COVID-19: What to expect when visiting KVH

Safety is our top priority!

We appreciate your understanding during these difficult times. Our goal is to protect you, your family and friends, and our staff. We look forward to resuming normal operations when COVID-19 is no longer a threat to the health of our community.

Everyone who enters must wear a mask, even if they are fully vaccinated. The Centers for Disease Control and the State of Washington require everyone to be masked in health care settings. Guidance from the CDC removing some masking requirements for fully vaccinated people still requires masking in health care settings.

Guidelines for clinic, emergency department or outpatient visit

If you are visiting KVH for any services - Hospital, Family Medicine or Wellness & Therapy - you will be greeted by a screener at the door.

Door Screener will ask you a series of required questions:

• Do you have a cough?
• Do you have a fever?
• Do you have nausea, vomiting or diarrhea?
• Do you have shortness of breath or chest congestion?
• Do you have a new loss of taste or smell?
• Do you have a runny nose or nasal congestion?
• Do you have a sore throat and/or headache?
• Do you have fatigue?
• Do you have muscle or body aches that you do not normally have?
• Have you been tested for or had a significant exposure to COVID-19 in the last 14 days?
• A temperature will be taken by thermal scanner to check if you have a fever.

What happens if you have symptoms or say ‘Yes’ to any of the screener questions?

(Clinic or outpatient services at the hospital)

If you answer ‘Yes’ to any of these questions, or if you have a fever, you will have the following options:

1. Not enter the building.
   
2. Take a “real time” home test in your car and provide a negative test result (a test kit will be provided to you by the screener).
   
3. Give a history of having recovered from COVID-19 after a minimum of a five day isolation.
   

(Emergency Department visit)

If you answer ‘Yes’ to any of these questions, or if you have a fever:

1. You will be escorted an area of isolation until you can be seen by a provider.

What if you have no symptoms and say ‘No’ to the screener questions?

1. You will be asked to wear a mask (a mask will be provided to you if you do not have one).
2. You must properly wear a mask at all times in the facility. This means covering both your mouth and your nose with the mask.
3. If you have a mask exemption, you must provide proof of this exemption (e.g. letter from a provider). If you do not have proof of a mask exemption, you may not enter the building unless you are willing to properly wear a mask.

What if I am unable to enter the hospital or clinic?

KVH has provided a number of options for you to receive services remotely. These services include:

• Telehealth visits
• Provider phone visits
• Rescheduling of appointments

For more information on how to schedule a remote visit, phone visit, or to reschedule an appointment, please call:

• Hospital: 509.772.4022
• Clinic: 509.773.4017

We appreciate you supporting our efforts to keep our staff and our vulnerable patients safe from becoming ill with COVID-19. Thank you!

For testing, vaccine and treatment information, click here