Is it safe to come to the hospital?
Yes. Palomar Medical Centers in Escondido and Poway are taking extraordinary measures to ensure your safety during the coronavirus pandemic. Please don’t hesitate to access emergency services if you have cardiac issues, abdominal pain, chest pain, orthopedic injuries or psychiatric emergencies. Early treatment can result in drastically improved outcomes.
Here are some of the ways we are ensuring your safety:
- Screening all patients at the door
- Isolating potential COVID-19 patients from all other patients
- Masking all patients and personnel throughout the hospital
- Restricting visitors
- Unprecedented cleaning and sterilization of all surfaces
Are visitors allowed at the hospital?
To protect the health and safety of our patients and visitors, no visitors are allowed inside Palomar Medical Center Escondido, Palomar Medical Center Poway and The Villas at Poway (Villa Pomerado), per the public health order, until further notice. There are some exceptions to this rule such as: child patients may be accompanied by one adult, one support person will be allowed during childbirth, end of life patients may receive visitors on a case by case basis and patients with mental disabilities (meeting criteria) may have a support person under certain circumstances. Please call and speak with the patient’s care team before coming to the hospital. You must receive prior permission to enter the hospital. Please do not show up unannounced.
Anyone entering the hospital will have their temperatures taken (nobody with a temperature above 100 degrees will be allowed to enter) and screened for potential coronavirus exposure.
Do Palomar Health hospitals provide masks to patients?
To further reduce the exposure risk to our staff and physicians, we will be providing all patients with a mask to be worn while hospitalized. Patients will be given a surgical mask by the nurse or CNA upon being admitted into a patient room (unless coming from the ED and one has already been provided) along with education on how and when to use the mask. The patient will keep the same mask until discharged unless it appears soiled or degraded in any way and then a new mask must be provided. The patient should wear the mask each time a member of the healthcare team enters the room unless the patient condition inhibits this. Employees may remind patients to wear the mask when they enter a room, but a patient has the right to refuse at any time.
What are the visitor restrictions and how can I visit virtually?
To ensure the safety of your loved one, Palomar Health is enforcing strict visitor guidelines. Please call the patient’s care team before coming to the hospital to make visiting arrangements in advance; do not show up unannounced. Thank you for your cooperation. You may also visit patients virtually.
As of Monday, September 28, all previous visitor guidelines were replaced with the following:
Visitor restrictions for patients undergoing surgery: One visitor allows with a patient during the Day of Surgery Consent Day of Procedure and Day of Discharge.
Palomar Health has always taken extraordinary measures to ensure your safety at all of our locations. Over the last several months, we have intensified our cleaning and safety precautions to protect you and your loved ones. Due to this high-level of care, we are proud to say that no patient has contracted COVID-19 at any Palomar Health facility.
Virtual Visits
To increase access to patients during this difficult time, Palomar Health encourages patients to visit with their loved ones virtually through their smartphone or tablet. If the patient does not have access to a device, they will be able to use a loaner iPad provided by Palomar Health. To initiate a virtual visit, the patient (or loved one by calling the patient’s room) must ask their bedside nurse to set up the virtual visit. There may be a delay as there are a limited number of iPads available.
The iPads are Wi-Fi enabled and equipped with Apple FaceTime and Google Duo. The call must be initiated from the patient’s room on the iPad as an outgoing call; the loved one can only receive the call. Loved ones must have an internet-connected device with either FaceTime or Google Duo installed to accept the call. This can be a phone, tablet or computer. If the patient and loved one both have access to their own personal internet-connected device, they are welcome to initiate a virtual visit at any time.
If you have any questions, please ask to speak with the charge nurse in the unit where the patient is staying.
What should I do if I believe I am infected with COVID-19?
Call your primary care physician. If you do not have a healthcare provider, please call 2-1-1 or visit 211sandiego and they will connect you with a provider. Stay home until instructed to leave by your healthcare provider. Do not visit the Emergency Department unless you are having an emergency situation. Read our steps to follow for more information and watch this video on why you should call first to avoid exposing others.
What should I do if I am told to isolate at home?
The County of San Diego has issued a specific set of directions for anyone who is being evaluated or has confirmed positive for the coronavirus. These instructions also cover anyone who has contact with the coronavirus carrier. You can also learn how to take care of yourself in this video and seven ways to stay safe if you're high risk in this video.
Testing Procedures
Will I need to get tested for COVID-19?
Yes. Every patient is required to get a COVID test done within 72-96 hours prior to the day of surgery. Your provider will coordinate and schedule your test.
A scheduler will contact you about at least a week before your surgery to give you information about where and when to get tested.
What are the odds I am COVID-19 positive, but I received a negative test result?
The sensitivity and specificity of the COVID-19 test is greater than 98%, which means the rate of false negative test results is very low.
How much is a COVID-19 test?
We treat everyone regardless of their ability to pay. As is the case with any treatment, we collect insurance information. Your insurance company is best to answer any payment related question.
How is Palomar Health screening patients for the virus?
All patients are screened at the entrance to the Emergency Department and their temperature is taken. Those who meet the criteria for possible coronavirus testing are immediately masked and sent to a designated area to isolate them from other patients. Patients are evaluated and those suspected of carrying the virus are tested and sent home with medical instructions or tested and admitted to the hospital for treatment, depending on patient condition.
What is the process for testing?
A practitioner will swab your nose and/or mouth to collect a specimen. If you need hospital care you will be checked in and treated as necessary, otherwise you will be sent home and asked to self-quarantine.
What should I do once I have been swabbed for the coronavirus?
If you have been tested for COVID-19 at a Palomar Health hospital and sent home you will be contacted as soon as your results are available. If you are home waiting for results, stay home and away from other people as much as possible.
How many days does it take to get coronavirus results back?
If you are admitted to the hospital (become an inpatient) your results will usually be returned in less than 24 hours. You will be contacted immediately when your results are available.
Is Palomar Health operating drive-through coronavirus testing?
Drive-through testing is only being done with appointments for those who have a scheduled surgery at one of our hospitals.
For more information on COVID-19 and Palomar’s current precautionary measures, visit: www.palomarhealth.org/flu-source/coronavirus
