Patient Resources

Immediate & Routine Care

We have providers available to meet with you virtually to help you get the care you need.

• If you would like to be tested for COVID-19 for any reason, schedule a COVID-19 test or start with a Virtual Video Visit via MyChart.
• If you are experiencing any other symptoms, for example pain, poor diabetes control, increased blood pressure, etc., we encourage you to schedule a Virtual Video Visit via MyChart.
• If you are due for lab work or vaccines, contact your primary care physician via MyChart.

Medications

• If you have questions about your medication supply, refills, mail order delivery or availability of curbside pick-up, please call our Prescription Service Center at 1-844-380-5642.
• If you have any other medication related questions or concerns, including tolerability, affordability, or ensuring your health goals are being met, please call 218-576-0130 to schedule a virtual visit with a pharmacist clinician.

Home Health Care

• If you are in need of home care services for nursing care or help with personal cares, please contact your primary care physician via MyChart.

Mental Health Needs

• For many people, the current crisis is causing increased anxiety, depression, or stress. If you have noticed these symptoms, there are things that you can do to help yourself cope. The National Alliance of Mental Illness provides some ideas and resources
• If you are struggling with uncontrolled symptoms of depression or anxiety or have any other mental health concerns, please contact your primary care provider, psychiatrist or therapist.
• If you or a loved one are ever in crisis and need support, there is help available by phone 24/7. Please call 1-800-273-8255 or text: "LIFE" to 61222.

Food, Housing, Financial and Transportation Concerns

If you have concerns with food, financial or transportation needs, please contact the Minnesota Food Help Line.

Phone: 1-888-711-1151
Visit Minnesota Food Help Line Website

The best time to plan for future healthcare choices is before a medical crisis occurs. It is more important than ever that we understand what matters most to patients if they were to become seriously ill.

Upcoming Essentia Health Webinars

Learn more about the kind of care you would want if you became seriously ill, injured or unable to speak for yourself along with other advanced care planning topics through our upcoming webinars.

Resources to Create Your Directive

Laws about advance directives vary by state. One state’s advance directive does not always work in another state. Learn about the rules where you live and find resources to create your advance directives below:

You can access your children's or another adult's health records. This is called proxy access. Depending on the age of the person whose record you would like to view, the authorizations that are required are different.

• You may consider proxy access if you are:
• A parent
• A court-appointed guardian
• A foster parent
• Any adult who feels comfortable having a family member or other caregiver manage his or her healthcare online.

Request Proxy Access through MyChart

As our lives have changed in unprecedented ways, it is completely normal to have feelings of fear, anxiety and uncertainty right now. Your well-being is more important to us than ever. Essentia Health has created a few tools to help you care for yourself during such trying times. We recognize that feelings of stress will continue, but hope you are able to find moments of peace and comfort through exploring some of the resources below.

Mental well-being

Meditation is a practice in which an individual uses a technique – such as mindfulness or deep breathing – to train attention and awareness and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable state. Even a few minutes a day can help you to relax and reduce stress.

• Meditation: Be Still and Know
• Meditation: Venus Relaxation

Physical well-being

Things around us are changing fast and your routine may be turned upside down. You can still build and practice healthy habits.

Here are some helpful tips:

1. Stick to a routine.
   Go to sleep and wake up at a reasonable time. Plan a schedule that is varied and includes time for work as well as self-care.
2. Dress for the social life you want, not the social life you have.
   Get showered and dressed in comfortable clothes, wash your face and brush your teeth. Take the time for a bath or a facial. Put on some bright colors. It is amazing how our attire can affect our mood.
3. Get outside at least once a day, for at least 30 minutes.
   If you are concerned about contact, try going out first thing in the morning or later in the evening. If you are high risk or living with someone at high risk, open the windows and blast the fan. It is amazing how much fresh air can do for your spirits.
4. Find some time to move each day, again for at least 30 minutes.
   If you don’t feel comfortable going outside, Essentia Health shares several YouTube videos from our instructors at the Center for Personal Fitness.
5. Stay hydrated and eat well.
   This may seem obvious, but stress and eating often don’t mix, and we find ourselves overindulging, forgetting to eat and avoiding food. Drink plenty of water, eat some good and nutritious foods, and challenge yourself to learn how to cook something new.
6. Stay connected.
   Juniper offers a variety of classes that are a great way to reduce social isolation while promoting health. Connect with others in your community through virtual workshops on Tai Ji Quan, Diabetes Prevention, Living Well with Chronic Conditions, and more. Find more information about Juniper and how to register.

Face coverings are extremely important for all of us in the prevention of COVID-19. Here are a couple of resources to help us all get a little more comfortable with wearing face coverings.

• American Lung Association - Steps You Can Take to Get Used to Wearing a Mask
• HealthyChildren.org - Cloth Face Coverings for Children During COVID-19