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Clinic and ADRC report: staffing increases, holiday demand and limited hospice options
Summary
Lorraine reported clinic staffing gains, winter respiratory cases and community services including meals and a new food shelf; staff said Sawyer County currently lacks inpatient hospice and recommended hospice enrollment and provider coordination for families needing 24/7 in-home end-of-life care.
Lorraine updated the board on clinic growth and community services Tuesday, saying the clinic now lists 1 MD, 7 MPs, 1 PA and several specialty providers (podiatry, chiropractic, optometry and dental services) to reduce a long waiting list. She also announced the hiring of assistant health director Mariah Austin.
Lorraine reported December case activity that included 19 COVID '3' cases (as stated), five other respiratory virus cases and one strep case, and she encouraged vigilance for communicable diseases. She said the clinic and ADRC have increased activity during the holidays and noted outreach such as dementia awareness programming, a caregiver corner at Weiss Community Library and ongoing elder-benefit assistance.
On hospice care, staff said Sawyer County lacks an inpatient hospice facility. They advised families to enroll with hospice providers to learn about available supports; inpatient hospice stays at hospitals are possible in limited circumstances if family care is insufficient. The board also heard about local elder services: the elders Christmas dinner schedule, two meal routes serving 140 meals total, a new food shelf open Tuesdays and Thursdays, and veteran care-package efforts.
Staff asked for assistance in obtaining an MPI number for an elders program through DHS; county staff offered to help navigate the MPI setup. No formal votes were taken on program operations.
