COVID-19 Updates from Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center

COVID-19 Testing Limitations

Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center is following the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health guidelines for COVID-19 testing. Due to a very limited supply of tests available in the region, we are reluctantly unable to offer widespread testing by request or “drive-through testing” at this time.

We are currently working with LACDPH and our commercial lab partners to expand our testing capacity for the community in the near future.

In order to minimize exposure to the public, vulnerable patients and healthcare workers, we advise those with mild symptoms consistent with seasonal cold/flu/allergies to stay home and self-isolate.

People experiencing severe symptoms of shortness of breath with cough and fever, contact your primary care physician or come to the Emergency Department for care. Please call ahead at 909.865.9500 so that our medical staff can prepare for your arrival.

Postponement of Some Elective Procedures

Beginning on Friday, March 20, 2020, in consultation and agreement with our physicians, we are postponing some elective surgeries and procedures that can be safely delayed without risk to patients until further notice. We are working with our staff to ensure affected patients are notified of postponements.

The American College of Surgeons has recommended this action to all hospitals in response to the growing challenges and concerns over the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and its consequent critical effects on our healthcare infrastructure.

Our top priority is the health and safety of our patients, visitors, Associates and community. Our hope is that by postponing some upcoming procedures, we can limit potential exposure for staff and patients, preserve critical resources, such as personal protective equipment, and manage hospital beds that may be needed in the event of a surge of patients.

We apologize for any inconvenience this decision may cause to our patients and their loved ones.

Visitor Restrictions & Patient and Visitor Screening

In response to the increased community spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center is taking additional precautionary measures to protect public health and keep our patients, visitors, Associates and community safe.

Effective 3/20/20 at 8 a.m., the following updated visitor restrictions and screening processes are in place at PVHMC.

1. Visitors are limited:

• No visitors to patient care areas including medical-surgical units, telemetry units, critical care / intensive care units, observation units and procedural areas
• Only one healthy parent at a time for NICU and Pediatrics
• Only one healthy designated visitor for patients in the labor, delivery, postpartum and recovery units
• During extraordinary ED circumstances, family members will be allowed to wait in the Emergency Department lobby after being screened for illness, until a member of the healthcare team identifies a designated family contact
• Exceptions to the policy may be made for those patients receiving end-of-life care or who have extraordinary circumstances
• No community visitors will be permitted to the cafeteria for the sole purpose of dining

2. Any visitor who exhibits signs and symptoms of illness may not visit hospitalized patients

3. For patients who cannot communicate with family and significant others, healthcare workers will be calling a designated spokesperson to provide appropriate updates

Patient & Visitor Screening Processes

All Arriving Patients & Visitors

• The hospital is screening patients and visitors at all hospital entrances. Upon arrival, designated staff will ask a series of questions to identify travel status and if patients and visitors are experiencing flu-like symptoms.

Patients with Appointments

• Patients who have appointments at the hospital will receive a phone call prior to their appointment in which a designated hospital representative will perform the screening.