Hospital Laboratory Takes Measures When Re-Opening Waiting Room

Posted: May 20, 2020

May 19, 2020

CONTACT:  Erin Berns at Veterans Memorial Hospital  568-3411

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Hospital Laboratory Takes Measures When Re-Opening Waiting Room to Ensure Safety of Those Needing Regular Testing

The Veterans Memorial Hospital strives to provide the safest health care experience with compassion for all patients.  During COVID-19, the hospital has gone to even greater measures to ensure a safe environment for all patients, with the following requirements:

• Daily health screenings of employees, patients and visitors.
• Face masks required for all employees, patients and visitors.
• Physical distancing required in waiting rooms.
• Visitation limited to only essential visitors.
• Pre-procedure COVID –19 testing required prior to having a procedure at Veterans Memorial Hospital.
• More time scheduled between patients for proper, effective and thorough sanitizing.

The hospital’s Laboratory does see many repeat patients on a regular basis.  Since the onset of COVID-19, many of those patients have stayed in their cars while Laboratory personnel have come outside to draw their blood.  The Lab patients are now given the choice to enter the Lab waiting room to wait for their blood draw, or continue to wait in their car until the Lab waiting room is open.  If they still choose to wait in their vehicles, they must call the Lab at 563-568-5594 when they arrive to the hospital.  The Lab staff will meet them at the door and escort them inside the building, first to the screener and then directly to the Lab waiting room.

All appointments for Laboratory should be pre-scheduled.  Please call the Lab at 563-568-5594 before the next visit to Veterans Memorial Hospital to schedule an appointment.

For questions or concerns, please call Beth Fitzpatrick, Lab Supervisor at 563-568-5594.

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