(Seguin) — More of the public can now step foot inside Guadalupe Regional Medical Center with its operations rooms now in full force. However, GRMC officials say the updated changes to its policies are still minimal and should be adhered to during the community’s defense against COVID-19.
Elective surgeries are now allowed to proceed at 100 percent normal volume. To accommodate the flow of traffic through the facility, they say the Patient Tower will now be open Mondays through Fridays from 5:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Waiting areas have also been arranged to promote social distancing.
Curbside greeting of patients having an elective procedure will now be located at the Patient Tower entrance with the Central Entrance reserved for lab, imaging, and wound care patients.
In regards to visitors, GRMC officials say only one (1) support person will be allowed per patient with inpatients and outpatients, with the following exceptions:
• No support person will be allowed with patients on the Public Health Emergency unit or Intensive Care Unit.
• The support person for patients in the emergency department needs to stay in the room with their patient unless otherwise instructed.
• No support person will be allowed in the cardiac rehab area or outpatient physical therapy. They say the waiting areas of those outpatient areas are too small to accommodate adequate space for social distancing.
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The support person must also be able to wear a mask and is encouraged to bring their own mask. They say the hospital will continue to operate with universal masking in place and will continue to screen all people entering the facility for fever, cough, and other symptoms associated with COVID-19.
As a reminder, GRMC officials say its no-visitor policy continues (with exceptions for special populations). One visitor will be allowed for the following circumstances: childbirth, end of life, parent of pediatric patients, and goodbye visit of military personnel departing for deployment.
Meanwhile, GRMC officials remind patients that they are also welcome to continue to use the curbside lab draws. Weather permitting, GRMC will now be offering curbside lab blood draws at GRMC from 6:30 a.m. to 11 a.m, Mondays through Fridays. Again, patients will need to have their physician order, driver’s license and insurance card ready to take advantage of the service.