Patient Guide - Uvalde Memorial Hospital

UMH has joined the American Hospital Association and the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy in their Protect The Heroes campaign. All donations go directly to help hospitals purchase PPE and other needed resources related to COVID-19. You can learn more and donate to UMH at: https://www.protecttheheroes.org.

Please note the following temporary changes to be implemented as Uvalde Memorial Hospital takes extra precautions for the safety of our patients, staff, and community.

Uvalde County COVID-19 Latest News Updates

Visitor Guidelines

The Chief of Staff and Chief Medical Officer, along with hospital administration, have decided to update our visitation guidelines in an effort to keep our patients, staff, and community as safe and healthy as possible.

Visitation guidelines currently in effect are:

Hospital-Wide:
1. No pediatric visitors, 17 years of age and younger, will be permitted. Exceptions for critical and or dying patients or deficient in mentation may be made.
2. No visitors for patients deemed high risk until test results are obtained and are negative.
3. No visitors allowed in public areas including the Green Tree Café. Food items will be provided to support persons for lunch.
Medical/Surgical & ICU Patients: Daily visitation by one support person will be allowed from 8:00am to 5:00pm. Support person will be screened prior to entry and required to wear a mask.
Emergency Room Patients: One support person per patient. Support person will be screened prior to entry and required to wear a mask.
Surgery: One designated support person will be allowed on to the surgery unit from 6:00am to 6:00pm with the patient for pre and post operation, and inpatient surgery admissions. Support person will be screened prior to entry, required to wear a mask, and may not wait in public areas. For longer surgeries, support person will be asked to wait outside or in their vehicle during the procedure. For questions, please call our pre-op nurse at (830) 278- 6251 extension 1615.
Women's and Newborns' Center:
Effective Wednesday, May 13:
A single support person for an admitted pregnant patient will be allowed into the Women’s and Newborns’ Center only after being screened for the following requirements prior admittance. Each of the 3 criteria listed below must be negative. A positive answer or test result on any of the criteria will prohibit entrance of the support person into the Women’s and Newborns’ unit. For questions, please call our Women’s and Newborns’ Center at (830) 278- 6251 extension 1121.
1. Contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19 or travel to a known high risk area within 14 days.
2. Symptoms of illness based upon updated CDC guidelines within 14 days.
  - (Find guidelines here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html )
3. COVID-19 PCR RNA test within 14 days.

COVID-19 Hotline

Community members may call UMH’s local hotline for questions or concerns regarding COVID-19. The hotline will provide callers with options for accurate and up-to-date resources on COVID-19, information on COVID-19 symptoms, and detailed information on testing information. If the caller meets testing requirements, the individual then has the ability to talk to a registered nurse for additional information and instructions if testing is needed. COVID-19 Hotline: (830) 407-8021

Emergency Room Temporary Entrance

Patients visiting the UMH emergency room will be temporarily re-routed from the main emergency room entrance, normally on the east side of the hospital. At this time, patients will enter for emergency care from Puccini Road, on the west side of the hospital, onto Kessler Drive. From Kessler Drive the patient will follow directional signage and proceed to an emergency room patient screening lane. At the screening point, the patient will be asked screening questions and be triaged for respiratory symptoms and fever. Following that assessment, the patient will be routed to the necessary treatment area.

Hospital Entrances

The Registration Lobby entrance will be the only entrance open for visitors and patients to enter and exit the facility. All patients and visitors will be screened before entering.
Employees will use a badge-access designated entrance on the west side of the hospital upon arrival and departure and will be screened before entering and leaving the building.
The Garner Field Road entrance, by the Gift Shop, will be closed.

Visitor & Patient Parking

Visitor and patient parking will be located on the east side of the hospital off of Kessler Drive by the Registration Lobby entrance.

Outpatient Services

Out-patient departments will be limiting the number of patients in waiting rooms and treatment areas as necessary for social distancing purposes. Patients visiting out-patient areas like the Wound Care Center, the Rehabilitation Center, the Specialty Clinic, and Uvalde Medical & Surgical Associates will receive a call prior to their appointment if these changes will affect their visit in any way.
- UMSA and Sabinal Health Clinic are now offering telehealth and drive-up services.

Ancillary Services

Social Services: Social Services will be temporarily relocated to the financial counselor’s office in the registration lobby. We encourage individuals with an appointment to complete their appointment by phone if at all possible by calling 830-278-6251 ext. 1309.
Medical Records: All medical record related services will be completed via phone. Please call 830-278-6251 ext. 1164 or 1159 for requests or more information.
Medicaid: The Medicaid caseworker will be taking appointments via phone only at 830-278-6251 ext. 1181.