CALDWELL, Idaho — West Valley Medical Center joins a growing list of health care providers implementing measures to keep colleagues, care providers and patients safe amid the coronavirus outbreak.
West Valley is no longer accepting visitors into the facility and will now have one entrance for the public.
Exceptions to the temporary no visitor policy include:
- One family member or significant other can stay with laboring mothers
- One parent may stay at the bedside with NICU and pediatric patients
- Visitor rotation (1 at a time) will only be allowed for parents of NICU and pediatric patients
- Permitted visitors allowed entry from 7am - 7pm
- Under no circumstances will visitors be allowed who exhibit flu-like symptoms or have been exposed to a COVID-19 positive patient
If a patient or family member has an extenuating circumstance, West Valley will work with them to accommodate needs, including:
- Outpatients, including those in the ER and surgery who require assistance
- Durable Power of Attorney or legal guardian that doesn’t meet the above criteria
- End of life patients
- Certified Doulas may be allowed on a case by case basis
West Valley ER will now serve as the only entrance for the public. Those who enter the hospital will be screened with questions that follow CDC guidelines:
- Are you experiencing fever, cough, shortness of breath or sore throat?
- Have you had contact with a lab confirmed coronavirus patient in the past 14 days?
- Have you traveled out of the area in the last 14 days?
If the answer to any question is "YES," patients are considered to be potentially at-risk and will have a surgical mask placed on them and escorted to a separate area for additional screening.
West Valley is encouraging patients to discuss the new policies or any questions they have with their provider. For more information, including reduced cafeteria hours and childcare resources, click here.
