Gothenburg, NE—Gothenburg Health encourages patients not to skip check well checks, vaccines, and physicals.

 

Gothenburg Health’s team of family providers would like to remind the public that well-child checks and immunizations are still critical, even during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the CDC, stay-at-home and shelter-in-place orders have resulted in declines in outpatient pediatric visits and fewer vaccine doses being administered, leaving children at risk for vaccine-preventable diseases.

 

Dr. Kayla Knauss, family practice provider at Gothenburg Health, said it is understandable that many families may have delayed well-child checks. Nevertheless, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has deemed these checkups as “essential.”

 

“We understand that many children in our community may have missed well-child checks or vaccines because of the effects of COVID-19 and recommendation to limit non-essential visits,” said Knauss. “However, the CDC recently released new guidance highlighting the importance of continuing routine child care and immunizations to ensure children stay on track for preventative services.”

 

Additionally, Dr. Knauss said that although the Nebraska School Activity Association (NSAA) has waived requirements for pre-participation sports physicals, an annual physical exam is still a good idea for students.

 

“An annual physical exam can aid in the detection of conditions that may otherwise go unnoticed, including concussions or underlying illnesses,” Knauss said.

 

The Medical Clinic at Gothenburg Health is working hard to ensure separation between well-child checks or physicals and patients with possible respiratory symptoms. “Patients who are ill are separated from patients coming for preventative care,” said Garrett Vetter, Director of Clinic Operations at Gothenburg Health. “Gothenburg Health is following all CDC guidelines to ensure patient safety. Additionally, anyone who enters our building is screened with a temperature check followed by a series of questions to determine if they have any COVID-19 symptoms or exposure. Before entering the building, everyone is masked, further ensuring patient safety.”

 

“Our primary care providers are dedicated to caring for your children,” Vetter said. “We encourage families who have missed or delayed routine well-child visits, annual physicals and vaccinations to contact the clinic to schedule an appointment.”

 

 

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Gothenburg Health is a premier critical access hospital, and rural health clinic focused on serving the community of Gothenburg and surrounding areas with modern facilities and highly skilled employees. Gothenburg Health recently completed a 31 million-dollar renovation and expansion. The new construction project, completed in the spring of 2018, includes a state-of-the-art surgical suite, brand-new patient wing, prominent main entry, clinical expansion, advanced imaging suite with in-house MRI, and finally, a medically integrated YMCA. We are proud to not only offer the basics but to provide a wide variety of progressive services that have grown with the needs of our community. Gothenburg Health is dedicated to its mission of providing quality, cost-effective healthcare services while promoting wellness and quality of life in our service communities.

 

Becky Jobman

Chief Development Officer-Gothenburg Health

910 20th Street, Gothenburg, NE 69138

Direct: 308.537.4094 | bjobman@gothenburghealth.org