Hospitals across Wyoming have taken numerous precautions to limit the possible spread of the coronavirus in their establishments and in their communities.
Since the patients and staff are at such high risk for transmission, hospital managers are putting new rules in place for the interim to keep everyone safe, patients, staff and visitors alike.
Here is a look at what rules hospitals in Wyoming have implemented regarding the virus:
Albany County
Ivinson Hospital: If anyone in the county is experiencing flu-like symptoms, including a fever of at least 100.4 degrees, a cough or shortness of breath, they should call the nurse triage line at 307-755-4750 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Certain entrances are limited to patients and the public, which can be found here.
Visitor restrictions have been implemented, now limited to 8 a.m.-8 p.m. daily. Patients can’t have more than one visitor in a 24-hour span. No one under the age of 16 can visit the hospital except for treatment. Visitors with cold or flu symptoms are asked to refrain from visiting a patient.
Certain services have been reduced or postponed at the hospital These include elective surgeries, which are suspended until further notice. The hospital is reducing non-emergency outpatient services, as is the Meredith and Jeannie Ray Cancer Center. The gift shop operation hours will be from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Big Horn County
North Big Horn Hospital District: Sick visitors are restricted from visiting, as are children under 18 in most areas of the hospital.
All staff, patients and visitors are screened for the virus prior to entering the facility. If someone believes they’re experiencing symptoms of the virus, they’re asked to call the hospital ahead of time so staff can prepare for the patient’s arrival.
Certain entrances are limited to patients and the public.
New Horizons Care Center isn’t allowing visitors at this time.
Campbell County
Campbell County Memorial Hospital: The hospital is currently closed to all visitors except one parent of pediatric patients and one support person for anyone giving birth. All patients are required to undergo a respiratory health screening with a temperature check. No visitors under 18 are allowed in the hospital.
The hospital has also closed certain departments, including cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation, outpatient respiratory therapy and surgery. The only surgeries that will be done are emergency cases and those deemed medically necessary. One support person will be allowed in the hospital for those having surgery, following a health screening.
Access to certain entrances is limited to patients and the public. The Heptner Cancer Center is open for regular business hours for dialysis and oncology patients only. The pediatric clinic is canceling all non-essential appointments.
The Close to Home Hospice and Hospitality House will require all visitors to be screened for respiratory symptoms. The Powder River Surgery Center is closed. No visitors are allowed at the Legacy Living and Rehabilitation Center. All employees and select volunteers will be screened for respiratory symptoms. Powder River Orthopedics and Spine is open and seeing limited patients.
The wellness daily community blood draws, lab tests and health and wellness screenings have been discontinued until further notice.
Carbon County
Memorial Hospital of Carbon County: The hospital is screening all patients, staff and visitors when they enter the facility, including asking a series of questions and conducting a temperature check.
Only patients in critical condition and women in active labor will be allowed a visitor. No children under the age of 18 will be allowed in the hospital except for medical care. No visitors are allowed in the common areas, such as the waiting rooms and lounges.
The hospital can only be entered through the main lobby or the emergency room. All non-urgent or elective surgeries are postponed.
Converse County
Memorial Hospital of Converse County: Elective surgeries are postponed until further notice. Primary care providers are canceling or rescheduling all non-urgent appointments, however all of the clinics are still open. Patients will be asked a series of questions before being allowed into the buildings.
The main entrance of the hospital will be monitored from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Exterior hospital doors will be locked after hours. The Arbor Cafe and Mocha Molly’s are closed to the public.
No visitors or guests will be allowed in the hospital.
Fremont County
SageWest Health Care: Patients in the emergency department, inpatient units and outpatient clinics are screened for the virus. Staff treating a potential case of the virus are provided with appropriate protective equipment to help prevent exposure. Patients with symptoms of the virus are immediately provided masks to prevent exposure.
Only pediatric, OB, outpatient surgical patients and those receiving end-of-life care will be allowed visitors. These groups may only have one healthy adult (a person over 16) as a visitor and everyone must be screened upon entering the facility.
Goshen County
Banner Health Community Hospital: Pediatric patients can have one adult visitor with them and laboring mothers may have one support person, but all other guests are barred from teh hospital. Deliveries of gifts, care packages, flowers or anything else will not be accepted at this time.
Banner Health has canceled elective surgeries in two other states, but not Wyoming as of press time. The hospital won’t give “fit-for-work” clearances or test for the virus for an employer.
The main entrance and emergency room entrance remain open to the public.
Laramie County
Cheyenne Regional Medical Center: The hospital’s visiting hours are limited from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily and patients may only have one visitor during the entirety of their stay. However, patients who are admitted and screened or test positive for the coronavirus won’t be allowed visitors.
Cancer Center patients are also only allowed one visitor. Visiting hours are the same as the hospital’s.
The Davis Hospice Center is locked at all times, but visitors will be allowed in special circumstances, such as an end-of-life event or when the visitor is essential for the patient’s well-being. This will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
Natrona County
Wyoming Medical Center: Medically necessary surgeries will be conducted on a case-by-case basis. The schedule is checked daily for appropriateness in order to conserve resources.
Medically necessary exams such as echocardiograms, pulmonary function tests and stress tests are still being scheduled. All procedures are being evaluated on a case-by-case basis. The Sleep Lab is closed.
The NERD Health and Wellness Center’s health coaching, acupuncture and massage appointments are canceled. Pulmonary rehabilitation is canceled until further notice. The childbirth education and breastfeeding classes are canceled, as well as in-person lactation consultations.
Visiting hours are now from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. A patient will be allowed one visitor per day, but exceptions will be made for comfort care or terminally ill patients. Pediatric parents and babies in the nursery can have both parents visit, but only one at a time. Visitors will go through a health screening before being allowed to enter.
Park County
Cody Regional Health: Pediatric patients admitted to the ER or inpatient services will be allowed one legal caregiver with them for the entirety of their stay. Maternity patients will have the same rules applied to them. Visitors aren’t allowed in the hospital otherwise.
Health Fair lab draws have be canceled at all of CRH’s location. The orthopedics department is reduced to essential appointments only, including fractures, post-operation appointments and traumatic injuries.
All elective procedures for radiology and cardiac catheterization procedures are canceled, except for critical diagnostic/testing procedures. Cedar Mountain Center rehab services are canceled.
Pediatric clinic visits are reduced to only visits for newborns up to four months old.
Certain medical practices, like internal medicine and cardiology, are reducing their hours for the time being.
Platte County
Platte County Memorial Hospital: See entry for Banner Health Community Hospital in Goshen County.
Sheridan County
Sheridan Memorial Hospital: Visitors aren’t allowed for most patients. Exceptions include OB patients, those coming in for surgery or an outpatient procedure, patients at the end of their life and pediatric patients, all of whom are allowed one support person. They will all be screened for illness symptoms before their visit. Patients and staff are also screened when they enter the building.
Sweetwater County
Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County: Anyone with a fever or cough is asked to wait to go to the emergency room before contacting the nurse triage line.
Visitors are restricted except for OB and pediatric patients, as well as those at the end of their lives. They must be the same person for the OB and pediatric patients. No children are allowed as visitors. Everyone entering the hospital will be subjected to a temperature scan.
Teton County
St. John’s Health: Patients can have only one designated visitor per day, but both parents can visit if the patient is a child. No one under 18 or displaying flu-like symptoms is allowed to visit. Everyone entering the hospital must wash their hands or use a sanitizer with a 60% alcohol base before entering.
Emergency department patients can’t have visitors except one parent for a child or one caregiver for a patient who needs help communicating.
The St. John’s Living Center is restricting all visitors except in the case of an end of life situation. It’s canceling all communal dining and group activities, both internally and externally. All staff are screened for fever and respiratory symptoms at the beginning of their shift. Residents are also being screened.
The hospital can’t currently clear anyone to return to work after an illness.
Uinta County
Evanston Regional Hospital: The ER is the only accessible door to patients at this time. Patients are allowed one to two visitors, but no one under 18 or displaying sickly symptoms. Everyone entering the facility will do a health screening.
Weston County
Weston County Health Services: Visitors aren’t allowed at this time. People experiencing coronavirus symptoms are asked to call the center before arriving.
