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Renown Health just announced a new, digital tool designed to keep our community safe and healthy. Symptom Checker, which launched today, is a user-friendly, web-based platform that assesses patients’ symptoms and seamlessly directs them to the appropriate level of care within the Renown network. Symptom Checker can be accessed 24/7 by visiting Renown Symptom Checker. From there, a patient can identify the area of the body responsible for their discomfort, and specify their symptoms. Upon entering their symptoms, patients receive a detailed health summary and care guide, which helps them determine the most appropriate action to take. Patients are able to schedule a visit at a Renown location directly through the Symptom Checker portal. Patients experiencing a medical emergency should not use Symptom Checker and instead call 911. “Thanks to Symptom Checker, our patients will have around-the-clock support at their fingertips to help them make informed decisions about their healthcare needs,” said Tony Slonim, MD, DrPH, President and CEO of Renown Health. “We understand that determining the right level of care for you or your loved ones may bring about some uncertainty, which is why we are proud to continuously offer new and innovative technologies that make it easier for our community members to live healthier lives.” “As we continue experiencing cases of COVID-19 in Washoe County, many individuals with COVID are unsure when they should seek medical care, as well as the appropriate location to receive care,” said Melodie Osborn, RN, Chief Quality and Nursing Officer, Health Services. “With Symptom Checker, people can easily input their symptoms, and include the symptom severity, to be directed to the best level of care for their individual health needs—making it an extremely valuable tool as we fight to keep our community safe and healthy amidst this pandemic.” Symptom Checker is free to use and does not require users to be Renown patients. In addition to nearly 200 children and adult symptom care guides, the platform also features 55 first-aid topics, 147 parenting advice topics, and 25 over-the-counter drug dosage tables for children and adults. The Symptom Checker content is written by medical doctors, Barton Schmitt and David Thompson, who are nursing triage experts; and symptom care guides stem from clinical protocols used by doctors and nurses worldwide. Evidence behind the Symptom Checker can be accessed here. For more information, or to use Symptom Checker, please visit Renown Symptom Checker.     About Renown Health Renown Health is a locally governed and locally owned, not-for-profit integrated healthcare network serving northern Nevada, Lake Tahoe and northeast California. Renown is one of the region’s largest private employers with a workforce of more than 7,000. It comprises three acute care hospitals, a rehabilitation hospital, the area’s most comprehensive medical group and urgent care network, and the region’s largest and only locally owned not-for-profit insurance company, Hometown Health. Renown has a long tradition and commitment to continually improve the care and the health of our community. For more information, visit renown.org.

Read More About Renown Launches Virtual Symptom Checker

Through the COVID-19 pandemic, Renown providers remain committed to safely caring for community members, both in person and virtually. Renown Health is proud to offer same-day virtual visits to help community members maintain their health and address medical concerns amid the COVID-19 crisis and beyond. Virtual Visits are easily-accessible video conferencing visits with a health provider. They are used for primary care, specialty care and urgent care to enable patients to consult a care provider from the ease and comfort of their homes. “If there’s a bright spot in the midst of this pandemic, it’s that COVID-19 is pushing us to rapidly adopt new ways of thinking about and delivering healthcare–through new technologies,” said Dr. Tony Slonim, president and CEO of Renown. “Our team has worked diligently to make virtual visits available to our community as an added convenience for those who would prefer to stay in their homes. As we work to keep all of our patients safe and healthy, we want our community to know we’re here to serve any ongoing healthcare needs they have by expanding our care options.” Virtual Visits for Urgent Care For urgent care needs, individuals can log in to MyChart and request to “Talk to a Doctor” to receive care from a Renown provider. After filling in some information and confirming their healthcare concerns, Renown’s healthcare team will notify them by text or email when a provider is ready to talk to them virtually. Providers will help patients determine whether their health needs can be met from their home or if they need to seek in-person care. Virtual urgent care visits can address the following symptoms: Common cold and cough symptoms Muscular, tendon or joint pains not caused by injury Allergy or sinus symptoms Pink eye Urinary discomfort Diarrhea without vomiting Rashes or skin sores Backache Nail problems Screening examination for sexually transmitted illness (without symptoms) Medication refills (not controlled substances) Renown’s urgent care virtual visits are available 8:30 a.m. through 10:30 p.m. Monday-Friday and 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Virtual Visits for Primary Care and Specialty Care Many primary and specialty care appointments for adults and children are now available virtually through Renown Medical Group. Individuals with an existing Renown Medical Group provider are encouraged to call 775-982-5000 if they would prefer to see a provider from  home. Home Medical Visits Last week, Renown announced its partnership with DispatchHealth, which is now making house calls to individuals who prefer to be seen from their home by a licensed medical professional. This high-quality medical care option is available to all Reno/Sparks residents, both insured and uninsured. If a patient is uninsured, there is a flat fee of $275, which includes all medications administered and lab tests on site. “Whether a patient prefers to be treated at home or in one of our traditional office settings, we are prepared to provide the right level of care, at the right place, at the right time,” said Dr. Slonim. “From routine exams and checkups to illnesses and other conditions that may arise, it’s critical to continue seeing to your unique healthcare needs.” All virtual visits require a free MyChart account. Those who do not have a MyChart account can sign up online. Most insurance companies apply the same co-pay fees as charged for in- person visits. For more information on virtual visits, please visit https://www.renown.org/explore/virtual-visits/.     About Renown Health Renown Health is a locally governed and locally owned, not-for-profit integrated healthcare network serving northern Nevada, Lake Tahoe and northeast California. Renown is one of the region’s largest private employers with a workforce of more than 7,000. It comprises three acute care hospitals, a rehabilitation hospital, the area’s most comprehensive medical group and urgent care network, and the region’s largest and only locally owned not-for-profit insurance company, Hometown Health. Renown has a long tradition and commitment to continually improve the care and the health of our community. For more information, visit renown.org.

Read More About Receive Care From the Comfort of Your Couch: Renown Health Offering Virtual Visits

Burning Man is an annual event inspired by the values reflected in the Ten Principles and united in the pursuit of a more creative and connected existence in the world. As over 70,000 congregate this week, between Aug. 27 to Sept. 4, in the high altitudes of the hot and windy Black Rock Desert, Renown Health’s emergency and clinical care teams are ready to care for Burners who may find themselves ill and in need of additional urgent, emergent care or hospitalization. This year, people from across the world are expected to make the journey in RVs and cars brimming with tents, food, water, artwork, and costumes, temporarily turning Black Rock into the state’s third largest city. “The Burning Man Project has done an excellent job preparing participants to have a safe, healthy, and wonderful time building Black Rock City and living on the playa for nine days to nurture the distinctive culture emerging from that experience. However, bringing over 70,000 people together in a high altitude, desert environment with limited access to water, food, and sanitary conditions- always presents a challenge,” says Brian Erling, MD, MBA, president and CEO of Renown Health and an experienced emergency medicine physician. “Having excellent care on the playa and plans in place back here in Reno helps to mitigate that risk and ensure the health and safety of all participants.” “We welcome every Burner to northern Nevada,” says Bret Frey, MD, the board-certified emergency medicine physician who heads up the largest Emergency Department at Renown Regional Medical Center; which has the highest-level trauma center for 100,000 miles, located in Reno, NV. Dr. Frey has 23 years of experience in the medical field, and 23 years of experience treating people who have experienced Burning Man. “Burning Man is a fascinating event, and most people have a great time. However, if things go wrong, they are fortunate to have the BlackRock City Emergency Services Department, 24/7, to help. Back here in Reno, we serve as their ‘back up,’ providing care as needed, for the ill and injured and supporting clinical teams when they’re feeling overwhelmed.” Renown Health is home to three 24/7 Emergency Rooms that provide the highest level of emergency and trauma care in the region: Renown Regional Medical Center is the only Level II Trauma Center between Sacramento and Salt Lake City. Located near downtown Reno, this Emergency Room has several helipads and ambulance banks for patients requiring emergency and trauma care. Renown Children’s Hospital at Renown Regional Medical Center is home to the only Pediatric Emergency Room  in the region designed just for kids. This location is staffed by pediatric specialists and provides child-sized equipment and family-friendly areas. Renown South Meadows Medical Center includes South Reno’s first 24/7 Emergency Room. Located just off I580, this location is designed to treat patients who need immediate attention for emergencies.  These locations are designed to assess and care for emergency situations, including: Heart attack symptoms Stroke symptoms Broken bones Shortness of breath Seizures Severe bleeding Head injuries Chest pains Severe pain Venomous stings and bite All of Renown’s emergency rooms are staffed by Northern Nevada Emergency Physicians, including pediatric specialists and physicians who have completed fellowship training in specialty areas such as sports medicine, ultrasound and emergency medical services. A few interesting medical conditions (Playa Foot and Playa Lung), are associated with Burning Man. The Black Rock Desert in northwestern Nevada is part of the lakebed of the ancient Lake Lahontan, a deep lake that existed 15,000 years ago. Lake Lahontan left fine sediments on the lake bottom to form the extremely flat surface. Playa dust is made of both larger and smaller particulate matter. The Playa dust is in the air, on the ground, and on everything in Black Rock City. People combat the dust with masks, bandannas, and colorful respirators to keep the chalky dust out of their mouths and nostrils, but the effort is often futile. Playa Foot is a malady unique to the Black Rock Desert caused by the alkali dust that makes up the desert. It is, in essence, a chemical burn. The best prevention is keeping feet covered as much as possible, applying a moisturizing skin lotion before bed and wearing socks and closed shoes each day on the playa. “Playa Lung, where the particulate is breathed into the lungs, may cause coughing, throat pain and loss of voice in the short-term,” says William Graham, MD, a specialist in Pulmonary Medicine and Critical Care Medicine at Renown Health. “The dust can cause health issues for smokers, children and elderly and people with pre-existing conditions like asthma and COPD. The best prevention is to get a mask that’s comfortable with n99 filters, wear the mask as much as possible and change the filters often. Be sure to drink lots of water and take protection from windstorms. A doctor visit is recommended if any effects of breathing in dust persist beyond a week or two.” Dr. Derek Beenfeldt is the Chief Medical Officer for Renown’s not-for-profit insurance arm HometownHealth, and has been a frequent participant in the Burning Man experience over the years. In the interest of wanting every person to have a wonderful experience while here- especially since over half of the participants live outside the U.S. health care system, he reminds people of the number of free and low-cost on-site health care and testing resources provided on the playa at Black Rock City. “It is important for Burning Man participants to know that without US health care insurance coverage, the costs can be significant for transportation off the playa for a medical evacuation, hospital emergency department care or hospitalization. Even for people who have insurance, in the past, some have faced some significant out-of-pocket expenses for the flight or transportation to Reno-area hospitals or emergency departments.” He shares the following information; On Site Medical Response A community of EMTs, paramedics, nurses, medical students, and physicians are on site at Black Rock City in RVs to provide emergency response and urgent care to participants as needed. Local Hospital Response Since 2011, the Burning Man organization, has contracted with Humboldt General Hospital in Winnemucca, Nev., to staff and equip Rampart Urgent Care, a field hospital that offers X-rays, ultrasounds, a hand-held head scanner, lab tests and a pharmacy. The single-room wooden structure is easily seen- it is painted pink and yellow. The hospital’s 40 beds are located in adjoining tents. At Rampart, when possible, patients are treated on site. EMTs, medics and nurses are empowered to practice medicine to the fullest ability their licensing and credentialing allow. Patients are not charged for Rampart Urgent Care services, which is covered as part of their ticket fee. The Nevada State Health Division, Bureau of Health Protection Services is also on the playa. You will know them by the Nevada State Health Division logo on their shirts. All Renown’s physicians remind people that if they are experiencing symptoms of a heart attack or stroke, they should go to the closest emergency room (ER) to get needed medical care. Delaying care for a medical emergency, such as a heart attack or stroke, can be life threatening or lead to serious complications. About Renown Health Renown Health is the region’s largest, locally governed, not-for-profit integrated healthcare network serving Nevada, Lake Tahoe, and northeast California. With a diverse workforce of more than 7,000 employees, Renown has fostered a longstanding culture of excellence, determination, and innovation. The organization comprises a trauma center, two acute care hospitals, a children’s hospital, a rehabilitation hospital, a medical group and urgent care network, and the region’s largest, locally owned not-for-profit insurance company, Hometown Health. For more information, visit renown.org.

Read More About As 70,000+ People Congregate for Burning Man, 100 Miles Northeast of Reno, Renown Health’s Emergency Teams and Hospitals Prepare to Serve