NEWS RELEASE

Contact: Rosann Maher, Hutchinson Health Marketing/Public Relations
(320) 484-4578
FOR RELEASE January 28, 2019

New Inpatient Wing Expansion for Hutchinson Health

After several years of planning, Hutchinson Health is pleased to announce a NEW Inpatient wing is about to become a reality. The City of Hutchinson gave final approval for our project at their January meeting.

The new wing will be a 17,600 square foot addition with 18 patient rooms (and ability to build out 4 more if demand requires). The rooms will be roughly twice the size of our current rooms with plenty of space for patient, family/visitors and staff. Space for nursing and other support staff will be designed to support optimal efficiency and enhanced patient experience. The $21 million investment for this new wing will remarkably change the exterior landscape of our current facility, as well as impact the environment for our patient care.

Ground breaking is expected spring of 2019, with occupancy by late June, 2020.

The new area/unit is referred to as Medical-Surgical (Med-Surg), which is primarily for patients that are admitted for post-surgical recovery, acutely ill, or require general treatment for a variety of medical concerns. The staff who usually administer care in this area are physicians, registered nurses, nursing assistants, pharmacists, dieticians, social workers, care management team, lab, respiratory therapists, physical and occupational therapy, and imaging. Hutchinson Health is extremely excited for what this new area will offer for our patients and the community.

Have you considered the power you have to give the gift of sight through an eye donation?

November is Eye Donation Month, and Hutchinson Health wants to help restore sight for patients by encouraging people to learn more about becoming a donor.

“More than 100,000 Americans are in need of eye, tissue, and organ donations,” and the Lions Gift of Sight  is helping make the donor commitment process easy to understand and complete.

Please consider becoming a donor, put it in writing and make it legal, and then let your family and friends know your decision.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is an annual campaign to equip people with the information and resources they need to spread awareness within their own family and circle of friends. It’s a time dedicated toward helping people understand how prominent breast cancer is and what can be done to help prevent, diagnose, and treat the disease.

What can we, as a community, do to fight breast cancer and bring more awareness to the cause?

In 2018, an estimated 266,120 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in women in the U.S., along with 63,960 new cases of non-invasive (in situ) breast cancer.

Our goal at Hutchinson Health is to encourage self-exams, screenings, and mammograms to aid in early detection. Together, we can make progress and lead a strong fight against this disease.

Early detection includes a number of important tasks

• Know the Signs and Symptoms
• Learn How to Perform a Self-Exam
• Schedule a Clinical Breast Exam
• Talk to Your Provider About a Mammogram
• Have an Early Detection Plan
• Practice Healthy Habits

Please discuss breast cancer prevention and early detection with your provider. Make annual wellness exams a priority, and schedule your appointment today.

For more breast cancer statistics, visit Breastcancer.org

This is a common time of year for people to get sick with a variety of illnesses. Understanding the differences between a cold, the flu, and gastroenteritis can help you determine what kind of care you need.

What Kind of Care Do You Need?

• Influenza – If you have influenza, the CDC states that most will recover with rest and time, but people that are very sick or in a high risk group will need medical attention. There are prescription medications that can help treat influenza in high risk patients and you can check with your provider for options.
• Cold – If you have a cold, get rest and appropriate over-the-counter medications for comfort are the recommended treatment. There aren’t prescription medications available to treat a cold.
• Gastroenteritis – The stomach flu is also an illness that just needs time to process. Prescription medication is not available to treat this ailment. Get rest, stay hydrated and wash your hands.

Have you gotten your flu shot yet?

It isn’t too late. They are still available, and may help you avoid getting sick.

Overall, if you have a cold or gastroenteritis it is best to get rest and limit your contact with others to minimize the spread of the illness. If you have influenza, being seen by a medical professional can be a good idea. If symptoms continue to worsen, or complications arise always seek out medical attention.