CORONAVIRUS DISEASE 2019

COVID-19 TESTING

ACMH would like to remind individuals who may be sick themselves, including those experiencing symptoms such as fever, cough, or sore throat, to not come directly to the hospital Emergency Department. Unless you are seeking emergency medical treatment, you are encouraged to call your primary care provider.

A provider order is required to get a Covid-19 test. If you do not have a primary care provider, you may contact the Pennsylvania Department of Health at 1-877-PA-HEALTH.

The E-Entrance Collection Station is open from 11:00am – 1:00pm Monday through Friday.

Asymptomatic surgical patients who are in need of pre-op COVID testing will be routed through the main lab at ACMH. The main lab pre-op Covid testing will take place from 10:00am to 12:00 noon, Monday through Friday. Please enter through the main lobby.

REVISED SERVICE HOURS

MAIN LOBBY ACCESS HOURS:

Monday - Friday 5:30am - 5:00pm. Saturday 7:00am - 3:30pm. Sunday 7:00am - 12 noon.



ACMH LABORATORY SERVICES HOURS:

Monday - Friday 6:30am - 4:00pm and Saturday 8:00am - 12 noon

Questions regarding ACMH laboratory service, please call (724) 543-8219



DRAW STATION HOURS:

Downtown Kittanning and Ford City Health Pavilion locations: Monday - Friday, from 7:00am to 12:00 noon

Cowansville location: Tuesday and Thursday, from 7:00am to 12 noon



ACMH IMAGING SERVICES HOURS:

Monday - Friday 7:00am - 4:00pm and Saturday 8:00am - 12 noon

Questions regarding ACMH imaging service, please call (724) 543-8787

E-ENTRANCE COLLECTION STATION:

Monday through Friday 11:00am – 1:00pm



MEDICAL RECORDS OFFICE:

Arrangements can be made to obtain your records by contacting the Medical Records Department at 724-543-8554. For physician office and clinic records please call 724-548-3804. Requests can be received M-F from 7:00am - 4:00pm or by leaving a message after hours.



GIFT SHOP AND SNACK BAR:

Monday - Friday 10:00am – 2:00pm

Orders may be placed to the ACMH Snack Bar at 724-543-8454 for takeout and curbside pickup.

The Snack bar is currently offering a limited menu.

VISITATION AT ACMH

ACMH PATIENT SUPPORT PERSON / VISITATION: ACMH is balancing the safety of limiting visitors with knowing that it is important for patients to have both a caring presence and strong support of someone who can help them to manage and communicate about their care. To make sure our patients have the support they need, we now think of you, the visitor, as a Patient Support Person. For the safety of our patients, staff, and community we are limiting the number of support persons (visitors) to one per each adult patient. The patient identifies their consistent support person. Support people are usually a spouse or partner, a very close family member, or a trusted friend. That person's name and contact information will be given to the clinical care team, as well as staff at the hospital entrances.



PATIENT SUPPORT PERSON GUIDELINES: The Patient Support person is the only individual permitted to be in the hospital with the patient. They must wear a face mask when in the hospital, and be older than 18 years old, pass the daily clinical screening when entering the building, and not be sick. Support persons are asked to visit only once per day. Support persons are only permitted to visit the patient that they are assigned to. For a complete list of guidelines, click HERE



SUPPORT PERSON VISITING HOURS:

• Inpatient

10 am to 12 noon and 5pm to 7pm

Persons visiting between 5pm and 7pm need to check in at the Emergency Department Entrance



• Behavioral Health

Monday, Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday 4pm to 6pm

Arrivals after 5pm on Monday and Wednesday and from 4pm to 6pm on Saturday and Sunday require entry through the ED.



• Maternity

Designated support person must remain on the unit for the duration of the mother’s stay



• Skilled Nursing Unit

Visitation continues to be restricted



• End of Life/Critical Patients

Visitation is at the discretion of ACMH staff for these unique situations. Clergy visitation is permitted.



• Outpatient Services

Visitation continues to be restricted unless the patient has a support need



• Same Day Surgery

One visitor is permitted due to the need for a driver following the procedure



EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT VISITATION:

• Only one support person (visitor) is permitted per patient.

• Upon arrival, the visitor will be asked to return to their vehicle after leaving their name and a phone number with the screener.

• The visitor will be contacted by the Emergency Department staff when it is appropriate to visit.



HAVE YOU RECOVERED FROM COVID-19 AND WANT TO HELP SAVE LIVES?

Vitalant is collecting plasma from people who have recovered from COVID-19. Called “convalescent plasma,” it contains antibodies to the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, which can be given to patients currently fighting COVID-19.

To be eligible, a potential donor must have:

A prior laboratory diagnosis of COVID-19, either by a positive swab test OR a positive test for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies requested by your health care provider

Complete resolution of symptoms for at least 28 days

All other donor eligibility for an automated plasma donation

Visit https://www.vitalant.org/covidFree for information on becoming a donor.



PREVENTION AND SAFETY

Prevention is the key to protecting yourself and others from this virus. Wash your hands often with soap and water, for at least 20 seconds. Alcohol based hand sanitizer is acceptable if soap and water are not available. Wear a mask or a cloth facial covering. Cover coughs or sneezes with your elbow. Clean surfaces frequently, focusing on high touch items. To contain the virus, if you are sick, stay home until you are feeling better.



THE IMPORTANCE OF MASKING: CDC recommends that people wear masks in public settings and when around people who don’t live in your household, especially when other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain. Click HERE for more information.

A MESSAGE ON THE IMPORTANCE OF MASKING TO HELP STOP COVID-19 SPREAD: Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf reminds Pennsylvanians that mask-wearing is required when entering any business in all counties in the state in both yellow and green phases of reopening. Masks are considered critical in stopping the spread of COVID, now and in preparation for a possible resurgence of the virus in the fall.

The mask requirement is part of Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel’s Levine’s order, “Directing Public Health Safety Measures for Businesses Permitted to Maintain In-person Operations,” which pertains to all counties regardless of the phase of reopening. “In yellow and green counties, it is required that masks are worn when visiting businesses to protect employees, employees’ families, and communities as a whole,” Gov. Wolf said. “Mask-wearing has proven to be an important deterrent to the spread of the virus, and as more counties move to green and more things reopen, we need to be vigilant in our efforts to continue our mitigation efforts.”

A recent study from Cambridge and Greenwich universities in the United Kingdom found that cloth masks, “even homemade masks with limited effectiveness can dramatically reduce transmission rates if worn by enough people, regardless of whether they show symptoms.” Peer-reviewed studies published in scientific journals such as The New England Journal of Medicine corroborate the need for masks and the U.S. Surgeon General said that wearing a mask doesn’t impinge on our freedom – it gives us more freedom from unknowingly spreading COVID-19. The state’s business guidance outlines mask-wearing requirements and additional safety parameters for both employees and customers. Read more on Gov. Wolf’s Process to Reopen PA here.

USE OF CLOTH FACE COVERINGS TO HELP SLOW THE SPREAD OF COVID-19: COVID-19 spreads mainly from person to person through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes, talks, or raises their voice (e.g., while shouting, chanting, or singing). These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs. Recent studies show that a significant portion of individuals with COVID-19 lack symptoms (are “asymptomatic”) and that even those who eventually develop symptoms (are “pre-symptomatic”) can transmit the virus to others before showing symptoms. To reduce the spread of COVID-19, CDC recommends that people wear cloth face coverings in public settings when around people outside of their household, especially when other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain. For information and instructions on making face coverings, click HERE



SOCIAL DISTANCING: Social distancing means staying away from close contact in public spaces. It includes actions like staying out of places where lots of people gather and maintaining distance — approximately 6 feet — from others. Social distancing also includes minimizing contact with people. All Pennsylvanians are being encouraged to practice social distancing — not just those who are seriously ill or at high risk. Social distancing is a proven way to slow the spread of pandemics.



PRACTICAL ADVICE TO PROTECT YOUR FAMILY VIDEO: "Learn the Facts from a Lung Specialist Doctor: How to Avoid Coronavirus" - A Youtube video posted by a doctor who treats COVID-19 patients in a New York hospital. Click HERE



COMMUNITY STRESS AND ANXIETY: This is a time that all of us are feeling anxious about COVID-19 conditions and feeling stressed while being self-quarantined. This is both natural and expected. The medical community wants to reassure everyone that we will return to a normal state. However, for acute concerns of self and family, the following resources are available:

• Contact the PA Department of Health Crisis Text Line by texting 741-741

• Department of Health website: https://www.health.pa.gov/topics/disease/Pages/Coronavirus.aspx

• CDC website: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

ONLINE VIRTUAL VISITS

During the COVID-19 pandemic, ACMH physician offices are now offering the convenience and safety advantages of online telehealth visits. Use your internet connected device (PC, Mac, Android or iOS/Apple) that is equipped with a camera and microphone to stay in touch with your primary care provider from the comfort and safety of your home. Call your ACMH physician office to request a telehealth visit.



COMMUNITY SUPPORT

The ACMH Board of Directors, Administration, medical staff, all hospital staff and local EMS providers sincerely express our thanks for the community's willingness to stay home, quarantine and help minimize the spread of the coronavirus. We continue to ask everyone to stay the course and know that you are making a difference. To all of our community members and organizations that have surrounded us in prayer and support, we thank you as well. Together we can get through this difficult time.



Thank You to the following individuals and companies that have donated supplies:

• Snyder Group

• Image Works Painting

• Rosebud Mining

• SBS Contractors, Inc.

• Continental Clay

• Lisa Bartlett

• Liz White

• Lenape Tech

• Sylvia Hooks

• Dr. William Oleksak

• Lowes

• Rural King

• Sylvan Bio Sciences

• Alterink Tattoo Removal

• Curly Tail Coffee

• Klingensmith Drug Store

• Bergad, Inc.

• Oliver Outdoor

• Harvest Community Church Congregation- Kittanning, PA

• American Legion in Cowansville

• Lion Clubs of Ford City, Kittanning, and Worthington

• Law Offices of Gregory Swank

• ACMH Ladies Auxiliary



LINKS TO ADDITIONAL INFORMATION



