Friday, July 24, 2020
SJRMC Explains Universal Mask Policy
San Juan Regional Medical Center is committed to creating an environment that is safe for our patients, visitors, employees and medical staff. We have adopted a universal mask policy that requires any person coming to San Juan Regional Medical Center or our San Juan Health Partners clinics to wear a mask. If they do not have a mask, one will be provided for them. If a visitor refuses to wear a mask, they will not be allowed to enter the facility.
Patient Refusals
Patients coming to the hospital for outpatient procedures and patients coming to our clinics for appointments who refuse to wear a mask will be instructed to return to their vehicle and reschedule. We must put the collective safety of our patients and staff first. Patients who present in the Emergency Department and refuse to wear a mask will not be denied care. However, it will be assumed that the patient may have COVID-19 and if admitted, they will be placed on a COVID floor where no visitors are allowed. All patients are encouraged to wear a mask throughout their hospital stay. Failing to wear a mask puts a patient at increased risk of contracting COVID-19.
Medical Exceptions
If a patient has a medical exception to wearing a mask, they will be required to show documentation of such a condition. This documentation will be reviewed at the point of service to determine how to best provide safe care. In some cases, patients may be able to use telemedicine services with a telephone or video appointment in order to protect themselves and their caregivers in absence of a mask. To learn more about telemedicine visits, click here: https://www.sanjuanregional.com/sjhp.
Any visitors with medical exceptions to wearing a mask will not be allowed in to the hospital. In order to provide safe care, we require all of our visitors to abide by our limited visitor policy, which includes wearing a mask. We encourage alternative methods of communication with patients, such as video chats like FaceTime and Skype. They can also send an ecard which will be delivered directly to the patient, here: https://www.sanjuanregional.com/egreeting/.
Our goal is not to deny patients and visitors from entering our facilities. Our goal, both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, is safety. Core Value of Sacred Trust calls on us to do what is right for our patients, no matter what. We must protect our patients and our staff by asking that everyone abide by our universal mask policy. We also stand by the governor’s mandate requiring everyone to wear masks in public as we work together to stop the spread of this devastating disease.