It’s time to start looking after your health again. Our facilities are ready. We’re ready. On Monday, May 4, we opened our hospitals, physician practices, minor medical centers and diagnostic centers to well-patient visits — such as well visits, routine follow-ups and Medicare Wellness — as well as some elective procedures and visits. To learn more about how you can support Methodist’s mission during this challenging time, click here. We want to share how our team of experts is safely resuming services, like elective elective procedures and non-emergency care, at our physician practices, minor medical centers and diagnostic centers. Do you have concerns about seeking treatment at a hospital or emergency room? Click the Addressing Concerns about Hospitals tab above for more information about why it is safe. How will my experience be different than it has been in the past? If you’re scheduled to be seen in-person at a physician practice, minor medical center or diagnostic center, you will be provided a mask and will be screened upon entrance. Screening will include a temperature check and questions about any COVID-19 symptoms or exposure you may have recently experienced. If you’re scheduled for an elective surgery in one of our hospitals, in addition to receiving a mask and completing screening upon entrance, you will be tested for COVID-19 as part of the routine lab tests completed before your surgery. Testing you for COVID-19 will ensure your safety during your procedure and protect our providers and staff. While any surgical procedure is accompanied by a certain amount of risk, early COVID-19 data has indicated better outcomes for patients who test negative for COVID-19. If your test is positive, your procedure may be postponed. What won’t be different in your experience is the compassionate and high-quality care you expect from Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare staff. How we're keeping you safe during your visit or procedure As COVID-19 remains present in our community, we’re embracing new ways to care for you, including: Health screening for all visitors and staff upon entrance to any of our facilities Continuing to limit visitors (more on the policy below) Providing masks to patients and visitors Providing hand sanitizer in all public areas Conducting additional cleaning and disinfecting Testing of our providers and staff who have direct contact with COVID-19 patients Testing all patients for COVID-19 prior to elective procedures Virtual and in-person COVID clinic to provide safe monitoring and specialized care for our patients diagnosed with COVID-19, including patients discharged from the hospital (physician referral required) Virtual appointments and post-operative home monitoring via telehealth Learn more about our telehealth services We’re doing everything we can to keep you safe and healthy while you’re in our care. As always, our providers wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) and follow strict guidelines for hand washing and enhanced disinfection of facilities and equipment. Has Methodist's visitor policy changed? We believe in the healing power of family at the bedside. As of September 17, we are implementing a limited visitor policy across the MLH system based on the current status of COVID-19 in our community. Click the At Our Facilities tab to read the complete visitor policy. Why is Methodist resuming elective procedures before the end of the COVID-19 pandemic? Our decision to resume elective procedures and routine care was made with the utmost consideration for your safety. Delays in elective procedures can impact your health and quality of life, and we want to ensure our patients get the care they need. There are many health conditions that are not immediately urgent, but still must be addressed for optimal health, such as care of chronic conditions, for example. We began Phase One of reactivating services on May 4. During Phase One, we accommodated approximately 50% of elective procedures that would be performed daily under normal circumstances. We are currently in phase two, increasing our limit on cases to 75%. We will continue to add services in the coming weeks, while staying below capacity. As our community continues the reopening process, we are carefully monitoring for indicators of a potential COVID surge and will respond appropriately. Does Methodist have enough capacity and supplies to accommodate my procedure? Yes. As we continue phasing in elective procedures, we are constantly monitoring our supply of PPE, as well as the number of available acute care and intensive care unit beds to ensure our facilities have the capacity and supplies they need to provide you exceptional care. When will my appointment or procedure be rescheduled? If you’ve had a visit or procedure postponed due to COVID-19, your provider will contact you to reschedule. Our physicians are prioritizing procedures to reopen all of our elective services and routine care in the safest possible manner. What you need to know before your visit or procedure Please call your provider’s office if you are ill or have other health care needs. Your provider will work with you to determine whether an in-person or telehealth visit is best for you. If you are scheduled for an in-person visit or procedure in the office or hospital, you will be screened upon entrance. What should I do if I’m scheduled for a procedure or in-person visit and think I may have COVID-19? If you’re experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, or are concerned you may have been exposed to COVID-19, please contact your provider’s office immediately. Your provider will be able to give further direction. For your safety, as well as the safety of others, your procedure may be postponed, or you may be scheduled for a telehealth visit instead of an in-person appointment. If you need urgent care If you need emergency care dial 9-1-1 or visit your nearest emergency room. Our minor medical centers are also open for your urgent care needs. It’s our mission to improve every life we touch. Whether we’re treating serious illness or fostering everyday wellness, we’re here to safely meet your unique needs. We look forward to providing you the exceptional care you’ve come to expect from Methodist.

Why You Shouldn't Delay Care If you have a chronic condition, such as diabetes or heart disease, it is critical that you maintain your regular medical care. For chronic conditions, regular, consistent medical care is essential to maximize your wellbeing and avoid serious health issues, such as heart attack or stroke. Delaying Your Care May Result in Complications and Hospitalization Since the beginning of the pandemic, we’ve seen an increase in patients requiring hospitalizations for chronic conditions, some with avoidable outcomes, because routine or urgent medical care was not provided timely. As a diabetic, ignoring your A1c leads to a build-up of plaque in the arteries, putting you at great risk for heart attack or stroke. Similarly, if you have heart disease and your blood pressure and cholesterol are not properly managed, you’re at a significantly increased risk of heart attack or stroke. If not treated promptly, heart attack can cause heart failure and rhythm issues, and stroke can cause irreversible brain damage and blindness. More from Your Health: Warning signs that you're having a stroke — and why it's so important to seek timely care What it means to be 'high risk' for COVID-19 and why you shouldn't delay treatment I’m sick and worried about the coronavirus: Do I stay at home, call my physician or do I need to visit the ER? It’s natural to feel concerned about leaving your home and accessing healthcare, but we have taken every step to provide a safe environment. Delaying treatment for new or worsening symptoms can cause long-term complications that make it harder to enjoy all the things you want to do in life. If you have any concerns, please call your provider and we can discuss the best course of action. In some cases, we can address symptoms through a telehealth consult. Your Chronic Conditions Can Be Treated Effectively with Consistent Care Attending regularly scheduled appointments and keeping up with your lab tests and bloodwork puts you in the best position to manage your chronic illness. Your provider can identify and treat issues before they cause complications, improving your overall health and quality of life. Schedule Your Appointment Today Please contact your Methodist provider to reschedule any missed appointments. If you don’t have a primary care provider to manage your chronic illness, visit www.methodisthealth.org/primarycare to schedule an appointment with a Methodist Medical Group – Primary Care provider today. It’s time to start looking after your health again. We’re ready. As Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare begins to resume some elective procedures, people may have questions about how MLH is deciding which procedures will begin in this phased-in approach. Here’s a look behind the scenes of elective procedures resuming at MLH.

Elective Procedures Q&A How has COVID-19 changed the way elective procedures are conducted? In our entire process of resuming elective surgeries, safety has always been the top priority — safety for our patients, staff members and providers. The biggest change due to COVID-19 is the fact that people can be carrying the virus and not show or experience any symptoms. If a COVID-19 positive patient is brought into an Operating Room for a procedure, they could spread the virus through coughs or sneezes. That could potentially put staff members, physicians and potentially follow-up patients at risk of exposure. We have now adjusted our cleaning process to a more terminal cleaning. The Operating Room goes out of service for a couple hours. Staff members use UV lights for any signs of contaminants as well as other processes. The new process increases the amount of time between surgeries. We also require patients to undergo a COVID-19 test prior to surgery — with a goal of 24-36 hours prior to the procedure. Patients then self-isolate after testing until their surgery occurs. What has changed during an operation? Operating rooms are now being conducted as negative-pressure rooms. That prevents airborne diseases from escaping the room and potentially infecting other people. Air is filtered before it is moved outside. It is the same process that has been followed for any operation on a Tuberculosis patient. Our surgical teams wear more extensive PPE as an added layer of protection. We have also reduced the number of people inside the operating room once a patient is sedated. When there are fewer people inside the operating room, the risk of contamination goes way down. What is the process of deciding which elective procedures will happen first? During phase one of reopening, we are focusing on outpatient cases. This way patients don’t utilize hospital resources overnight or during a hospital stay that lasts multiple days. We also have some procedures where a patient will have surgery in the early part of the morning and will be discharged the following morning. Our goal is to get our phase one patients in and out as quickly and safely as possible. We are slowly working toward cases that could take longer and might need an ICU stay or a ventilator. We are basing those decisions on our status of beds, ventilators, and PPE. What might cause my procedure to be further delayed? Methodist Le Bonheur is going through delayed elective surgeries on a case by case basis. A team of health experts are following extensive guidelines for the best practices of which cases can be delayed — without causing harm to the patient. At this time, procedures that are purely elective like plastic surgery and cosmetic procedures are still on hold. What should I do if my surgery is on hold – is there any way to get an update? Providers are calling patients with updates about rescheduling procedures. Our medical teams are going through the backlog of elective cases. If you have any questions about the status of your procedure, contact your provider. How is MLH deciding when to increase the number of elective procedures? Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare is going slow, in order to go fast. For phase one, we are operating at 50% our normal case load. We’re predicting that phase one will last about two weeks. We are monitoring several critical data points daily to ensure we are following the best practices for safety for everyone. We look at how many ICU beds are being used, how much PPE we have across the system and how many COVID cases are in all of Shelby County. When it is safe to enter phase two, MLH will move to a 75-80% case load. We do not want to rush to a normal schedule immediately and then have a huge upsurge with the surrounding community reopening. With social distancing softening and restaurants opening, we have to factor in the community spread of COVID-19 as we slowly open also.

Addressing Concerns About Hospitals As COVID-19 continues to be present in our community, some people may wonder if it is safe to go to the hospital if they are experiencing an emergency. Here are some things everyone should know when they are seeking care. Is it safe to go to the hospital? Yes. The standard procedures we have in place now at MLH are much more strenuous and rigorous than what it was during “normal” times. We screen every single person as they walk into an MLH facility. We ask questions that indicate risk factors regarding COVID-19 and we also take everyone’s temperature. Every staff member at MLH wears a face mask, regardless of whether they see patients or not. We’re following all the best practices for what is safe for everyone involved. Click here to learn more about what we're doing at our physician practices, minor medical centers and diagnostic centers. Why should people seek treatment if they are feeling sick? The quicker patients seek help, the better chance health care workers have to help that patient. If patients are experiencing an emergency, they need to seek treatment in a timely fashion. Health care providers like to see patients early in their illness to give the patient the best help as quickly as possible. Under what circumstances should people be going to the hospital? If you think it’s an emergency, you should go to the emergency room. This is especially important for heart attack and stroke victims. The longer those patients wait to come to the hospital, the fewer options the medical team has for intervention. Time is of the essence for stroke and heart attack victims. If those patients wait 4-6 hours after their episodes, there are less options for the medical team to give the best care. How will Methodist keep me safe during my visit? As COVID-19 remains present in our community, we’re embracing new ways to care for you, including: Health screening for all visitors and staff upon entrance to any of our facilities Limiting visitors (more on that policy below) Providing masks to patients and visitors Providing hand sanitizer in all public areas Conducting additional cleaning and disinfecting Testing of our providers and staff who have direct contact with COVID-19 patients Testing all patients for COVID-19 prior to elective procedures Virtual and in-person COVID clinic to provide safe monitoring and specialized care for our patients diagnosed with COVID-19, including patients discharged from the hospital Virtual appointments and post-operative home monitoring via telehealth We’re doing everything we can to keep you safe and healthy while you’re in our care. As always, our providers wear appropriate PPE and follow strict guidelines for hand washing and sterilization of facilities and equipment. Will I be treated near COVID-19 patients? No. Patients diagnosed with COVID-19 are treated in negative pressure rooms in dedicated areas of our hospitals. Negative pressure prevents airborne diseases, including COVID, from escaping from the room and flowing into other areas of the hospital. After use, these rooms undergo rigorous cleaning, using ultraviolet lights to scan for droplets of the virus.

At Our Facilities At Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare, we have a team of experts carefully monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic. Out of an abundance of caution for our patients, families and staff, we have implemented new screening and visiting policies. These policies will ensure the safety for all those who enter a Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare facility. The new adult hospital measures — along with other changes or updates at our MLH facilities — are outlined below. Visitor policy — Updated September 17, 2020 We believe in the healing power of family at the bedside. We are implementing a limited visitor policy across the MLH system based on the current status of COVID-19 in our community. It is important to note that all visitors must screen negative for COVID. The changes to our visitor policy are as follows: Adult inpatients and emergency department patients may have one designated visitor. Pediatric inpatients, including NICU patients, may have two designated visitors. One parent or legal guardian may accompany pediatric patients in the ED. The designated visitor(s) may arrive and depart once per day. For surgery patients, adult patients may have one visitor and pediatric patients may have two. The visitor(s) may stay in the waiting area until the patient is either discharged or admitted and may see the patient post-operatively. In MLH clinics or other outpatient areas, adult patients should come by themselves, if possible. One parent or guardian may accompany pediatric patients. Confirmed COVID-positive patients and symptomatic patients with a pending COVID test may not have visitors at this time. As always, there are compassion exceptions. Visitors must follow all required precautions to protect patients and staff. Click here to few the entire revised visitor policy. Screening Patients, Visitors, Associates and Physicians at hospital entry points. We implemented employee and physician screening on March 19 with all six MLH hospitals. That was expanded to all other MLH facilities on March 23. Screenings questions include the CDC's current recommended testing criteria, which will cover symptoms, exposure and travel history, as well as a temperature check. Minor Meds

Our Minor Medical Centers are open typically open 7 days a week with no appointment necessary. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, some of our locations are closed on Sundays. However, the minor med locations on Hacks Cross and Union Ave. are open on Sundays. If you would like to set up a telehealth appointment, call ahead to the location you would typically visit. Teleheath Telehealth is a way to provide patients access to high quality care while limiting contact exposure for patients and caregivers alike and conserving PPE supplies. With telehealth, patient “visits” with providers are performed remotely with the help of telephone and video. MLH offers telehealth at our Methodist Medical Group primary care practices, as well as in specialty practices in the areas of cardiology, ENT, gastroenterology, allergy, endocrinology, sickle cell and many more. Certain types of patient visits lend themselves more to telehealth, such as lower respiratory symptoms that might be flu, allergy symptoms or COVID-19, and follow up visits for chronic conditions. Ask your provider if a telehealth visit is right for you. Learn more about our telehealth services Classes at MLH Facilities Due to the presence of COVID-19 in our community, classes are subject to cancelation or rescheduling. Classes for May and June at Germantown may not show in the listing below, but there are some courses available. Please reach out via the numbers listed on our Class Finder if you have any questions. Plasma Donation and Treatment Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare is participating in Mayo Clinic’s Expanded Access Protocol for Convalescent Plasma Program for treatment of patients with COVID-19. Researchers believe receiving convalescent plasma may help current COVID-19 patients with advanced illness. Learn more about the program and how you can help by clicking on the tab at the top of this page. MLH Spiritual Care Helpline In this unique time, we have launched a 24/7 Spiritual Care Helpline for adult and pediatric spiritual care. Any patient, family member, Associate or physician who desires to connect with a MLH chaplain can do so by calling the adult or pediatric spiritual care phone number. Patients who cannot receive visitors are highly encouraged to use the helpline. One-on-one spiritual care support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Adult Spiritual Care: (901) 516-7877 Pediatric Spiritual Care: (901) 297-2388 Virtual Support Group for Community Mental Health Providers As the impact of COVID-19 extends into our community, the mental health burden is continuing to grow. As ethical practitioners, we acknowledge that we need to be mentally well in order to continue in our important work of serving others. This group is meant to be a place of non-judgmental support for Mid-South mental health professionals as they cope with their own emotions related to COVID-19 — so that they can best continue to meet the mental health needs of the community during this challenging time. When: 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. every Wednesday via Zoom meeting Register in advance: ZOOM MEETING REGISTRATION After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Please call your primary care physician if you have been exposed to the new coronavirus, believe you may have been exposed or travelled internationally and have symptoms such as fever, chills or cough. Your physician will help guide you to the appropriate resources for testing and/or treatment.

COVID-19 Testing COVID-19 cases continue to rise in Memphis, Shelby County and our surrounding communities. If you’re looking to get a coronavirus test, the first question that might pop into your head is “where should I go to get tested?” Not all testing sites are the same. They aren’t all set up or intended for “community testing.” At MLH Adult Hospitals COVID-19 screening and testing at Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare hospital sites is an extension of our Emergency Department screening. It is strictly limited to patients with symptoms of COVID-19. Asymptomatic people will not be tested. Methodist patients registered and scheduled for testing prior to a procedure or surgery at an MLH hospital or facility may also be asked to come through the drive through lines. Methodist Minor Medical Centers Methodist Minor Medical Centers offer COVID-19 testing for both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. Patients who would like to receive a COVID-19 test may call their local Minor Med location and schedule an appointment for testing. When you arrive for your appointment, you will check-in at the front desk to pay your co-pay and then be seen by a provider who will administer your test. COVID-19 antibody screening and testing is also available at Methodist Minor Meds. Antibody tests are intended for use as an aid in identifying individuals that had an illness that may have been COVID-19 and may have since developed an immunity to the disease. For more information — or to find your local Minor Med — please visit www.methodisthealth.org/minormed. Community Testing Sites in the Memphis Area There are community testing sites throughout the Memphis area. Not all of them are open every day. Operating days and hours vary and are subject to change. We have listed all of the community testing sites here. You will also find information about testing in Fayette County, Tipton County, eastern Arkansas and Northern Mississippi. You are strongly advised to following scheduling instructions before going to a testing site.