Samaritan Health Services is restricting visitors to all facilities until further notice in order to promote social distancing and reduce patient exposure to viruses.
Each hospital patient will be limited to one healthy visitor over the age of 12, only if the patient is under the age of 18, in labor, arriving by ambulance to the emergency department, near the end of life, or incapacitated or needing transportation, emotional or physical support.
The best defense against any virus, anywhere, is to avoid exposure through basic hygiene and infection control measures:
Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or upper sleeve; regularly wash hands with soap and water, or use alcohol-based hand sanitizers when soap and water are not available; and avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
Anyone who is sick should stay at home. For more information, call 211 or visit Samhealth.org/coronavirus, Oregon.gov/oha/Pages/index.aspx, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.
Also, due to a nationwide shortage in supplies, Samaritan Health Services is asking local and regional businesses for personal protective equipment (PPE) and testing supplies to help care for coronavirus patients.
Such equipment includes face masks of all kinds, including but not limited to N-95 masks, disposable gowns and gloves, eye protection, swabs and viral transport tubes, and 70% isopropyl alcohol. Samaritan will accept donations of both unopened and opened packages of PPE and supplies.
Local dentists are encouraged to donate, as well as any clinic that is ramping down services due to Gov. Kate Brown’s order that all hospitals, clinics and health care providers must cease all non-emergency medical procedures. Non-health care industries that might consider donating include construction, veterinary, manufacturing, breweries and mining, for example.
“I have been encouraged to see the many ways our communities, clinicians and employees have been pulling together to respond to this pandemic threat, including the commitment to social distancing that will help reduce the number of cases and prevent hospitals from getting overwhelmed,” said Doug Boysen, Samaritan President and CEO. “This is another incredibly helpful way our community partners can assist us to care for patients. I thank you on behalf of everyone at Samaritan Health Services for any donations.”
To make a donation, call (541) 768-6924 or email [email protected]. Donations may be tax deductible as approved by the IRS.
A wealth of information about coronavirus, how to prepare and take care of your family, what to do if you feel ill, caring for family members at home and much more is available at the Oregon Health Authority and CDC websites or by calling 211. Samaritan-specific information may be found at samhealth.org/Coronavirus.