Public asked to use common sense guidelines when visiting hospitals

10 / 29 / 2009

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For more information contact:
Maria Heim, Media Relations
Affinity Health System
(920) 720-1752
(920) 554-0686 (pager)

MENASHA, Wis. - Fox Valley public health officials and health care systems are asking the public to help limit the spread of the flu virus and help protect hospital patients by adhering to the following visitation guidelines:

  • Families of patients should try to limit the number of visitors to a patient in the hospital to one or two people, especially if anyone else in the family is ill with flu symptoms. Visitors can have the flu and be contagious up to 24 hours before feeling ill themselves.
  • Anyone who is ill, especially with respiratory symptoms, should not visit until 24 hours after symptoms are gone.

The public is also reminded that the follow precautions can be used to help prevent the spread of the flu:

  • Wash your hands
  • Don’t touch your eyes or mouth
  • Cough or sneeze into a tissue or into your sleeve
  • Stay home if you feel ill  

For more information about H1N1, contact your local health department, call 211 (alternative: 800-924-5514) or visit the following sites:

www.affinityhealth.org
www.aurora.org/flu
www.thedacarenow.org

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For the Editor:
Affinity Health System, a Catholic mission-oriented regional health care network, is a partnership of Ministry Health Care and Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare. Affinity Health System is the Fox Valley’s third largest employer, according to the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce & Industry, and is nationally listed among the top 50 hospitals for quality and efficiency (Thomson Reuters, Modern Healthcare). For eight consecutive years, Affinity Health System has been named to the SDI Health (formerly Verispan) Integrated Health Network Top 100, an annual assessment of the 100 most highly integrated health care networks in the nation – Affinity ranks no. 29 in the 2009 report. Both St. Elizabeth Hospital in Appleton and Mercy Medical Center in Oshkosh rank among the top 1 percent among hospitals nationwide in terms of quality and efficiency, as determined by the 2007 Premier | CareScience Select practice National Quality Award. Network Health Plan has achieved Excellent accreditation status from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), the highest possible level. It is ranked 31st in the nation, according to the U.S. News and World Report/NCQA Best Health Plans in America listing. Members of Affinity include Mercy Medical Center and Mercy Health Foundation, Oshkosh; St. Elizabeth Hospital and the St. Elizabeth Hospital Community Foundation, Appleton; Affinity Medical Group, a regional network of 22 family practice and specialty clinics – including two fully operational Medical Home models – in 14 communities; Calumet Medical Center, Chilton; Network Health Plan, Menasha; and Affinity Occupational Health.