Monument Health takes steps to protect patients

RAPID CITY, S.D. (March 13, 2020) – Monument Health is taking steps throughout its facilities to slow the spread of COVID-19, protect patients and caregivers, and ensure that our healthcare system can continue to care for our communities.

“We have no reason to panic, but every reason to prepare,” said Brad Archer, M.D., Monument Health Chief Medical Officer. “Only a small percentage of the people who test positive for COVID-19 will require hospitalization, but we won’t know exactly how many patients that will be.”

Effective Monday, March 16, patients at any Monument Health hospital and clinics will be allowed one visitor at any given time. This includes patient and family waiting rooms and other common locations. Also, effective Monday, March 16, deliveries to patients will not be allowed until further notice. This includes floral and gift deliveries as well as food deliveries. 

The following practices have been adopted to help to protect our patients, employees and communities. 

Students:

• Job shadows, unpaid internships and special student programs like Project SEARCH, are being suspended effective immediately.
• The continuation of clinical students is under evaluation.

Volunteers:

• Volunteers are currently restricted from high-risk areas.
• Volunteers with signs or symptoms should stay home.
• Effective Monday, March 16, 2020: All volunteer programs will be suspended until further notice.

Visitors:

• Monument Health’s Care Centers (long-term care facilities) in Sturgis and Custer, as well as the Custer nursing home are closed to visitors. Loved ones are encouraged to use virtual communication like Facetime.
• Effective Monday, March 16, 2020: Visitors to all Monument Health facilities (hospitals, clinics, emergency departments, urgent cares) will be limited to one visitor, per patient in the facility at any given time.

Vendors:

• Vendor access to Monument Health facilities is currently suspended, with the exception of those vendors that are essential for patient care and/or surgical procedures.

Deliveries:

• Effective Monday, March 16, 2020: No patient deliveries will be allowed to Monument Health facilities until further notice. This includes floral/gift deliveries and food deliveries.

These efforts, in connection with our current proactive steps, are being taken to prevent and slow the spread of COVID-19 in our communities. Additionally, a new system will allow patients to come to a laboratory location for a COVID-19 sample collection (if ordered from a provider), then return home to wait while the South Dakota Department of Health tests the sample. 

Important sources of information:

monument.health/covid

covid.sd.gov

(800) 997-2880 South Dakota Department of Health Hotline.

About Monument Health 

Headquartered in Rapid City, S.D., Monument Health (formerly Regional Health) is a community-based health care system with a mission to make a difference, every day. The system offers care in 33 medical specialties and serves 20 communities across western South Dakota and in eastern Wyoming. With over 4,500 physicians and caregivers, Monument Health is comprised of 5 hospitals, 8 specialty and surgical centers and more than 40 medical clinics and health care service centers. Monument Health is a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network.