By Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine
As the COVID-19 outbreak spreads throughout our community, we want you to know that Gifford pediatricians have been working on creative solutions to help you safely through this time. We appreciate your concerns about exposure during your care and balancing that with needed medical care for your child. As you are aware, the situation changes daily and sometimes even faster than that. One of the advantages of being a small and close-knit group is that we can adapt quickly. Contingency plans are being developed for both staffing and logistics.
- In accordance with hospital policy, everyone will be screened for respiratory symptoms when they arrive and any ill patients will be provided a mask as long as we have them available. Please, call first before coming to the office or Emergency Department with any respiratory symptoms, even a slight runny nose, and we will help you get evaluated safely.
- For the present time, outpatient scheduling practices at the pediatric office have changed. Many non-urgent visits have been postponed. Necessary well child visits requiring immunizations will be scheduled in the morning and acute/sick visits will be scheduled in the afternoon. We have designated a single room for newborns and infants that will not be used for ill patients. We are deep-cleaning all exam rooms between every visit nevertheless. Please do not bring other children or adults with you to visits. Please do not bring in sick siblings, friends or other relatives to any well child visits held in the morning. This could spread infection and increase the risk to others including newborns and other well children.
- Gifford’s Visitor Policy has changed to a No Visitor Rule, effective immediately. Access to the medical center and our clinics is limited to patients only, to protect the health of our patients and employees. Visitors / family members are not permitted to accompany patients to outpatient visits unless the patient requires support and assistance to access their appointment. One (1) parent or support person should accompany pediatric patients. The full policy is available here.
- If your child is sick, please call ahead first. We will triage symptoms and advise you of the best course of action, keeping in mind that the best course of action may be to remain home. Do not simply arrive without a call ahead. This could put you or your child at risk of exposure or spread infection further.
- We cannot offer extra masks and medical supplies outside of what we may provide you at your visit. Doing so would lead to a fast shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) for our hospital workers and other patients. We want to remain healthy to care for you and your family as long as possible.
- Keep your household socially isolated. Stay home. Do not visit with family and friends. Do not travel. Limit your exposure as much as possible. This may save someone’s life. Staying away from a loved one right now may be difficult but may, in fact, be the best way of caring.
Our pediatrics team is here for you during this unprecedented event. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us as you normally would for ongoing support and to have your concerns addressed. We wish you all the best. Stay home and stay well.
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For more information about coronavirus, visit cdc.gov or healthvermont.gov. Additionally, you may call 2-1-1 with questions.
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Gifford is a community hospital in Randolph, Vt., with family health centers in Berlin, Bethel, Chelsea, Randolph, Rochester, and White River Junction; and specialty services throughout central Vermont. A Federally Qualified Health Center and a Top 100 Critical Access Hospital in the country, Gifford is a full-service hospital with a 24-hour emergency department and inpatient unit; many surgical services; a day care; two adult day programs; and the 30-bed Menig Nursing Home, which was named by U.S. News & World Report as one of the best 39 nursing homes in the country in 2012. The Birthing Center, established in 1977, was the first in Vermont to offer an alternative to traditional hospital-based deliveries, and continues to be a leader in midwifery and family-centered care. The hospital’s mission is to improve individuals’ and community health by providing and assuring access to affordable, high-quality health care in Gifford’s service area.
