WEST PLAINS, MO – In response to the continued downward trend of COVID-19 cases, Ozarks Healthcare (OZH) wants to welcome our community back inside the walls of the hospital.
“Visitors are vital to the healing process,” Tom Keller, Ozarks Healthcare President and CEO, said. “Families will always be an important component of the healing process at Ozarks Healthcare. We are devoted to protecting our patients, our staff, and community while focusing on a compassionate and comforting environment. We feel we can safely eliminate restrictions.”
Ozarks Healthcare’s updated visitor policy includes the following:
Effective March 7, 2022, patients at Ozarks Healthcare’s hospital and clinics are encouraged to have any number of visitors during visiting hours, which are from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Individual circumstances and departmental exceptions may apply, which are listed further below. Patients may deny consent for visitation at any time. Extra safety precautions may be in place for visitors of patients with a COVID-19 diagnosis.
“Safety is always our first concern, however compassion is rooted in our culture and spelled out in our mission,” said Keller. “To that end, we try to make Ozarks Healthcare as safe and accommodating as possible to have visitors for COVID-19 patients. As of Monday, patients with COVID-19 are allowed visitors with reasonable precautions and additional PPE.”
All visitors will be screened at their point of entry, have temperatures checked, and must wear a mask while inside patient areas at any OZH facility. Visitors in public spaces, which include Grill 59, the coffee shop (opening soon), and the chapel are not required to wear a mask, although it is recommended.
Departmental specific visiting guidelines apply to Ozarks Healthcare’s Emergency Department, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Neuro-Psych Unit (NPU), and Obstetrics (OB) Department.
ICU and Emergency Department patients are allowed two visitors at a time, with no children under 12 years except under extenuating circumstances that may be determined by patients’ care teams. Visiting hours are subject to change according to each patient’s condition.
NPU patients are allowed any number of designated visitors of all ages at the discretion of patients’ care teams between the hours of 3 and 4 p.m. daily. NPU patients’ care teams may refuse any visitor access to the unit at their discretion.
OB patients are allowed any number of designated visitors between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. during labor or after delivery. During delivery, only two visitors are allowed in the room. After delivery, one designated person may stay with the patient after visiting hours end. All visitors must check in and out of the OB Department for security purposes. The birth of an infant is a family experience, and it is the goal of the OB staff to support patients and their loved ones.
Ozarks Healthcare’s COVID-19 Hotline will also close on March 14. For future COVID-19 testing, patients should call their primary care provider or either of Ozarks Healthcare’s walk-in locations in West Plains and Mountain Grove. Staff will assist in scheduling testing. The Ozarks Healthcare Walk-in Clinic in West Plains is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday and can be reached at 417-257-5972. The Ozarks Healthcare Walk-in Clinic in Mountain Grove is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. If you need to establish a primary care provider, Ozarks Healthcare providers are accepting new patients. To find a provider, visit https://www.ozarkshealthcare.com/find-a-doctor/.
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to be an ever-changing situation and is closely monitored by Ozarks Healthcare officials. Changes in visitor restrictions will be communicated as they arise. For more information, visit https://www.ozarkshealthcare.com/coronavirus-updates/.
