Health notes

Hospital has hotline number

Community Memorial Hospital has a new Nurse Hotline number that can be called 24 hours a day if you have health related questions. That number is 218-499-6799. A staff of professional registered nurses will assist patients in answering medical questions and guide the patients to the medical source most appropriate for their needs.

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Hospital receives breastfeeding friendly award

Community Memorial Hospital has earned a Five-Star designation for its breast feeding program by the Minnesota Department of Health. This honor recognizes maternity centers in Minnesota that have taken steps to promote and support breastfeeding and infant-feeding best practices.

The steps to achieve this award include having a comprehensive infant feeding policy, educating new mothers about the benefits of breastfeeding, ensuring mothers and babies have skin –to- skin contact following birth, and keeping mothers and babies together throughout their hospital stay.

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MinnesotaCare renewal looms

Minnesotans who rely on MinnesotaCare for affordable health care coverage should complete their annual renewal form by Dec. 15 to ensure coverage into the New Year.

The Department of Human Services (DHS) has mailed MinnesotaCare renewal forms to more than 54,000 households throughout the state. These members must verify their continued eligibility for the health care program to continue their coverage in 2020. After members return the renewal form, DHS will notify them by mail if their coverage is renewed, if they need to provide more information, or if they are no longer eligible.

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Pedestrian deaths rise with darkness

Shorter days and more hours of darkness this time of year contribute to an increased number of crashes between people driving and walking, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation. As the days get shorter, motorists and pedestrians should use caution when driving and walking.

Motor vehicle crashes have killed 33 pedestrians so far this year. According to the Department of Public Safety, 45 pedestrians died and 987 were injured in crashes with vehicles in 2018, and there were 42 pedestrian deaths and 1,053 injuries in 2017.

“It’s more difficult to see people walking in the dark, so we see an increased risk for pedestrian crashes in the fall as daylight hours diminish,” said Brian Sorenson, state traffic engineer. “Both drivers and walkers need to know and obey the laws to maximize safety. Remember, all of us walk at some point in our day.”