May 27, 2020
Community Update #8
Dear Community Member,
On Monday May 18th, Brattleboro Memorial Hospital began reintroducing and rescheduling some of the elective surgeries, procedures, and tests that were temporarily delayed for the past two months due to COVID-19. I am pleased to report that beginning Monday, June 1
st
, we will resume additional services, including outpatient practices, radiology, physical therapy, and wound care. If you were originally scheduled for an appointment with these services, our staff will be contacting you to reschedule a new appointment time in the coming weeks.
On Friday, May 22nd, Governor Scott announced that inpatient procedures/surgeries may now be performed at our state hospitals. We are working with our Surgical Clinician Leadership to initiate these services before the middle of June.
We are taking every precaution to ensure all services are restarted responsibly and in accordance to state and federal guidelines, and our priority remains to protect the well-being of our patients and staff members.
In order to ensure your safety, we implemented strict infection control precautions to reduce the potential spread of COVID-19 and will continue to uphold these high standards throughout and after our reopening process. Our Environmental Services team works 24/7 to thoroughly clean and disinfect all of our facilities, so you can feel comfortable you are in a safe and clean environment when receiving care at BMH.
Keeping You Safe
We are ready and prepared to provide safe care for our family, friends, and neighbors. When you do come to BMH for your appointment you will notice the following:
- At this time, we are still not allowing visitors with the following exceptions:
- One parent or guardian for a patient under the age of 18
- One birthing partner for a patient in labor
- One person at a time for a hospice or end of life patient
- One clergy member for an end of life patient
- One caretaker for a completely dependent patient
- Expect a telephone call prior to your appointment. Our staff will ask you a series of screening questions to check for any high-risk symptoms you may have. Your clinician will share with you the next steps of how we will best care for you.
- Be prepared for a general wellness screening upon arrival. This screening includes asking you to sanitize your hands using the provided sanitizer, as well as checking your temperature and asking a few symptoms questions.
- Bring a mask to wear when coming to and during your appointment. If you do not have a mask, we will provide you with one.
- Follow social distancing guidelines when moving throughout BMH or our practices. Please remain six feet away from other patients or visitors when in the waiting areas.
Telehealth Visits
If you or a loved one is in need of medical care, please do not put off contacting us
. In fact, for many of your needs, you may be able to attend your appointment via your home computer, tablet, or smartphone. To learn more, visit
www.bmhvt.org/telehealth
. Contact your clinician’s office to determine the best mode of care for your health needs.
Entrances
Effective June 3rd, the Richards Building front entrance will be open to patients. Like the Hospital’s Main and Emergency Department Entrances, patients will be screened when they enter the building.
Testing Services
We continue to provide COVID-19 testing services when ordered by a primary care provider. If you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, please contact your provider. If you do not have a primary care provider, call our Centralized Scheduling Department (Monday-Friday, 8:00am-5:00pm) at 802-251-8777 to arrange for an acute appointment.
