To slow the spread of coronavirus and protect patients and staff, Southwest Memorial Hospital and nursing homes have implemented visitor restrictions.
Beginning Monday at Southwest, patients will be allowed to have one designated visitor in the building during their stay, said Karen Labonte, chief nursing officer for Southwest Health System.
Patients in the walk-in clinic, all physician offices (including Mancos and school-based), physical therapy, lab, sleep center, infusion and cardiac rehab will be allowed one companion to their appointment.
The visitor or companion must be in good health and may be asked to comply with temperature monitoring. Visitors or companions may be turned away if they are determined to be unwell. No visitors or companions under the age 16 will be allowed. Visitors and companions will have limited access and mobility throughout the facility.
As of Monday, there were more than 131 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Colorado. None were in Southwest Colorado.
“There are no known cases of the coronavirus here, but we want to limit person-to-person contact as much as we can as a preventative measure,” Labonte said.
Also, the hospital cafeteria will be closed to the public starting Monday. Employees and patients will be served.
Hospital entrances will be limited to the emergency room and main medical office and hospital entrances.
Southwest Health officials said four specimen swabs from suspected cases of the virus were sent to the Colorado Department of Health and Environment, and they were all confirmed negative for the virus.
They emphasized that criteria must be met before a swab test is taken and sent to CDPHE, including symptoms, patient condition, ruling out the flu, and the likelihood of exposure from an infected person.
“There is a misconception that if you want to be tested then the test is guaranteed. You have to meet the criteria first established by the Centers for Disease Control,” said SHS spokeswoman Lindsay Yeager.
Isolation rooms with ventilation scrubbers are available if patients with the virus need hospital care. Patients exhibiting respiratory illness are put in separate waiting areas and are given masks.
If the virus does arrive into the area, the hospital has the capacity to ramp up the process of taking samples, and would set up a special tent outside for the purpose if necessary.
A cough or sniffles does not mean testing for coronoavirus is warranted, officials said. It may be the flu or a cold.
If signs of respiratory illness exist, people are encouraged to contact their medical provider and follow instructions. Stay home and recover, self-isolate, do not go to work or public places and use good hygiene.
If sickness is severe with fever, coughing, shortness of breath, or hospitalization is needed, contact the hospital patient information line in advance at 970-565-2201.
If you need to pay a hospital bill, pleas utilize online pay options or by phone at 970-564-2130, and call ahead if medical records are needed at 970-564-2311.
Nursing homes restrict visitationLong term care facilities are also restricting visitation to reduce exposure to the virus.
At the Valley Inn and Vista Grande nursing homes in Cortez, no visitors are allowed until further notice, said CEO Joyce Humiston.
The elderly are vulnerable to the coronavirus, she said, and resident safety is paramount. An exemption is made for Hospice staff.
Humiston urged understanding from family and friends wanting to visit their loved ones in person.
“We just don’t know whether a visitor may have been exposed to the virus, so to be cautious, we are not allowing any at this time,” Humiston said.
Residents and their families and encouraged to keep in touch via the phone and face-to-face video using Skype or FaceTime.
She said residents have been understanding and supportive of the visitor restriction. Staff are screened for any signs of sickness before being allowed to come to work. They have been putting in extra time monitoring for signs of the virus, organizing indoor activities, and cleaning.
jmimiaga@the-journal.com
