text size:  A    A    A

To Your Health

To help create the healthiest possible environment for you and our staff, we follow a system of practice related to Infection Control.  You’ll notice our employees and caregivers taking measures such as washing their hands and wearing gloves for contact with body fluids and broken skin.  At times they may wear additional protective clothing, including gowns, masks or eye protection.  This helps protect you as well as us.  On occasion your physician may place you into isolation precautions.  This alerts staff to wear additional protective clothing while you are being evaluated for a potentially communicable illness. Additionally, our Environmental Services department takes great pride in providing you with a clean environment to enhance your stay.

How can you help?  Wash your own hands frequently – before eating and after using the bathroom and have your visitors do the same.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Infection Control department at 886-4671 or 738-5602.

Back to top

3 Things you can do to Prevent Infection

You can do three easy things to avoid contagious dies eases like the common cold, strep throat, and influenza ("the flu").

	Use soap and warm water. Rub your hands vigorously for at least 15 seconds. Clean your hands with alcohol-based hand sanitizers. Rub the sanitizers all over your hands. Don't forget to get under your nails and between your fingers. Clean your hands before eating or touching food. Clean your hands after you use the bathroom, take out the trash, change a diaper, handle money or play with a pet.
	Many diseases are spread through sneezes and coughs. Germs can travel three feet or more when you sneeze or cough Use a tissue. Keep them handy. Always throw away a used tissue. No tissue? Cover your mouth and nose with the crook of your elbow or hands. Be sure to wash your hands right away.
	If you are sick with a fever or other symptoms of contagious illness, stay away from other people. When you go for treatment, ask if there's anything you can do to avoid infecting people in the waiting room.

The full brochure can be downloaded in a pdf format .

MRSA and Methodist Hospitals

Methodist Hospitals is very proactive in addressing prevention and control of MRSA and other multi-drug resistant organisms. All staff receives ongoing education to increase awareness regarding interventions aimed at reducing hospital-acquired infections. Interventions include: alcohol based hand gels readily available throughout the hospital, monitoring staff for hand hygiene compliance, ongoing educational offerings to both medical staff and nursing, increased awareness in the ER of skin and soft tissue MRSA infections, updated antibiogram to help physicians select the appropriate treatment, and pharmacy antibiotic review to ensure patients are on the appropriate antibiotics. Hand hygiene plays an integral role in reducing the transmission and occurrence of infection both in the hospital and home.

What is MRSA: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dhqp/ar_mrsa_ca_public.html

ISDH Quick Facts for MRSA: http://www.in.gov/isdh/healthinfo/mrsa.htm

ISDH Quick Facts for Staph aureus infections in athletes: http://www.in.gov/isdh/healthinfo/StaphylococcusAureus.htm

ISDH Informations Packet: Download Packet

Back to top