- Details
- Category: Current Issue
PUTNAM — Day Kimball Healthcare (DKH) urges individuals to call their healthcare provider before going to the office if they believe they may have coronavirus, or if they have been in close contact with a person known to have coronavirus, especially if they are experiencing moderate-to-severe respiratory symptoms and have traveled recently.
Emergency Room
DKH requests that individuals not come to Day Kimball Hospital Emergency Department, Day Kimball Medical Group outpatient clinics, the Day Kimball Walk-In Clinic in Plainfield, or other medical clinics in the community to have those particular symptoms evaluated, unless they have been instructed to do so by their doctor.
DKH is not currently treating any patients with confirmed 2019 novel coronavirus, but there have been a high number of patients with influenza this winter. Assessment of these potential patients is first being performed over the phone. Potential patients are being evaluated remotely or outside of DKH’s facilities in protected areas to ensure that staff can provide instructions to help keep patients and others safe from possible exposure.
Potential patients who require hospitalization will be directed to enter the Hospital through the decontamination entrance at the Emergency Department. They will be placed in a negative pressure isolation room and treated by healthcare professionals wearing a higher level of protective equipment.
Going to Appointments
DKH is curtailing foot traffic at the hospital and is encouraging community members to avoid coming to the hospital for non-medical reasons.
To further protect the health of its patients, workforce and the community, DKH is implementing temporary accompaniment restrictions at its Day Kimball Medical Group (DKMG) offices until further notice.
All patients who have an appointment may be accompanied to the DKMG office by one adult only. Children under 18 years of age may not accompany patients or family members to the DKMG office, unless the child is the patient.
This includes: Family Medicine offices in Putnam and Danielson; Internal Medicine at DKH in Dayville and Plainfield; Pediatrics at Plainfield and Putnam; Walk-In Clinic in Plainfield; Dermatology Services in Danielson; General Surgery, Maternal Fetal Medicine, and Pulmonary Medicine in Putnam; Obstetrics & Gynecology in Putnam and Plainfield; Urology Services in Putnam.
All accompanying persons will be screened for risk factors for COVID-19, and only permitted in the DKMG office if deemed low risk. If an accompanying person has risk factors, or shows symptoms of illness, an alternate person must be identified, as this person will not be allowed in the DKMG office.
In addition volunteer support has been suspended.
Entrance Points Changed
Day Kimball Hospital (DKH) is reducing the number of publicly accessible hospital entrance points. The visitor’s Entrance at Day Kimball Hospital (Entrance D at the front of the hospital) will be accessible only to DKH employees with badges.
Patients and visitors who typically enter through the Visitor’s Entrance will continue to use the Main Entrance (Entrance A at the back of the hospital) or the Emergency Department (Entrance E at the back of the hospital) to access the hospital.
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