Hospital starting limited visitation Monday

Northern Montana Health Care announced this morning that, starting Monday, it will allow some visitors into Northern Montana Hospital.

Visitors have been restricted due to the COVID-19 pandemic since March.

The visitation will not include COVID-19 patients except under special circumstances and visitation is not yet allowed in Northern Montana Care Center.

A release from Northern Montana Health Care said visitors will have to enter the hospital through the second floor emergency room doors and visitors will be screened upon entry.

“What we need from the public at this point is complete transparency,” Northern Montana Health Care Chief of Staff Dr. Kevin Harada said in the release. “We need honest answers to our screening questions. When it comes to patients entering the facility to be seen at our emergency department, we will still be allowing them entry, but we will need to be notified to increase the level of personal protection for our medical staff. For visitors, we ask that they not attempt to enter our facilities if they are knowingly sick or feeling any of the flu-like symptoms. We need to work together to keep our facilities safe for all of us.”

The release said flu-like symptoms include a fever of more than 100.4°, chills, cough, sore throat, respiratory illness, headaches, body aches, nausea or vomiting or difficulty breathing. Patients presenting with these symptoms need to call 262-1570 in advance for an appointment and they will be directed to the appropriate location.

Full screenings will take place at the entry doors at the emergency room, the release said. Patients and visitors will be asked a series of questions and their temperature will be taken. All patients and visitors will be asked to change into a surgical mask and must wear it throughout the duration of their visit.

The release said the number of visitors allowed per patient per day are:

• Medical/surgical floor — two visitors

• Intensive Care Unit — one visitor; the ICU waiting room will remain closed at this time.

• Obstetrics — two visitors

• ER — one visitor

• Dialysis — one visitor

• Surgical Day Care — one visitor

• Imaging — one visitor

• Clinics — one visitor

The release Northern Montana Care Center is still considered to be under Outbreak Status and will not yet be accepting visitors. When it will open for visitation will be based on how long the facility goes without any positive cases being identified, including in staff members. The center has not had any positive COVID-19 cases identified in residents for several months.