Starting at 7 a.m. on Monday, PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend is changing how patients enter and are screened.
PeaceHealth will open a 24-seven emergency medicine triage site. This center is only for screening critical patients, and is not for general community testing.
They are planning to open similar triage sites in coming days at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center University District, PeaceHealth Cottage Grove Community Medical Center and PeaceHealth Peace Harbor Medical Center.
In order to protect patients and caregivers—and prepare for the increase in visitors—people will be screened before entry.
Patients with respiratory or influenza-like symptoms will be asked to wear a mask and will be directed to an emergency medicine triage site outside the emergency department to minimize the possible transmission of COVID-19 to other patients in the ED waiting area.
Patients with respiratory symptoms, who are in higher-risk groups—under 18 years old, over 64 years old, non-ambulatory or who report chest pain—will be provided with a mask and escorted to a section of the ED waiting area separate from a designated area for patients who are not experiencing respiratory symptoms.
People with fever or respiratory infection symptoms—such as a cough—should call their healthcare provider’s office before scheduling an appointment or going to a triage facility in order to determine the appropriate care setting and testing process.
Community members with questions about COVID-19 are encouraged to call Lane County Public Health’s non-emergency call center at 541-682-1380, or go online to ZOOM+Care’s free chat line.
