Washington County Health Center remains prepared for COVID-19

Though concerns are high regarding COVID-19, Washington County Hospital and Clinics wants to reassure patients and the community that it is prepared. The hospital has implemented many steps to ensure the safety of its patients and healthcare workers while continuing to provide medical care. All services at WCHC including emergency care, primary care, surgical care for emergent and elective cases, specialty clinic services, inpatient capacity, and rehabilitation remain available and open.

WCHC has acquired sufficient personal protective equipment to adorn workers while requiring patients and visitors to wear face masks while on the premises. To ensure appropriate testing measures, WCHC has continued to invest in testing capabilities and offers the antigen quick test, antibody testing, and when appropriate confirmatory testing. In addition, investment into new equipment including Airvo and BiPAP units has been made to treat hospitalized patients with respiratory difficulty. Inpatient rooms have been adapted with new air handlers to create negative pressure rooms to effectively treat infectious patients.

In addition to investing in equipment and supplies, WCHC participates in regular communications with regional hospitals from 16 Iowa counties to stay abreast of hospital capacity, positivity rates, and testing capabilities. Similar to many Iowa counties, Washington County has witnessed an increase in infectivity rates. This trend has yet to translate to a significant number of COVID-19 related admissions to the hospital. WCHC has offered to provide support for inpatient transfers to assist hospitals with high bed capacity.

'Our team of medical professionals continues to remain on the forefront of the most recent developments regarding COVID-19 and is prepared to assist when needed,” stated a news release from the health center.

Visitor restrictions remain in place but allow for patients to have the personal support required when patients are at their most vulnerable. The following restrictions are in place to protect patients, healthcare workers, and the public.

' Emergency Department: one visitor is permitted into the ER with a patient and must stay in the designated room with the patient.

' Primary Care Clinics and Ancillary Services: one visitor is permitted to accompany a patient to their appointment and will stay with the patient for the duration of their appointment.

' Inpatient Unit: one visitor per day during the limited visitor hours of noon to 6 p.m. The visitor is required to stay in the patient's room.

All patients and visitors entering the facilities are required to wear a face mask through the duration of their visit. It remains in effect that any visitor feeling ill or with symptoms will not be permitted into any WCHC facility.

'Patients and our community should be comforted at the measures put in place to address the concerns regarding this disease,” stated the news release. 'WCHC has the capacity, supplies, and is well organized to meet the concerns of our patient's whether it is with the coronavirus, influenza, or other illnesses.”

WCHC is asking the public to do its part and help to stop the spread by taking precautions and taking personal action: stay home if you are ill, wear face coverings in public, and avoid large gatherings.