Ready to Return to a New Normal

Hello, this is Jason Merkley, President and CEO of Brookings Health System. Thank you for allowing us time to prepare for this pandemic. Your mitigation efforts have greatly assisted our health system and we are not confident in our plan and capacity to care for our community at any point of a COVID-19 peak or surge.

We agree. It is time to get back to some level of normalcy. Thus, in accordance with the South Dakota Department of Health and the Governor, Brookings Health System is lifting restrictions placed on elective surgery and outpatient procedures with the exception of those individuals who are high risk. This is great news for patients who have postponed or delayed treatment and surgery.

I want to reassure our community we are ready to deliver safe care, following CDC and Department of Health guidelines. As a precaution, all individuals coming to Brookings Health System will be screened for COVID-19 symptoms. As they enter, they will be asked to wear a mask. To protect patients, care providers, too, will always wear a mask and eye protection. We will still be prohibiting visitors, but exceptions will be apply for surgical procedures with one visitor allowed per patient.

Thank-you for social distancing and taking other necessary precautions to keep the spread of the virus low in our community. Please understand that should the COVID-19 transmission rate surge or become unstable, we will take the necessary action to restrict care in order to ensure patient and community safety.

Thanks once again for keeping our community safe. We look forward to care for you.