LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Friday, Baptist Health Louisville announced a new variety of measures to eliminate close interactions and encourage physical distancing at its facilities across Kentucky and in southern Indiana.
A major culprit in the spread of COVID-19 has emerged in the key question of how people become infected. While it’s possible, but not very common, to contract the virus from a contaminated surface, research reveals that the most likely way to get infected is through close-up, person-to-person interactions.
“We have made concerted efforts in our facilities to help our patients, staff and visitors follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines regarding staying at least six feet apart,” said Larry Gray, Baptist Hospital Louisville president. “Our focus is to keep everyone safe and to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.”
Baptist Health has placed more than 1,000 clear barriers throughout their facilities as well as floor decals placed in six-foot intervals also help patients and visitors maintain appropriate spacing.
“The barriers have been installed at reception desks, registration areas and screening stations inside hospital and doctor’s offices,” said Matt Snow, system assistant vice president for facility and sign services. “The barriers serve as protection when patients and staff may need to be within six feet of each other to discuss personal health information. We want to protect our patients without sacrificing their privacy.”
Those coming to Baptist Health facilities have their temperature checked and are asked a series of screening questions before they are allowed to enter. Some facilities have limited the number of entrances and have designated separate exits so people navigating in and out can avoid crossing paths.
Visitor restrictions are still in place at Baptist Health facilities. Sites have varying restrictions based on physical limitations of waiting space or clinic space.
Visiting patients at Baptist Health hospitals depends on the area of the hospital in which the patient is receiving services or treatment. In many cases, if a visitor is allowed it is for a restricted period of time, and the visitor is asked to remain in the patient’s room.
In most Baptist Health Medical Group, visitors are limited to:
- One parent or guardian can accompany a patient who is younger than 18.
- One person can accompany a disabled/dependent/vulnerable patient who requires support or assistance.
- One to two family members/support persons, with prior approval and appropriate personal protective equipment, can be present with a hospice or end-of-life patient.
Long before a patient arrives at a Baptist Health facility, staff members have already been at work strategically scheduling appointments and procedures so that they can avoid crowded waiting rooms and patient treatment areas.
Some waiting areas are too small to accommodate physical distancing. In those cases, a patient is asked to call the facility upon arrival and wait in their cars until a treatment or procedure room is available. This eliminates or reduces time that a patient spends in a waiting area.
For larger waiting areas, chairs have been removed, blocked or marked with signs to help patients and visitors maintain physical distancing.
Leadership teams at Baptist Health meet regularly to exchange ideas concerning additional physical distancing and other safety measures. They say they're up to the task.
“We’re always mindful of how we can keep our patients safe without decreasing the great patient experience they’ve come to know and expect from Baptist Health Louisville,” Gray said. “It can be a delicate balance, but we’re up for the challenge because this pandemic has shown us that many of these safety measures are definitely here to stay.”
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