SGCMH Celebrates Home Health Month
11/13/2023
Ste. Genevieve, MO - Ste. Genevieve County Memorial Hospital recognizes its home health professionals during National Home Health Care Month each November. SGCMH has been providing home health care to patients since 1985.
“When given the option, patients want to receive care in their homes,” said Wanda Roth, RN and Director of Ste. Genevieve Home Health. “Over the years, our home health services have been a mainstay in our community and have established a high level of trust. We’re privileged to provide care to our patients in their own homes.”
Roth, explained that whether you are recovering from surgery or illness, or living with a chronic disease like diabetes or COPD, patients can benefit from Ste. Genevieve Home Health.
“We offer skilled nursing, physical, occupational and speech therapy, as well as social services, said Roth. “Depending on what your diagnosis is or what your needs are, we develop a plan of care that is tailor made and unique to you.”
Over the years, Ste. Genevieve Home Health has continued to bring advanced services right into the home, including a home monitoring program.
“Back in the day we had minimal equipment and pen and paper, and now we have electronic medical records,” said Roth. “We continue to use the latest possible technology, so now we’ve just started a home monitoring program. RPM, or remote patient monitoring, is the use of digital technologies to collect and analyze patient data from their home and electronically transmit that information securely to our Home Health department. Patient data can include vital signs, weight, blood pressure, blood sugar, and/or pacemaker information. It’s a way for us to make sure their levels are kept within an acceptable level.”
Roth was quick to point out that the monitoring equipment is easy to use and very fool proof with prompts that guide the patient along the way.
“We’re very excited about this program, not only for the valuable information we can obtain more often, but it keeps our patients involved and engaged in their health care,” she said.” It’s another tool that hopefully patients will find helpful and they can get into some healthy habits, with diet, medication regime, etc. to enable them to stay at home.”
Ste. Genevieve Home Health is also excited to offer home visits with nurse practitioner Annie Wolk.
“She’s a great addition and works closely with primary care physicians and our home health team,” she said. “She can conduct examinations, provide diagnoses, prescribe medication and treatments, and more. Her services add another layer of what we can do as a hospital to promote health and wellness in our community.”
One other service that Ste. Genevieve Home Health is proud to offer is their Life Line medical alert system.
“At the press of a button, you can summon help any time of the day or night – even if you can’t speak,” explained Roth. “It also provides an automatic alert to our response center if it detects a fall. You get direct access to help when needed, so you can enjoy complete peace of mind when at home.”
Probably one of the most asked questions that Roth receives is, Can the Ste. Genevieve Home Health services follow a patient even if they have been hospitalized or see a physician outside of Ste. Genevieve?
“You don’t have to be seeing a physician that’s local to Ste. Genevieve or our hospital,” she said. “You can be hospitalized in one of the hospitals in St. Louis or Cape Girardeau and when you return home, you can receive services from Ste. Genevieve Home Health, just let the caregivers know during your discharge.”
“Ste. Genevieve County Memorial Hospital’s mission is to put people first by providing excellent, personalized, and compassionate healthcare,” said Roth. “Our home health staff strives for this every day and our goal is keep patients happy and healthy at home.”
Most services through home health are covered through Medicare or other insurances, and a nurse is always on call. For more information, call 883-7724.
Ste. Genevieve County Memorial Hospital is a nonprofit county owned community hospital that works to continue to improve the health and well-being of the community. Our professional staff uses advanced technology and medicine to provide excellent, personalized, and compassionate healthcare. For more information on Ste. Genevieve County Memorial Hospital, visit stegenevievehospital.org.
###