Tri-City hospitals take more measures to protect patients, staff from coronavirus spread

Tri-City hospitals continue to tighten their procedures for screening patients for the novel coronavirus before people enter their medical buildings.

Lourdes has put up a tent for screening patients and others entering the Pasco hospital.

Lourdes and Trios Southridge Hospital in Kennewick also have begun prohibiting most visitors, just as Kadlec in Richland has done.

There are limited exceptions to allow visitors to certain patients at all Tri-Cities hospitals, including for patients at the end of life, those delivering babies and hospitalized children.

Kadlec also is directing its urgent care patients to one or the other of its two urgent care centers in Kennewick based on whether or not they have symptoms that could be COVID-19.

In addition, although dental offices are temporarily not offering routine care, emergency dental care is available.

The tally of confirmed cases in the Tri-Cities area was at 21 Wednesday, including a fourth death.

A woman in her 90s was the latest to die, said the Benton Franklin Health District. All four deaths have been in Benton County.

Lourdes Health

A bright red and yellow tent has gone up at Lourdes Medical Center in Pasco.

It is being used to screen people who come to the hospital for possible symptoms of COVID-19, said Mary Ebbers, emergency preparedness coordinator for Lourdes Health.

“It is to help our emergency room with the COVID surge,” she said. “It takes a lot of pressure off our emergency room as people are coming to be screened and ruled out for COVID.”

Other entry points to the hospital have been closed, with all patients and visitors asked to come to the emergency department entrance 24 hours a day.

The hospital makes clear on its reader board that the tent by the emergency room is not for testing for the novel coronavirus, only for triage for people going into the hospital.

It is staffed with a physician, a nurse and a medical assistant from 7 a.m. until sometime in the evening, depending on patients.

All patients, visitors and staff entering the hospital are being screened with questions regarding their respiratory symptoms and travel history.

Patients with symptoms will immediately be provided masks and managed according to Centers for Disease Control recommendations.

Lourdes updated its visitor policy recently to ban almost all visitors for the safety of its patients, providers, employees and the community.

Some exceptions may be made for hospitalized children, obstetric patients and those receiving end-of-life care.

Any visitor must be screened every time they enter the hospital and may be required to have their temperature taken.

Trios Health

Trios Health in Kennewick has not put up a tent, but its visitor restrictions at Trios Southridge Hospital are similar to those at Lourdes Medical Center, according to its website.

The Trios Family Birthing Center in downtown Kennewick continues to allow one visitor, but they must be at least 18 years old.

The Special Care Nursery there allows two designated parents or guardians to visit for a maximum of twice per day.

Kadlec Urgent Care

Kadlec Regional Medical Center is temporarily directing patients to one or the other of its two urgent care clinics based on their symptoms.

Patients with symptoms of respiratory illness, flu or COVID-19 should go to the location at 4804 W. Clearwater Ave. in Kennewick next to WinCo.

Symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath.

Patients with other illnesses and injuries are asked to use the urgent care at 9040 West Clearwater Ave. at the corner of Clearwater and Steptoe in Kennewick.

The change is intended to keep patients, caregivers and the community safe and help contain the spread of infectious disease, Kadlec said.

Kadlec Express Care Clinics have moved to video consultations with doctors, but both Kadlec Urgent Care Clinics are open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Go to Kadlec.org and scroll to the bottom to reserve a spot at urgent care or to book a virtual visit to express care.

Last week Kadlec installed a tent outside its urgent care clinic at 4804 W. Clearwater in Kennewick last week.

It is being used as a central screening site for patients who must be referred by their Kadlec doctor or other Kadlec provider for flu and potentially COVID-19 testing. No drop-in or drive-up testing or screening is done.

Emergency dental care

Emergency dental care is still available from many local dentists.

Dental offices across the state of Washington were ordered to shut down during the Covid-19 pandemic.

And that created confusion on what to do with a dental emergency, resulting in people going to hospital emergency rooms for dental help, said Dr. Michael Breier with Lifetime Dental Care.

To remove the burden from hospitals for services and protective equipment, patients should contact a dental office for emergencies.

Lifetime Dental Care is providing emergency service 7 days a week, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. by calling 509-628-1144.

For more information about services go to www.lifetimedentalcaretricities.com.

This story was originally published March 25, 2020 at 1:44 PM.