“Doctors’ surgeries in the hospital will stay open”
ALL ELECTIVE hospital procedures will be stopped from tomorrow until March 17.
Mediclinic Kimberley/Gariep spokesperson Denise Coetzee confirmed yesterday that only emergency procedures and cases that cannot wait for 21 days will be performed at Mediclinic’s hospitals.
“Doctors’ surgeries in the hospital will stay open,” Coetzee said. “Patients with appointments at the doctors’ rooms will be allowed to enter after being screened at the hospital entrance. Patients with respiratory symptoms will only be allowed though to the rooms of the general practitioners and not to other areas in the hospital.”
Coetzee stated further that the hospital was well equipped and had all the necessary protocols in place to manage the admission of any potential Covid-19 patients.
“However, we realise that with the increase in the number of these cases, it is necessary for us to manage the situation responsibly in the best interests of our patients and health care workers.”
She said that while the hospital believed that allowing patients access to their loved ones was an essential part of their recovery and wellness, it was important to reduce the risk for all.
“As a result, the following additional visiting restrictions and consideration for the protection of patients not at risk of Covid-19 are applicable:
Visiting hours will be limited to 3pm to 4pm and 7pm to 8pm.
Strictly no more than one individual will be allowed per bed in any unit. Surgical patients may only have one individual as support on day of surgery
“Access control will be practised. All visitors will go through a screening process before they are allowed in the hospital. There are only two entrances for the public 24 hours per day. This is the main entrance and the Emergency Unit entrance.”
Coetzee stated that to manage the risk, the hospital was controlling the entrance to the Emergency Unit. “Strictly no more than one person may accompany a patient, if they pass the initial screening process. As per social distancing guidelines, we advise other visitors to wait outside the facility or in the comfort of their own vehicles.”
After initial screening at the entrance to the hospital at Mediclinic Kimberley, the following guidelines are applicable in these high-risk areas:
Labour and Maternity: Only the partner will be allowed access to the unit; the partner may stay over, but may not walk around the hospital; all non-essential activities are stopped, including birth photographers, doulas, breastfeeding consultants and audiologists doing routine hearing tests at birth.
Neonatal Unit: Only one parent may enter the unit at a time; no additional visitors are allowed; all non-essential activities are stopped, including birth photographers, breastfeeding consultants and audiologists doing routine hearing tests at birth.
Paediatric wards: only one parent may stay with the child; parents must stay in the room or at the bedside; parents may not leave the ward to walk around the hospital
“The public must please take note that the above guidelines will be reassessed as the Covid-19 situation evolves.”
“We are committed to identifying and isolating high-risk patients, and will communicate instructions to patients accordingly. People who consider themselves at risk, must please complete our convenient online risk assessment to understand if they require Covid-19 screening on www.mediclinic.co.za”
