Carteret's Preparedness and More Visitation Changes

COVID-19 remains a rapidly evolving situation. Carteret Health Care as well as our local and state partners are closely monitoring our community's resources and preparing for possible high levels of infectious disease. To enhance our protective measures for our community, patients, staff and providers, Carteret Health Care has made additional changes in how we are caring for patients.

Carteret Health Care is further limiting access to our facility to only patients as we prepare for an influx of patient care needs. There will be no visitors allowed in the hospital until further notice. Unique exceptions for these visitor restrictions include:

• Patients under the age of 18 may have one healthy parent or guardian
• Birthing Center patients may have one healthy support partner
• End of life patients will be given special consideration for healthy visitors
• All visitors must be healthy adults and pass a health screening.

The hospital is making technology for virtual communication available for patients as needed to stay in touch with loved ones. Virtual video and phone communication are encouraged for patients and families.

“Since we initiated our Emergency Preparedness Plan and Command Center, the Carteret team has spent over 1,000 hours to refine already existing pandemic plans to ensure our community, staff and providers are safe” stated Harvey Case, Carteret Health Care President. “I am pleased to say that we are taking similar approaches and steps as other experts, such as Mayo Clinic, to handle a surge of patients.”

Carteret Health Care has been tightly monitoring and conserving Personal Protective Equipment such as masks and COVID-19 testing kits based on CDC guidance. Donations from several companies and offices have been helpful as the hospital monitors usage and availability.

Other preparedness efforts include identifying two alternate care site locations and additional beds for patients, should they be needed.

Home Health services at Carteret Health is now supplementing services with telephone communication while only conducting essential clinical home visits as needed.

Plans are also in place to institute triage outside of the Emergency Department. This is in addition to the current screening that is currently being completed before patients enter the Emergency Department.

To further limit patients entering the hospital, outpatient laboratory draws, radiology tests, pre-operative interview and tests for urgent cases and EKG’s have moved to the CHC Imaging Center located adjacent to the hospital at 3402 Arendell Street.

Carteret Health Care's team continues to closely monitor and apply CDC guidance for healthcare settings and has partnered directly with the North Carolina Department of State Health Services, the Carteret County Health Department as well as Carteret County Emergency Management for preparedness activities.

According to the CDC, most people who get COVID-19 will recover without needing medical care. For that reason, people who think they have COVID-19 and are showing mild symptoms such as fever and cough without shortness of breath or difficulty breathing are recommended to isolate themselves at home, separate themselves from others within the household as much as possible, and call their medical provider if needed.

The most important thing to keep yourself and your family safe is to clean your hands often, avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth and maintaining space distancing of at least 6 feet.

Case concluded, “Carteret Health Care’s staff and providers, along with all health care workers everywhere, are the true heroes during this time. They all continue to amaze me with their willingness to do whatever it takes to keep everyone safe.”

Additional information can be found on the CDC website: cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov, the NCDHHS Coronavirus website at: https://www.ncdhhs.gov/divisions/public-health/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19-response-north-carolina or at https://www.carterethealth.org/.