As Good Samaritan begins to open services within the hospital and throughout off-site clinics, the organization is beginning to allow visitors to accompany patients for appointments and inpatient medical care.

Beginning June 3, 2020, the following visitation guidelines will be in place:

• Inpatient visitation hours are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
  • Inpatient Rehab hours are 3 p. m. to 6 p.m.
• One designated visitor per day who has passed screening upon entry. Visitors may not switch out during the day.
• All visitors must wear the name tag / arm band issued to them at the screening station.
• All visitors must wear a mask at all times and practice social distancing, even in patient rooms.
• Visitors must follow any isolation precautions in place.
• Visitors must be 18 years or older.
• Visitors must practice good hand hygiene by washing their hands and / or using hand sanitizer prior to entering the room and upon leaving.
• Visitors must limit traffic in the hospital and stay in patient room / area, or exit the building.

Patients and visitors will still need to be screened before entering the hospital, provider offices and clinics. A detailed visitation policy can be found on Good Samaritan’s website at gshvin.org/coronavirus.

Rob McLin, President and CEO of Good Samaritan, stated that these visitor restrictions are the first step to returning to normal practices. “Like other hospitals in our district, we are ready to open our doors and allow visitors,” he said, “However, we want to guarantee that we are taking the necessary precautions to ensure the safety of our employees and our patients. This will be a slow, step-by-step process and will change every couple of weeks depending on the number of cases in the community.”

As always, hospital officials are still urging those in the community who have a respiratory illness to first call their primary care provider on the phone to receive guidance on appropriate care. Depending on severity of the illness, the patient may be given guidance on how to self-treat at home or in severe cases to seek emergency medical attention.

Patients who may not feel comfortable visiting the hospital for medical care are encouraged to utilize Good Samaritan’s virtual health care options. “We want all of our patients to have access to care, even if they still do not feel safe seeking care within the hospital or our offices. We suggest those patients utilize our virtual visit service – My Health Live,” stated Adam Thacker, Chief Operating Officer of Good Samaritan.

My Health Live video visits can be accessed by visiting gshvin.org/my-health-live. Patients can also call a 24/7 nurse triage hotline to discuss their symptoms; the phone number is 812-885-3331. If care is needed, the nurse will direct the patient on where to go and what to do. A symptom checker for coronavirus is also available through My Chart.

Information about the coronavirus and the hospital’s currect restrictions can be found at gshvin.org/coronavirus.