Elizabethtown hospital postpones elective clinics
ELIZABETHTOWN — Elective specialty clinics at Elizabethtown Community Hospital’s main campus will be postponed for two weeks.
The temporary pause in services is an added precaution to protect patients and staff by limiting traffic in the hospital, which is a few steps away from the Essex Center nursing home and rehabilitation facility, which is currently contending with a COVID-19 outbreak.
“Out of an abundance of caution, we are postponing four specialty clinics to minimize any potential risk of exposure to COVID-19,” ECH Emergency Medicine Medical Director and Chief Medical Officer Dr. David Clauss said in a statement.
Clauss said the outpatient clinic visits can safely be delayed without an immediate threat to the health of patients. Patients impacted by the decision will be contacted by their specialist’s office to reschedule their appointments.
Elizabethtown Community Hospital has taken a number of steps to protect patients and staff, including:
¯ All employees arriving for work are screened with health questions and a temperature check.
¯ All arriving patients are screened at the front desk. Patients with symptoms or suspected exposure to a COVID-positive case are masked and treated in dedicated rooms.
¯ Strictly following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and New York State Department of Health guidelines on personal protective equipment. All employees are required to wear masks, including the front desk staff that perform patient screening upon arrival.
¯ Enhanced cleaning protocols, including frequent sanitization of high-touch surfaces.
¯ Staggering and/or limiting outpatient appointments to decrease traffic in the hospital and health centers.
For updates and resources on COVID-19, visit www.ech.org.