Ellinwood Hospital initiates prevention measures
Ellinwood Hospital and Clinic is dedicated to the health of our community. In response to the current coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, we are enacting some basic prevention measures for staff, patients, and visitors and wanted to pass along information.
Up-to-date information about COVID-19 can be found online from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) at kdheks.gov and from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) at cdc.gov. You can also call the KDHE COVID-19 hotline, Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm, at 1-866-534-3463 (1-866-KDHEINF). Links and more information can also be found at our website, ellinwooddistricthospital.org.
The hospital and clinic have put the following prevention measures in place:
Patient care: If you have been potentially exposed to COVID-19, and are having a medical emergency or are in respiratory distress, go to your nearest emergency room, but be sure to notify the facility before you arrive if possible. If you feel as if you have COVID-19 symptoms and would like to be seen at the Ellinwood Clinic, please call to schedule your appointment and allow staff members to put the appropriate protective measures in place.
Visitor restrictions: visiting hours are limited to 8am-8pm, and visitors must be 13 years old or older. No visitors with fever, cough, sore throat, or shortness of breath will be allowed to visit patients.
Building check-in: All patients and visitors are required to check in at the front desk of either the hospital or clinic when they arrive. Anyone with fever, cough, sore throat, or shortness of breath will immediately use hand sanitizer and put on a mask before traveling through the facility.
Screenings: All patients and visitors will answer five screening questions upon check-in at the front desk. Questions include those about symptoms and recent travel history to areas with community spread of COVID-19.
Cancellations: The hospital is cancelling all public events they are hosting, such as the Ellinwood Hospital Auxiliary Education Program titled “Connecting Youth to Healthcare Services, scheduled for March 24, and an upcoming Teddy Bear Clinic for our community’s first-graders. The Education Room at the hospital is often used as an event space for community members, and in cooperation with the CDC and KDHE guidelines to implement social distancing, we are closing the Ed Room to the public for the next eight weeks. Any event that is already scheduled will be evaluated for possible size and will be either canceled or postponed. All current events will have the first opportunity to reschedule when the room is opened.
These precautions are being evaluated regularly and are subject to change without advance notice. We appreciate your understanding as we implement these measures. As a healthcare facility, we have a responsibility to protect our patients and staff, and these safety measures allow us to do so.
