Safety

There’s No Better Time to Call Your Physician or Provider

Southeastern Med has taken extraordinary measures to keep our patients, associates, and physicians safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now that we have resumed services across our health system, we continue to put safety first.  At all of our locations, or virtually through telehealth, we are ready to deliver the care you need without compromising your sense of comfort.

Our physicians and providers are close to home. Find a provider. 

We’re Always Working To Keep Your Care Safe

Here is how we are protecting our patients, physicians, and associates.

Hospital and Physician Office Visits

We are using the same precautions throughout our healthcare system, whether it is at our rehab facilities, our physicians’ offices, or the hospital. We are:

• Performing temperature and symptom screenings of all patients, visitors and associates.
• Using hospital grade personal protective equipment (PPE).
• Providing masks for all patients and visitors.
• Cleaning our facilities with hospital-grade disinfectants that kill the coronavirus and other viruses and bacteria.
• Promoting social distancing with the use of floor decals and signage.

Emergency and Inpatient Care

• Screening all persons for COVID-19 symptoms, including taking the temperature of everyone before admission into the facility.
• Providing masks for all patients, visitors, and associates.
• Associates have been equipped with the highest standard of personal protective equipment, following CDC guidelines.
• Increased cleaning of all areas to help prevent the spread of disease.
• Social distancing measures for every area of the hospital to keep patients, visitors, and associates safe.
• Limiting the amount of visitors through our doors to reduce the risk of COVID-19 exposures to our most vulnerable populations.
• Utilizing iPad technology to reduce the use of personal protective equipment and in-person contact.
• Utilizing telehealth in our provider offices to offer care within the safety of our patients’ homes.

Surgery Care

In addition to the safety precautions we’re taking in our hospital to limit the spread of infection, all patients who are scheduling an outpatient surgery must get a COVID-19 test.

• Drive-up COVID-19 testing is ordered by our physicians and is available at 1452 Clark Street, Cambridge.
• The testing process takes approximately six minutes from check-in to completion, and patients do not have to leave their cars.
• Patients with negative test results can have their surgery as planned and are asked to self-quarantine at home before surgery. Patients and approved visitors are screened and provided masks on the day of surgery. Only one visitor 18 or older is allowed.
• Patients with positive results are notified and surgeries are rescheduled after they recover.

Imaging Care and Mammography

Before an imaging or mammogram appointment, patients will receive a call to discuss the details of their visit and answer a few questions about COVID-19 symptoms or exposure. When patients arrive, we will:

• Clean and disinfect all equipment and surfaces between patients.
• Take the temperature of all patients and require them to wear masks.
• Enforce social distancing guidelines in our waiting area.
• Restrict visitors, unless patients need physical assistance.

Maternity Care

• Performing Covid-19 testing on all scheduled deliveries and C/Sections.
• Taking temperatures, screening and providing masks upon arrival at the hospital
• Screening outpatients and unscheduled maternity patients on admission
• Permitting one support person to accompany the mother, (both outpatient and inpatients).

*The support person must remain in the patient room with the patient for the duration of the patient’s stay.

• Non-essential face to face classes, (Childbirth Education/Lactation), have been postponed or are being done by phone or virtually.
• Facilitating newborn rooming in with parents as much as possible. (A few exams, tests or procedures will be done in the nursery).
• Discharging patients as soon as it is medically safe to do so

Infusion Care

Keeping your infusion treatments on track is very important. That’s why our Cancer Center is taking great care to prevent the spread of COVID-19. In addition to the same infection prevention measures used in all our care sites, we are:

• Calling patients to prescreen for COVID-19 before appointments.
• Cleaning infusion chairs and surfaces with hospital-grade disinfectants.
• Using hand sanitizer as we enter and leave your infusion space.
• Wearing hospital-grade personal protective equipment at all times
• Using special gowns and chemotherapy approved gloves for the administration of certain medications.

Testing for COVID-19

Testing is an important part of protecting our patients, physicians, and associates from COVID-19, and keeping our hospitals and care sites safe.

• Southeastern Med requires a medical provider’s order for COVID-19 testing.
• If you are having a planned procedure  like delivering a baby or a scheduled surgery, your doctor may order a COVID-19 test.
• Providers may also recommend testing for people with symptoms of COVID-19.
• If you have a Superior Med physician or provider, you can contact them to see if testing is right for you. You can call our COVID hotline at (740) 435-COVI if you do not have  a physician.