FMCH tightens visitor rules as COVID surges locally

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BY PCC STAFF

FORT MADISON - In an effort to protect the health and safety of our patients, community members and staff, Fort Madison Community Hospital (FMCH) has once again implemented tighter visitor restrictions. This move to limit the number of people at FMCH is due to the rapidly increasing frequency of COVID-19 cases in Southeast Iowa. These changes are effective immediately.
Visitor restrictions:
•No visitors will be allowed on the Medical/Surgical Unit.
•Patients only - clinic provider appointments, emergency department visits, and outpatient procedures in radiology, laboratory, and therapy.
Exceptions to the visitor restrictions:
•Adult patients requiring assistance may have one support person.
•Annex and outpatient surgery patients may have one support person.
•Non-COVID, end-of-life, when death is imminent,-patient may have two visitors.
•Patients who have altered mental status or developmental delays who require a caregiver to help provide safety may have one visitor.
•Patients with disruptive behavior for whom a family member is key to their care may have one visitor.
•BirthPlace patients may have one designated support person for the duration of their stay, unless COVID-19 is suspected in the mother.
•Pediatric patients may have one parent or guardian with them for all appointments or hospital stays.
•Obstetric patients may have one support person (over the age of 18) for ultrasound appointments only.
Visitors or support persons must be over the age of 18 with no presenting COVID-19 symptoms. Visitors must pass a screening and stay in the patient’s room or designated visitor area. Patients are limited to the same visitor for the entire time they are hospitalized. All persons on the FMCH campus must wear a mask. The hospital cafeteria is not open to visitors.

Screening process:
All patients and visitors to the FMCH campus must enter through one of the following open entrances where they will be screened for COVID-19 and offered a mask:
Main Clinic entrance – open 6:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8:00 a.m. – 2 p.m. Saturday.
Emergency department entrance – open 7 days/week, 24 hours/day
Outpatient Rehabilitation Services Center – open 7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. for therapy and orthopedic patients. The support of our patients in adhering to these visitor restrictions is vital to the safety and health of our community.

Coronavirus, FMCH, Fort Madison Community Hospital, Pen City Current, restrictions, visitor

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