GH Community Hospital restricts access to non-patients

Grays Harbor Community Hospital has issued further limitations on visitors to the Aberdeen facility.

In an update, the public hospital district announced that “Out of an abundance of caution and in the interest of the health and safety” of patients, they have implemented enhanced visitation rules for the hospital. 

At this time, no visitors will be allowed to the hospital unless they meet one of the exceptions below:

• 1 support person per OB patient.
• Any patient on comfort care (end of life) can have 1 visitor at a time. Each visitor has to go through the Emergency Room to be screened prior to visiting.
• 1 decision maker with power of attorney or appointed by the court.
• Drivers for day surgery patients will be required to give a phone number we can call to have the patient picked up. They will be asked to wait outside the building for the call.
• No visitors under 18 years old.
• No visitors allowed in the critical care unit at this time.
• Any patient who is being tested for COVID-19 and is in isolation will not be allowed visitors.

“We recognize that this is going to be upsetting to some in the community, but steps like this are necessary to minimize the transference of Coronavirus to patients, staff, and the community. The people we are treating are those most vulnerable to COVID-19. Many in Grays Harbor have underlying health issues which are treated at the hospital. The elderly, who are also more likely to be at GHCH, are particularly suspectable to bad outcomes from COVID-19. Please help us keep them safe.”

The hospital states that the ultimate goal is to keep transmission of the virus as low as possible and to keep mortality rates in our community as close to zero as possible. They add that this will be best accomplished with the help and understanding of the public.