By Holly Ragan, Senior Market Development, CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs, [email protected]

Sulphur Springs, Texas, April 13, 2021 – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs has ONE mission: To Extend the Health Ministry of Jesus Christ.

Important Notice

We are aware of the new order announced by Texas Governor Greg Abbott that would lift the statewide masking mandate for many establishments on March 10. However, that will not apply to our CHRISTUS facilities. We will continue to require masks for those visiting, working or receiving care in any of our CHRISTUS facilities, per CDC guidelines, as well as hand hygiene and social distancing where possible.

We are continuing to closely evaluate the Governor’s executive order and will do the same for any additional guidance or requirements issued by the State Department of Health and Human Services or other entities. We understand that as more Texans are vaccinated, additional decisions will need to be made by the state, cities, and counties in which our ministries reside and we are prepared to respond accordingly. In the meantime, we remain focused on safely providing the care our communities need (whether COVID-related or not) and fulfilling our mission to extend the healing ministry of Jesus Christ.

* UPDATED Hospital Visitation

We continue to ensure a safe and compassionate process for families and essential support persons to visit patients, while preventing person-to-person transmission of infectious diseases in our acute care settings. All visitors will continue to be screened to make certain they do not fit a COVID-19 profile, based on CDC guidelines. To safely regulate access to patient care areas within our hospital, visitor screening stations are placed at the entrance of our facilities.

Please note the following guidelines:

• Visitors must acquire masks themselves prior to entering our facility; cloth masks are acceptable
• Masks must cover both the nose and the mouth
• Visitors must pass screening before entry
• Emergency Department entrance open 24/7
• Main Entrance open 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday – Friday
  • Gift Shop open
• All visitors are screened at the door, including a temperature taken
• All associates are screened at each shift, including a temperature taken
• Visiting hours are 7am to 9pm
  • COVID Unit limited to (1) visitor (age 16 and over)
  • ER and ICU limited to (2) visitors
  • ALL hospital visitors are required to wear a mask. Visitors should bring their own mask; homemade cloth masks are acceptable.

Effective March 17, 2021

We will no longer restrict the number of visitors per patient, however, we strongly encourage to limit visitors to ONE (1) essential support person and for all other visitors – continue utilizing virtual communication through mobile devices to monitor your loved ones in our care.

Clinic Services

Dermatology

Dermatology & Skin Cancer Surgery Center is now practicing in Sulphur Springs and accepting patients under the care of Roxanne Swafford, FNP. She is seeing patients at 1228 Church St. Suite D. To schedule your appointment, call 903.689.7272. You may also schedule online at www.mdbarrows.com.

Urology

Did you know we can take care of almost all of your medical specialty needs right here in Sulphur Springs? Just one of many is our Urologist Dr. Loren Ost, and his Nurse Practitioner Leah Irving. Dr. Ost and Leah see patients who have concerns of the urinary system in both male and females, as well as the reproductive organs of the male. They are located at 113 Airport Road, Suite 300, and may be reached by calling 903.885.1770.

Name the Robot Contest for Kindergarten through 5th Grades

CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs has a new family member … the Mako robotic surgical assistant. We invited all local students from kindergarten through 5th grades to enter a coloring sheet and come up with a name for our new robot. Students worked with their teachers to enter their submissions, and a decision has been made. The winner will get to meet the robot, have a pizza party, and we will post their photo in the newspaper with the robot and our Orthopedic Surgeon, Dr. Chris Meltsakos, who will be using the robotic assistant to work on patients’ knees. We will share the winning name entry very soon! Stay tuned!

COVID-19

Don’t Delay Care

We want to be perfectly clear – CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances remains a safe place for all to receive quality care. Go to the Emergency Department or call 9-1-1 if you are urgently ill. While COVID-19 is new, our processes and procedures in place for infection prevention and preventing the spread of illness are not. To learn more about COVID-19, go to ChristusTMF.org or www.cdc.gov.

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CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Health System includes CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospitals – Tyler, South Tyler, Jacksonville, Winnsboro and Sulphur Springs, the CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Louis and Peaches Owen Heart Hospital – Tyler, CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Rehabilitation Hospital a partner of Encompass Health, Tyler Continue CARE Hospital at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital, a long-term acute care facility, and CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic. CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic is the area’s preferred multi-specialty medical group, with more than 400 Physicians and Advanced Practice Providers representing 36 specialties in 34 locations serving Northeast Texas across 41 counties. For more information on services available through CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Health System, visit christustmf.org

• Bed count – 402 – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Tyler
• Bed count – 8 – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – South Tyler
• Bed count – 25 – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Jacksonville
• Bed Count – 96 – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs
• Bed count – 25 – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Winnsboro
• Bed count – 94 – CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Rehabilitation Hospital
• Bed count – 96 – CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Louis and Peaches Owen Heart – Tyler
• Bed count – 51 – Tyler Continue CARE Hospital at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital