Licking Memorial Health Systems

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Osteoporosis is a bone disease that occurs when bone mineral density and bone mass decreases, or when the structure and strength of bone changes. Studies suggest that approximately one in two women and up to one in four men aged 50 and older will break a bone due to osteoporosis. Andrew Terlecky, D.O., of Licking Memorial Orthopedic Surgery explains more about osteoporosis and how to avoid the disease.

| Posted On : 8/15/2024 10:31:47 AM |

Patient Story - Hazel Blamey

Although Hazel Blamey was born prematurely and spent a few days in the Special Care Nursery at Licking Memorial Hospital, her parents, Kianna and Cody, were pleased to note that she was happy and healthy. However, in February, Hazel’s older sister developed a cold, and soon Hazel too was exhibiting signs of illness and struggling to breathe. Hazel tested positive for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a common virus in childhood but can be dangerous for infants. Read more about Hazel’s story here:

| Posted On : 6/6/2024 10:31:44 AM |

Communicating with Your Teenager

A necessary developmental stage of adolescence occurs when children begin to test boundaries and may pull away from parents as they begin to assert their own independence. Navigating this transition is difficult for parents; however, it is important to stay connected to children during their teenage years. Click the link to learn how parents can establish and maintain a healthy and trusting relationship with their children.

| Posted On : 6/6/2024 9:15:38 AM |

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Behind the Scenes - Urgent Care

In 2021, more than 46,000 patients visited three Licking Memorial Hospital (LMH) Urgent Care locations to receive treatment for non-life-threatening injuries or illnesses that required immediate attention. Urgent Care bridges the gap between physician offices and the Emergency Department (ED) by offering walk-in care, longer hours, and shorter wait times. They provide a time-saving convenience and high-quality service when a primary care physician may be unavailable, but a patient does not require ED care.

LMH Urgent Care specializes in treating urgent medical conditions, which are illnesses or injuries that are not considered emergencies yet still may require quick care. Urgent Care is not a substitute for a primary care physician, but offers patients access to healthcare when a physician is not available, such as after hours or on weekends. At three conveniently located facilities in Granville, Pataskala, and Downtown Newark, LMH Urgent Care provides treatment for a variety of urgent medical conditions, including:

Cold and flu-like symptoms
Sprains and strains
Lacerations
Sexually Transmitted Infections
Eye irritations
COVID-19

Digital radiology (general X-ray) services are also available, and routine lab and blood work are offered at the Pataskala location Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. For more life-threatening emergencies, such as a heart attack, severe head injury, compound fractures, shortness of breath, or uncontrolled bleeding, patients should report directly to the LMH ED. Additionally, patients who visit an Urgent Care and require more in-depth treatment, such as blood draws, IVs, sedation, or imaging beyond general X-rays, may be transported to the LMH ED. The healthcare providers at LMH Urgent Care and the Emergency Department are familiar with both departments’ procedures and processes and work in consultation to allow for a seamless transition, when necessary.

In addition to providing treatment for urgent medical needs, LMH Urgent Care also played an integral role during the COVID-19 pandemic. At the beginning of the pandemic, LMH worked quickly to open the first COVID-19 testing site in Central Ohio. The drive-through clinic and subsequent on-site testing clinics were staffed by Urgent Care nurses and providers.

As the need for the testing clinics lessened, the Urgent Care locations provided on-site testing and, when available, were distribution sites for at-home testing kits. Moreover, LMH Urgent Care has been instrumental in treating those with minor COVID-19 symptoms, which has helped alleviate the volume of patients at the ED. The ED staff can then focus on patients with more life-threatening conditions.

Along with the LMH ED, Urgent Care also distributes rapid fentanyl test strips (FTS). The test strips are a harm reduction method that may help inform people who use drugs about their risk of fentanyl exposure before consumption. FTS detect the presence of fentanyl, a dangerous additive that drug dealers often mix with other drugs. Sellers may not disclose that their product contains fentanyl; therefore, individuals taking these drugs may not be aware of the increased risk of overdose due to the presence of the additive. Those who use an FTS and receive a positive result may be more likely to change their drug use behavior – including not using the drug – than someone unaware of the contamination. All LMH Urgent Care locations offer FTS. A contact number for Shepherd Hill, the treatment center associated with Licking Memorial Hospital, is included with the testing strips.

All LMH Urgent Care locations are open seven days a week, except on holidays. No appointments are necessary; however, patients can notify the Urgent Care of their pending arrival using the “I’m On My Way” feature in the Licking Memorial Health Systems patient portal, MyChart. To use the feature, patients can login to their MyChart account, select “Find Urgent Care” from the menu, choose which location they wish to visit, and then select “I’m On My Way.” Once they have selected “I’m On My Way” they will be able to enter an estimated arrival time or choose from a list of open appointments.

Scheduling an appointment does not guarantee that the patient will be seen at a specific time. Patients are treated in the order they arrive, so if a number of patients check-in prior to an individuals scheduled time, then the appointment may be delayed. However, patients using the MyChart feature will save their place in queue, and will be seen before any patients arriving after their appointment. For more information about LMH Urgent Care services and hours of operation, visit LMHealth.org.

| Posted On : 6/2/2022 2:04:54 PM