Infectious Disease specialist Souha Haydoura, MD discusses the importance
of social distancing.
Visiting Restrictions
To protect our patients, employees and community from potential coronavirus
infection, visiting is allowed only in designated areas.
Outpatients at the hospital for clinic, Diagnostic Imaging and Laboratory
appointments, and Emergency Department care may
not be accompanied by a visitor
except:
- Patients under 18 may have one visitor who is a parent or guardian.
- Patients having surgery or procedures may have one visitor on the day of
the surgery or procedure only.
- Patients requiring special assistance may have one visitor or guardian.
-
Emergency Department:
- Visitors may be allowed based on the patient’s clinical situation.
- Patients at end of life where death is imminent may have two visitors.
Visiting is allowed only in designated areas.
No visiting is allowed in these areas:
- Behavioral Health Unit
- Cardiovascular Care Unit
- Intensive Care Unit
- Medical Care Unit
- Medical-Surgical Unit
- Progressive Cardiac Unit
- Rehabilitation Unit
In other areas,
patients are limited to the same visitors for the entire time they are
hospitalized. They must stay in the patient’s room or designated visitor area.
Visitors must be at least 18 years old (unless they are the parents of a pediatric patient). They must pass a
screening before visiting these areas:
-
End of life when death is imminent – Patients may have two visitors.
-
Obstetrics Unit – Only the mother’s designated support person may visit unless
COVID-19 is suspected or present in the mother.
-
Nursery and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit – One birth parent plus one significant other may visit.
-
Pediatrics Unit /patients under 18 – One parent or guardian may visit.
Specific circumstances may further restrict visiting.
Families of the patients described below should discuss visiting options
with the patient's health care team.
- Patients with disruptive behavior whose family member is key to their care
may have one visitor.
- Patients who have altered mental status or developmental delays who require
a caregiver to help provide safety may have one visitor.
Entrances
Visitors, outpatients and employees will be asked about the presence of
respiratory symptoms and recent travel, and their temperatures will be taken.
All potential visitors and outpatients are screened before entering the
hospital through these locations:
-
Main entrance – 5:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily
-
Emergency Department entrance – 24 hours a day
-
Eastman Plaza – 6:45 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday
-
Cancer Care Plaza – 6:45 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday
-
Mercy Plaza - 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Monday through Friday
All other entrances will be closed.
Clinics that are not attached to Great River Medical Center are also screening
patients, visitors and employees.
Great River Klein Center
Great River Klein Center has implemented a non-essential visitor policy
until further notice. This decision is at the recommendation of the Iowa
Department of Public Health (IDPH) and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid
Services (CMS) to help ensure long-term care facility residents are protected
from communicable diseases, including COVID-19.
First COVID-19 Case in Des Moines County
March 25, 2020 - According to a press release from the Des Moines County
Public Health Department, the first case of novel coronavirus (COVID-19)
has been confirmed in Des Moines County. https://bit.ly/COVIDDMC
According to the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH), the individual
is self-isolating at home.
Great River Health is prepared for COVID-19 with a call center, respiratory
center, COVID-19 inpatient unit and potential drive-through triage center.
More information is available on this website.