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FRAMINGHAM – Starting Monday, March 16, MetroWest Medical Center, which includes Framingham Union Hospital and Leonard Morse Hospital, is making changes to procedural schedules and visitor policy, due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“In an effort to protect our patients and staff, and to prioritize the needs of those who may require immediate care, we will be rescheduling some patient appointments and procedures over the next two weeks,” announced MetroWest Medical Center.
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The hospital will contact patients directly if any outpatient visit, procedure, or surgery is postponed until a later date.
“During this time, all MetroWest Medical Center facilities will remain open in order to care for patients who require in-person visits and time sensitive care,” said the Center today, March 15.
New visitor restrictions were announced today March 15, too.
“At MetroWest Medical Center, we have taken significant steps to ensure we are protecting our patients, staff, and community from infection as we continue to closely monitor the outbreak of the novel (new) coronavirus (COVID-19). We have been adjusting our actions as the situation evolves,” said MetroWest Medical Center. “We continue to work with the State Department of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and our local Infection Control & Prevention Team to respond to any potential COVID-19 cases that may present at our hospital.”
“As patients and visitors enter MetroWest Medical Center in areas such as emergency department or registration, hospital staff are asking screening questions including their recent travel and symptoms, including fever or respiratory symptoms (shortness of breath or cough),” said the Medical Center.
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“Out of an abundance of caution, effective immediately, we are changing our visitation policy until further notice. Each patient may have one visitor enter the hospital at a time. This is in keeping with the guidance of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and our Infection Control & Prevention team,” said the center.
As patients and visitors enter MetroWest Medical Center, hospital staff are requiring that they sanitize their hands and are asking questions about any symptoms including fever, cough or shortness of breath.
- Patients are limited to one healthy visitor at a time on all patient units except in special situations.
- All outside groups and other events occurring at MetroWest Medical Center are canceled until further notice.
- Visitors must be healthy including NO fever, cough or respiratory symptoms.
- Visitors who have recently traveled internationally should not visit patients.
- Children under the age of 18 are not permitted to visit patient units.
- All visitors must wash their hands or use hand sanitizer when entering or exiting the hospital.
- Other special circumstances may apply requiring further restrictions.
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Alternate patient visitation such as phone, Skype, Facebook, What’s App, etc. are encouraged, said the Medical Center.
Entry and exit is now limited to the Main Hospital Lobby Entrances at both our Framingham Union Hospital Campus and our Leonard Morse Hospital Campus, said the Center.
MetroWest Medical Center