News From SIH

A relief fund is helping local health care workers and the community they serve. It's called the SIH COVID-19 Relief Fund. Being a health care professional has never been easy. Add a pandemic to the mix, and the stress level increases substantially. Vice President of Community Affairs Woody Thorne with Southern Illinois Healthcare said they're handling it the best they can.

COVID-19 is stopping some patients who need to seek immediate medical help from doing so. SIH is one of many institutions regionally and nationwide that have seen a 50 percent drop in patient visits for conditions like stroke and heart attacks.

Southern Illinois University is utilizing 3D printing technology to create plastic face shields for Southern Illinois Healthcare. Lingguo Bu, associate professor of curriculum and instruction, with support from the SIU STEM Education Research Center, has already delivered about 150 shields to SIH, and on Monday he delivered 20 more.

After hearing about the shortage of personal protective equipment to fight COVID-19, Bernie Hennenberger’s best friend, Darren Haney, had an idea to help local hospitals during the pandemic. They could use their 3D printers to make face shields for health care workers.

Social distancing and concerns over COVID-19 are prompting many hospitals to cancel elective procedures, but many patients still need to see their doctors. Doctor Matt Winkleman has been on the front lines for SIH in the fight against the coronavirus. He says in the last week they've made major strides in taking their effort to serve more patients online. Telehealth has become a necessary alternative for patients and local health care providers.

Hospitals across Southern Illinois have noticed a strange side-effect to the COVID-19 pandemic — fewer patients are showing up in emergency rooms with heart attack and stroke symptoms. “We are extremely worried about this,” said Dr. Alejandro Hornik, a neurologist and neuroscience medical director with Southern Illinois Healthcare Brain and Spine Institute.

Most of us are worried about coronavirus symptoms, but doctors don't want you to forget about your heart health. Dr. Gangadhar Malasana with SIH Prairie Heart Institute said nationally, there's been a 50% drop in people seeking help for heart attacks.

SIH’s Dr. Alejandro Hornik joins The Morning Newswatch.

Woody Thorne, Vice President of Community Affairs for Southern Illinois Healthcare joined Will Stephens on WXAN to talk about the SIH Community Foundation, Southern Illinois Healthcare's response to COVID-19, and what he has learned about Southern Illinois during this pandemic.

Dr. Sarah Altamimi, an infectious disease physician at Southern Illinois Healthcare, knows a good way you can protect yourself from COVID-19: Stop wearing vinyl or latex gloves in public. “Wearing gloves does not add any level of security or protection, and it might add harm,” Altamimi said.