Category: General News

While 1 in 5 people will experience a mental illness during their lifetime, everyone faces challenges in life that can impact their mental health. The good news is there are practical tools that everyone can use to improve their mental health and increase resiliency – and there are ways that everyone can be supportive of friends, family, and co-workers who are struggling with life’s challenges or their mental health.

This May is Mental Health Month. Murray-Calloway County Hospital is highlighting what individuals can do daily to prioritize their mental health, build resiliency in the face of trauma and obstacles, support those who are struggling, and work towards a path of recovery.

First, it is important to develop your own tools to thrive – recognizing and owning your feelings; finding the positive after loss; connecting with others; eliminating toxic influences; creating healthy routines; and supporting others – all as ways to boost the mental health and general wellness of you and your loved ones. When it comes to your feelings, it can be easy to get caught up in your emotions as you’re feeling them. Most people don’t think about what emotions they are dealing with, but taking the time to really identify what you’re feeling can help you to better cope with challenging situations.

It’s ok to give yourself permission to feel. We also know that life can throw us curveballs – and at some point in our lives we will all experience loss. It may be the end of a relationship, being let go from a job, losing a home, or the death of a loved one. It is natural to go through a grieving process.

By looking for opportunity in adversity or finding ways to remember the good things about who or what we’ve lost, we can help ourselves to recover mentally and emotionally. It also is true that connections and the people around us can help our overall mental health – or hurt it. It’s important to make connections with other people that help enrich our lives and get us through tough times, but it’s equally important to recognize when certain people and situations in life can trigger us to feel bad or engage in destructive behaviors. Identifying the toxic influences in our lives and taking steps to create a new life without them can improve mental and physical health over time. And we know that work, paying bills, cleaning, getting enough sleep, and taking care of children are just some of the things we do each day – and it is easy to be overwhelmed. By creating routines, we can organize our days in such a way that taking care of tasks and ourselves becomes a pattern that makes it easier to get things done without having to think hard about them.

For each of us, the tools we use to keep us mentally healthy will be unique. MCCH wants everyone to know that mental illnesses are real, and recovery is possible. Finding what works for you may not be easy but can be achieved by gradually making small changes and building on those successes. By developing your own tools to thrive, it is possible to find balance between work and play, the ups and downs of life, and physical health and mental health – and set yourself on the path to recovery.

“The struggles we all face are real and living in these uncertain times adds an additional layer of difficulty to our lives. There are many risk factors that influence our mental health; including genetics, biology, environment, and lifestyle for example.  Like any other health issue, it is imperative the symptoms are addressed, and the underlying condition is identified early so that an appropriate plan can be established to improve one’s overall health.  Mental health conditions, as any other chronic condition, if left untreated will only worsen.  There is good news, treatment options are available and can be very successful. If you or someone you love is experiencing mental health symptoms, don’t wait, seek assistance,” said Melanie Parham, Program Director, Geriatric Behavioral Health Unit, MCCH.

Murray State University’s Town and Gown recently presented Murray-Calloway County Hospital with a check for $1,000 to support the hospital and give back during the COVID-19 pandemic. The funds will be used to provide food for the employees and providers at MCCH during National Hospital Week.

“Town & Gown is a partnership with the university comprised of 40 local businesses that provide funding for the program.  This donation is a true reflection of the community and the university working together to help our medical professionals and show them our gratitude.  I am very proud of each of the 40 businesses that choose to be a part of this partnership. This is just one of the many ways our community and university work together,” said Carol, Town and Gown Special Projects Coordinator.

For more information about other positive stories like these during the COVID-19 pandemic, please call the Marketing Dept. at 270.762-1381.

Pictured left to right: Jerry Penner, CEO at MCCH with Carol Brunn, Special Projects Coordinator – Town and Gown Partnership Program

Murray-Calloway County Hospital recently received a donation of more than 300 fabric masks along with headbands to be used by employees at MCCH. Corrie Johnson of Murray organized a team of more than 30 local seamstresses who worked together to donate masks to needed businesses and healthcare organizations in our area.

The operation grew so fast they began utilizing a facility offered by Playhouse in the Park where they could collect their materials and distribute. This group has distributed more than 2,700 masks to places including MCCH, Primary Care Medical Center and dialysis center, as well as multiple hospitals in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Indiana.

“I’m fundamentally opposed to panic. I’d rather get to work and find a solution to known problems. There’s a lot about Covid-19 that we can’t fix, but we can do something about closing a known deficit of masks. I said, “Let’s sew a thousand.” Our team has turned out 2,700…and they’re not stopping anytime soon.  Half or more of these people I’ve met and worked with only seeing them masked. I can’t wait to see their smiles, because they have to be the most beautiful, selfless, kind people I’ve ever met. I’m so glad they took me in, Corrie commented.”

Corrie was influenced by her husband, Nick, who is an RN in the surgery department at MCCH and thus began coordinating mask production after she saw the need.

“This group has been so appreciated by our employees, we were able to provide fabric masks to our staff that are not in direct patient contact but required to wear a mask and headbands for those employees wearing masks continuously that protect the ears. Corrie is also delivering additional disposable masks for us this week to give to patients that do not have one when they enter the facility,” said Melony Morgan, Director of Planning and Marketing.

For more information about other positive stories like these during the COVID-19 pandemic, please call the Marketing Dept. at 270.762-1381.

Today, April 27^th, from 9AM – 11AM & 1PM – 4PM, we will be swabbing those individuals who feel they have had a possible COVID-19 exposure and are not currently experiencing symptoms.

Please feel free to take advantage of our drive thru service. No appointment necessary, simply drive up and get swabbed.

Please have a piece of paper with your name, date of birth, and a contact phone number so that we can contact you.

Patients will be notified of the results and recommended appropriate treatment. For more information on COVID-19 Curbside Testing, please call 270.753.0704.

Effective today and tomorrow, we will be swabbing those individuals who feel they have had a possible COVID-19 exposure and are not currently experiencing symptoms.

Please feel free to take advantage of our drive thru service. No appointment necessary, simply drive up and get swabbed until 5 pm today.

Please have a piece of paper with your name, date of birth, and a contact phone number so that we can contact you. Patients will be notified of the results and recommended appropriate treatment. For more information on COVID-19 Curbside Testing, please call 270.753.0704.

Murray-Calloway County Hospital and Murray Medical Associates are offering FREE CURBSIDE DRIVE THRU COVID-19 TESTING 1-4 PM TODAY! Located on the West Side Entrance of the Hospital.

Individuals MUST HAVE SYMPTOMS – see details below.

If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms and they are mild, please drive thru the Endoscopy Entrance (located on the West Side of the Hospital) Parking lot is marked by a sign with the state of Kentucky.

• Fever, chills, cough, runny nose, shortness of breath, sore throat, congestion, runny nose, headache, muscle pain, fatigue, nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea.

Please have a piece of paper including name, date of birth, address, phone number, and current symptoms. A nurse will come to the car, collect the paper and collect the specimen via a nasal swab. Individuals will be notified of results and appropriate treatment.

The Respiratory Walk-In Clinic and Telemedicine visits are still available for individuals who wish to speak to a provider or if their symptoms are more severe.

If you do not have any symptoms, we continue to ask you to stay #HealthyAtHome.

Patients will be notified of the results and recommended appropriate treatment. For more information on COVID-19 Curbside Testing, please call 270.753.0704.

Murray-Calloway County Hospital is pleased to welcome Jennifer Lykes, BSN, RN, CCRN, RNC-OB, as the Director of Perinatal Services.

Jennifer is a 2009 graduate of Murray State University’s nursing program where she received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing. After graduation, she entered the US Navy where she spent six years as a nurse in Pensacola, Florida and in San Diego, California. She spent time working in Med Surg and Labor and Delivery.

Most recently she worked in Labor & Delivery in Louisville, KY at Norton Women’s and Children’s Hospital and in the Intensive Care Unit at Jewish Hospital.

“I’m very excited to back in Murray, my alma mater and look forward to this new opportunity,” said Jennifer Lykes, Director of Perinatal Services.

Jennifer is married to Marcus, who works as a financial specialist and they have two boys, Brayden who is six years old and Matthew, three.

Jennifer has joined the Labor & Delivery and Post-Partum Department at Murray-Calloway County Hospital. If you have any questions, please contact the Marketing Department at 270.762.1381 or visit www.murrayhospital.org.

Pictured left to right: Tim Heinz, Associate Pastor at HHC, Art Heinz, Senior Pastor at HHC, Shannon Kidd, Director of Environmental Services, Linda Cavitt, Director of Laboratory Services, Alissa Bryan, Director of Food Service, and Todd Broker, HHC 

MURRAY, KY – Hope Harbor Church delivers meals to Murray-Calloway County Hospital. This donation was made in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We desire to be a blessing to the people who are there for our community during this crisis and will be there long after it is over. We thank God for you all,” said Art Heinz, Senior Pastor at Hope Harbor Church.

If you have questions, or would like to donate to the Foundation at Murray-Calloway County Hospital, please contact Keith Travis, Chief Philanthropy Officer at 270.227.0253.

Murray-Calloway County Hospital announces plans for furlough due to the unprecedented effects of the coronavirus. The actions follow the suspensions of some services and rescheduling of elective surgeries and procedures, which make up the bulk of revenues to support operating costs at the hospital.

Expense reductions varying by department from at least 15% – 30% will affect employees across the board.  Jerry Penner, CEO at MCCH is setting the example by already taking two pay periods with no pay as a part of the temporary layoffs.  All management positions will take a minimum 20% reduction.  Staff furloughs will involve reduced work schedules, while others will relieve employees of all job duties. Any furloughed employees are eligible for unemployment compensation, and they will remain eligible for their medical benefits.

Murray-Calloway County Hospital has nearly 1,100 people on their team. Many staff and departments have already been flexing hours and several employees are on unemployment to offset low volumes. This however is not enough to counteract the anticipated $5.3 million dollar reduction in net revenues during the month of April. Stimulus funding received through the CARES act will offset $2.3 million of the $5.3 million shortfall.

“We do not know when we will come out of this shutdown but our intent is to return to normal operations as soon as possible. This is just a temporary measure,” said MCCH CEO, Jerry Penner. “We have delayed this action as long possible because we value our employees and need to ensure we will be here when our communities need us most.”

“Hospitals, like MCCH, will require additional financial assistance to overcome shutdowns mandated by the government.  These shutdowns were necessary but just like our local businesses, we’ll need assistance coming out of the crisis to secure our financial future.”

“We don’t want any patients or community members to perceive that they need to avoid or delay necessary care,” he said. “We don’t want folks to be fearful of coming to the hospital. We are continuing to provide urgent and emergency healthcare and surgery services throughout our hospital and physician clinics.”

Murray-Calloway County Hospital is a 152-licensed bed medical center located at 803 Poplar Street in Murray, Kentucky.  The hospital has been serving the medical and health care needs of the Western Kentucky area for over 100 years.  Murray Hospital specializes in such major areas as women’s services, surgery, cancer, orthopedics, neurology, psychiatric services, emergency services, Spring Creek, and more. Murray-Calloway County Hospital is accredited by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the nation’s oldest and largest hospital accreditation agency.