Press release from the Charles George VA Medical Center:
Charles George VA Medical Center has instituted multiple measures to safeguard its patients and staff against the transmission of COVID-19.
There are currently no confirmed cases of the respiratory illness at the medical center or at its three Community Based Outpatient Clinics in Hickory, Franklin, and Forest City, N.C.
Processes currently in place range from a carefully designed traffic plan that allows Veterans to be screened in their cars prior to entering facilities to postponement of non-essential procedures.
Additionally, there are also more robust visitor restrictions. Starting today, only one visitor over the age of 12 will be screened and allowed to access the medical center per Veteran. This action is being taken as a precautionary measure considering the increased vulnerability of certain patient populations receiving care at the facility.
The decision to reduce visitation is the latest in a series of actions taken to reduce Veterans’ and staff’s risk of exposure to COVID-19. It follows the facility’s previous decision to completely restrict visitation at its Community Living Center except for restricted visitation to Hospice patients.
Following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations, clinical leadership is reviewing all elective surgical procedures with a plan to postpone or cancel them while monitoring the progression of COVID-19. To make that happen, medical center personnel have been contacting Veterans to discuss care plans and if appropriate, rescheduling non-essential procedures.
Veterans are encouraged to send a secure message through MyHealtheVet or call their Primary Care team to determine if their visit could be completed by phone or video.
-more-
Charles George VAMC maintains safety measures for patients, staff
2-2-2
Individuals who choose to come to the facility should anticipate possible delays that may be caused by the new traffic plan and health screening process. Veterans are being asked to remain in their vehicles while awaiting their appointment time.
The Volunteer Transportation Network (VTN) – commonly referred to by Veterans as DAV Transportation – was suspended effective Wednesday, March 18. Patients who use the VTN are advised to reach out to their providers to discuss appointment options.
As an additional health precaution, additional hand sanitizing stations have been installed at central locations around all facilities.
The Medical Center offers comprehensive COVID-19 screening and treatment services. COVID 19 testing entails taking samples from Veterans on-site and getting them processed by a commercial lab.
The medical center is equipped with essential items and supplies to handle COVID 19 cases and is following CDC recommendations, along with North Carolina and Buncombe County Department of Health guidelines, for testing and reporting.
To minimize risk for employees and Veterans, every individual who enters the Charles George VA Medical Center campus is pre-screened. Patients are advised to plan for minor delays when arriving for their appointments.
The medical center will continue to work closely with local and state safety and health agencies, to have access to the most current information and guidance from the CDC and World Health Organization (WHO).
Editor’s note: For the most up to date information follow CGVAMC on Facebook at @AshevilleVAMC or visit the website at https://www.asheville.va.gov/.
The patients in the CLC had transmittable norovirus a few years ago. Everyone was quarantined EXCEPT the patients…who could and did leave their rooms in their wheelchairs to go to the cafeteria! Of course, the virus spread all over VAMC. Interesting that legalities are more important than lives… BS abounds!