monitored for symptoms.

July 1, 2020

For the safety of our patients/residents, visitors, employees and medical staff, we are requiring everyone to wear a mask in CMH facilities, including the hospital, Douglas Medical Center, Outpatient Surgery Center and clinics.

June 24, 2020

Citizens Memorial Health Care Foundation long-term care facilities and residential care center will offer limited outdoor scheduled visitation with residents beginning June 24. This is in addition to closed and open window visits and Skype/Facetime/Zoom calls. Additional information about visitation rules is available at https://bit.ly/CMHLTCVisits.

June 20, 2020

Citizens Memorial Hospital administration is informing the public that a nurse on the medical/surgical unit at CMH has tested positive Saturday, June 20, for COVID-19. The nurse is at home recovering in quarantine. The source of infection is believed to be travel related. The nurse worked on the unit Wednesday, June 17, and participated in a CPR class Thursday morning, June 18, before showing symptoms of the virus. CMH infection prevention staff are working closely with the Polk County Health Department and contacting CMH co-workers, patients and others who may have been in close contact with the employee for potential exposure to the virus. CMH will be closely monitoring co-workers for symptoms.

June 6, 2020

Citizens Memorial Hospital accepted its first COVID-19 positive hospital patient June 6. The patient was in quarantine at home being monitored by their local health department.

The patient is not from Polk County and was transported to the hospital by ambulance. All proper safety precautions were taken in the emergency department and the patient is now being cared for in an isolated negative pressure room at the hospital.

June 1, 2020

Effective June 1, CMH will move to Phase III of our Response and Recovery Plan.

May 22, 2020

CMH Therapeutic Touch reopened this week. For the health and safety of their clients and employees, they are taking extra precautions. You can read more about what to expect: 

The CMH Senior Health Center reopened this week with new safety guidelines in place. In order to keep participants safe, they are allowing only 10 people at a time in the building and are scheduling exercise appointments. Call 417-777-7171 for more information and to schedule an exercise appointment.

CMH COVID-19 Hotline

CMH has opened a COVID-19 hotline. Patients and community members with coronavirus-related questions including having possible symptoms of COVID-19 are asked to call  417-328-4300. The hotline is open Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 11 p.m. and Saturday, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. This hotline is for non-emergency calls only. For emergencies, the public is encouraged to call 911.

Expanded Virtual Care

Virtual care options are expanding at CMH with the addition of telemedicine appointments. To keep CMH patients and healthcare professionals safe, patients now have the option of seeing their primary and specialty care physicians, mid-level and behavioral health providers online through the  CMH patient portal. 

Similar to the  CMH Virtual Visit, patients use a smartphone, tablet or laptop with a webcam to connect from a secure video chat and see their healthcare professional over a secure connection, allowing them to evaluate, diagnose and treat patients at a distance. Just like a face-to-face appointment, patients will be billed for their normal co-pays if applicable.

Telemedicine appointments are booked through the hotline number or by calling the clinic. Dedicated providers are available to see patients virtually Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Patients should contact their doctor’s office for more information.

Drive-Thru Testing Tent

The COVID-19 drive-thru testing tent has extended hours and is now open Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. Patients with symptoms of COVID-19 including fever, cough and shortness of breath, can call the CMH COVID-19 hotline or complete a CMH Virtual Visit for screening to obtain a doctor’s order.

The drive-thru testing site is located at the former Butterfield Pharmacy, 1125 N. Butterfield Road, Bolivar. Patients are reminded to bring photo identification and to stay in their cars.

May 15, 2020

CMH will move to Phase II of our Response and Recovery Plan Monday, May 18.

Our COVID-19 drive-thru testing tent is now a drive-thru carport. Same location (1145 N. Butterfield Road, Bolivar) and hours (Monday-Saturday, 8 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.). We are not discontinuing service, instead operating out of a carport is much more cost effective. Contact your primary care provider or go to citizensmemorial.com/virtualvisits to see a provider online. You'll still need an order for the COVID-19 test.

May 8, 2020

CMH moved into phase 1 of our COVID-19 recovery plan on Monday, May 4 ^th.

April 28, 2020

The triage tent outside the ER was removed earlier this week. The double doors near ER that connect to the rest of the hospital will continue to be closed; however, if there are OB patients seeking services at The Birth Place, they can use the phone outside ER for assistance.

March 30, 2020

On Saturday, March 28, 2020, a Citizens Memorial employee tested positive for COVID-19. The employee works in Bolivar, but lives in Cedar County. To protect the privacy of the employee and their family we will not release individually identifiable details. Anyone who was in contact with the employee have been notified by their supervisor.

CMH is working with the Cedar County Health Department and Polk County Health Department to assure that CDC guidelines have been followed to minimize any exposure to co-workers or others.

The employee does not have direct contact with patients or residents, has been recovering at home and is in self-quarantine with their family. Co-workers with close contact to this individual have not shown symptoms of coronavirus, but are in self-quarantine following recommended Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines.

March 27, 2020

ALLERGY INJECTIONS: Allergy injections at CMH ENT Clinic will resume on March 30, 2020, with this new temporary schedule: Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, 8 - 11:30 a.m. All screening and visitation guidelines will be followed by all patients. Patients are required to call  417-328-7000 at least 24 hours before the day they want injections to make an appointment. No walk-ins allowed. 

Updated COVID-19 Drive-Thru Testing Hours: CMH expanded hours for drive-thru testing starting March 27. The testing site is open Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Patients with symptoms of COVID-19, including fever, cough and shortness of breath, should complete a  CMH Virtual Visit or call a CMH clinic for screening to obtain an order.

PEDIATRIC WALK-IN CLINIC: The CMH Pediatric Walk-In Clinic is temporarily closed on Saturdays. Please visit the CMH Walk-In Clinic located at 2230 S. Springfield Ave., Suite H-J in Bolivar.  417-777-4800

VIRTUAL CARE: To keep our patients and medical providers safe, we are transitioning many appointments to virtual care. If you have an appointment that can be moved to a virtual appointment through the CMH Patient Portal, you will receive a call from your provider in the next few days to discuss your options. Call ahead if you are uncertain if you should attend your appointment in person.

March 23, 2020

In response to the evolving COVID-19 pandemic, we are taking additional precautions for the safety of our patients and employees. Effective Tuesday, March 24, Citizens Memorial Hospital will restrict all visitors to the hospital.

Exceptions will be made for the following clinical areas:

• End-of-life Care(The patient’s clinical team will make exceptions at their discretion).
• The Birth Place(One support person for labor and delivery patients).
• Emergency Department(One visitor to be the designated driver).
• Pediatrics(One parent or guardian per day).
• Procedural/Surgery(One visitor to be the designated driver for the patient may wait in the designated waiting room).

All other visitors are not allowed. We appreciate your patience and thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Visitors mentioned in the specific clinical areas above should agree to the following guidelines:

• Visitors will be screened for COVID-19 symptoms at the main hospital entrance.
• No visitor will be allowed into the hospital that shows symptoms of COVID-19. Patients seeking care for COVID-19 should call the Emergency Department first at 417-328-6301.
• Visitors who have colds, sore throats, or other contagious diseases should not visit patients.
• Visitor badges must be worn and visible at all times.
• Visitors should limit movement within the hospital to the patient’s room and public restrooms.
• Visitors are asked to use good hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette.

As a special reminder, no one under the age of 18, except those seeking medical care, will be permitted into CMH facilities.

March 20, 2020

Drive-Thru Testing for COVID-19

Citizens Memorial Hospital is now offering drive-thru testing for COVID-19 with a CMH doctor’s order. Patients with symptoms of COVID-19, including fever, cough and shortness of breath, should complete a  CMH Virtual Visit or call a CMH clinic for screening to obtain an order.

The COVID-19 drive-thru site will be open Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and is located at the former Butterfield Pharmacy building located at 1125 N. Butterfield Road, Bolivar. Patients will stay in their vehicles during testing.

Physicians will place the COVID-19 testing order and patients will need to bring photo identification. Results from testing will not be given on-site and may take up to a week to be resulted. Patients are advised to stay home to await test results.

For more information about  CMH Virtual Visit, go to  citizensmemorial.com/virtualvisits.

Other Updates

Effective March 21, CMH Therapeutic Touch Center will be closed until further notice. We are doing our part to slow the spread of COVID-19.

CMH ENT Clinic is suspending allergy injections and will resume April 13 unless otherwise notified. If you have questions, call Allergy Nurse Beth Dixon at  417-328-7334. We are doing our part to slow the spread of COVID-19.

The DJBean coffee shop and CMH Deli located in the Douglas Medical Center will be closed to the public until further notice.

Thursday, March 19, 2020

Starting Thursday, March 19, Stephens Pharmacy in Bolivar and Osceola Community Pharmacy in Osceola will continue to fill prescriptions, but will close their lobbies to the public.

Stephens Pharmacy customers may pick up prescriptions through the drive-thru, utilize their free delivery option in Bolivar or ask for their prescriptions to be mailed. Call  417-326-2416 for more information.

Osceola Community Pharmacy customers should call  417-646-5052 when they arrive to pick up their prescriptions and a pharmacy staff member will provide curbside service. Customers can also request for their prescriptions to be mailed.

For more information, call Stephens Pharmacy at  417-326-2416 or Osceola Community Pharmacy at  417-646-5052.

Tuesday, March 17, 2020

Following recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American College of Surgeons and the Surgeon General, Citizens Memorial Hospital is postponing elective non-urgent surgeries and other procedures.

Citizens Memorial Hospital and Citizens Memorial Health Care Foundation have activated a higher level of visitor restrictions and facility access to all of our locations. The new policy follows guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and is intended to minimize the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).

• No one under the age of 18, with the exception of those seeking medical care, will be permitted into CMH facilities. This includes the hospital and all clinics.
• Only one visitor per patient per day will be allowed into the hospital. Exceptions may be made for those who are near end-of-life.
• Access will be limited to two public entry points at the hospital.
  • Healthy patients and visitors are asked to use the main hospital entrance and will be screened. Visitor hours will be 7 a.m.-7 p.m. until further notice.
  • Patients seeking emergency care are asked to use the emergency department entrance.  If patients have symptoms of COVID-19 including fever, cough and shortness of breath, please call ahead to  417-328-6301so we can prepare for your arrival.
  • Pediatric Rehab, Cardiac Rehab and CMH Heart Institute patients should use their designated entrances only.
  • Click here to view a hospital map with entrances marked. 
• Anyone who is sick and is not seeking medical treatment should not visit the hospital or other CMH locations.  If seeking care at a clinic,  call ahead  so we can prepare for your arrival. Do not exit your vehicle or enter the building.  CMH Virtual Visits are also an option for those with non-emergency illnesses. For more information, visit  com/VirtualVisits 
• No visitor will be allowed to visit patients with suspected COVID-19.

CMH Foundation long-term care facilities already limited visitors to its six skilled nursing facilities and one residential care center last week and will continue those restrictions until further notice. Family members are asked to contact their specific long-term care facility if they have questions.