May 27, 2020

Pawnee Valley Campus new changes to visitation & mask requirements

Posted May 27, 2020 2:07 PM

Larned, Kansas - The University of Kansas Health System Pawnee Valley Campus is working closely with local, state and federal health officials to control spread and provide needed care during the COVID-19 Pandemic. We have done so while continuing to safely meet the primary, specialty and emergency healthcare needs of our patients and their families. Our top priority is keeping our patients, visitors and staff safe.

To that end we have made some changes to our visitation policy and are implementing universal mask requirements based on CDC guidelines.

Visitation Changes
· Effective Wednesday, May 27 at 6:00 a.m.
· One visitor per patient per day will be allowed from 8:00 am – 8:00 pm. No visitors will be allowed to enter after 8:00 pm.

Visitation Reminders
· Patients and visitors must use the Front Entrance, M-F from 6:00 am – 5:00 pm for access. Evenings until 8:00 pm and weekends from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm, patients and visitors must use the After Hour Entrance. Only emergency room patients and visitors enter through the Emergency Department entrance, open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
· Unless you have a scheduled pediatrics appointment, visitors under age 14 will not be allowed in the facilities until further notice.
· Temperature screenings upon entry into our facilities will continue. When you enter the hospital, you will be directed to a screening station where someone will take your temperature. This process will include staff. Every person arriving at our facilities must receive a temperature screening before entering. Visitors and staff with a temperature will not be allowed in the facility.

New Universal Mask Requirements

· Masks are now required for patients, visitors and staff. As we work together to preserve health and safety for our health system and communities, we require all patients, visitors and staff to wear masks. It's a necessity of our new normal that certainly feels different, but guidelines from the CDC indicate wearing a barrier mask provides a measure of protection for all of us. This change aligns with both state and local guidelines in requiring all individuals to wear a mask in public. Simple acts such as breathing, talking, sneezing and coughing are all ways the virus may spread.
· We ask that you bring your own mask, however, if you do not have one you will be provided one when you enter our facility and are screened.
· We know this may be an inconvenience, but our priority is keeping our patients, visitors and staff safe and healthy. These are unprecedented times and we are staying abreast of the situation and taking precautions accordingly.

General Reminders

If you are feeling ill and have the following symptoms:
· Fever
· Coughing
· Shortness of breath
· Or have:
   o Been in close contact with a person known to have COVID-19
   o Have traveled to an area with sustained transmissions

Contact your doctor's office or call the COVID-19 Hotline at 877-261-7140. Call before you arrive at your doctor's office. Do not go to the Emergency Department unless instructed by your doctor.

Our team treats patients with several respiratory illnesses every day. We have the training, tools and techniques in place to isolate and care for patients who are potentially at risk for COVID-19 following the guidelines identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

For the most up-to-date information on COVID-19, visit:
· Kansas Department of Health and Environment
· Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
· Or your local county or city health department