Patient Guide - Uvalde Memorial Hospital

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.

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.

*UPDATED-EFFECTIVE NOVEMBER 30, 2020

Visitation guidelines currently in effect are:

Hospital-Wide:
1. Visitation/support person will not be permitted to the COVID Unit, Emergency Room (ER), or Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
2. No visitors for patients deemed high risk until test results are obtained for patient and are negative.
3. All support persons/visitors will be required to be screened prior to entry and must present a photo ID. Masks will be required upon entry and for the duration of the visit.
4. 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.
5. 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: Patients who have lab confirmed negative test results for COVID-19 will be allowed 1 designated visitor one time per day, between the hours of 9:00AM – 9:30AM or 5:00PM – 5:30PM. Visitor may choose only one visitation period per day, AM or PM. Pediatric patients may have one designated guardian throughout their stay. Patients with deficient in mentation may have one designated support person throughout their stay. Support person for all patients will be screened prior to entry and required to wear a mask.
Emergency Room Patients: No support person permitted with the exception of pediatric patients or patients with deficient in mentation. Support persons for all other patients will provide a phone number for use as needed by registration or clinical staff. At the time of the patient’s discharge, the support person will be notified and allowed to be present for the discharge process and instructions.
Surgery: One designated support person will be allowed to accompany the patient into the hospital and through the registration process if needed. Upon completion of registration, the support person will be asked to provide a phone number for use as needed by registration or clinical staff. Support person may not accompany patient onto the surgery unit. Exceptions will be made for pediatric patients or patients with deficient in mentation. For all other patients, support person will contacted upon completion of the procedure and allowed to be present for the discharge process and instructions. For questions, please call our pre-op nurse at (830) 278- 6251 extension 1615.
Women's and Newborns' Center: 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.

Contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19 or travel to a known high risk area within 14 days.
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 )
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.