COVID-19 Updates
Safe. Open. Here For You.
Lake Charles Memorial Health System is open for medical care including imaging and diagnostics, emergency services, procedures and surgeries, rehabilitation, and physician office appointments. The region’s largest health care provider has enhanced safety protocols at each of our care locations to help protect and reassure patients, including those whose care may have been postponed due to the pandemic.
Bring Your Own Mask
Patients coming for outpatient and physician appointments are to have a personal mask and wear it upon entry into any facility. Masks must be worn the entire time while in our facility. Exceptions for acutely ill patients will be based on the patient’s ability to tolerate the mask as determined by the care team. Patients outside of their room are to always be masked (in transport to imaging, surgery, etc.).
Visitor Restrictions as of 07/02/20
Memorial is enacting a NO VISITOR policy on all campuses with the following guidelines:
MEMORIAL MAIN CAMPUS & CLINICS
INPATIENT
- No visitor unless the patient requires one visitor to provide personal care or communication with the care team
- Must bring and wear a personal mask upon entry into the facility and at all times while in the facility including in the patient room
- Visitor can enter the building one time per day and are not allowed to come and go
- Exceptions are made based on end-of-life and critical illness per the care team
CLINICS/PHYSICIAN OFFICES
- No visitor unless the patient requires one visitor to provide personal care or communication with the care team
- Patient/visitor must bring and wear a personal mask at all times
SURGERY
- No visitor unless the patient requires one visitor to provide personal care or communication with the care team
- Visitor must bring and wear personal mask at all times
CATH LAB
- No visitors
OUTPATIENT DIAGNOSTICS (LAB, X-RAY)
- No visitors
ENDOSCOPY
- No visitors
EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT
- No visitor unless the patient requires one visitor to provide personal care or communication with the care team
- Children may have parents/legal guardians present
- Visitor must bring and wear personal mask at all times
PEDIATRICS
- Patients are allowed 2 parents/legal guardians to visit
- Must bring and wear a personal mask upon entry into the facility and at all times while in the facility including in the patient room
- Visitors can enter the building one time per day and are not allowed to come and go
- Exceptions made based on end-of-life and critical illness per the care team
MEMORIAL for WOMEN CAMPUS
INPATIENT
- One designated visitor (significant other/parent/grandparent)
- Must bring and wear a personal mask upon entry into the facility and at all times while in the facility including in the patient room
- Visitor can enter the building one time per day and are not allowed to come and go
- One visitor may stay overnight. If not staying overnight visitor must exit the building by 8:00 p.m.
- No visitors
- No visitor unless the patient requires one visitor to provide personal care or communication with the care team
- Visitor must bring and wear personal mask at all times
- No visitors
- No visitors unless the patient requires the visitor to provide personal care or communication with the care team
- Patients/visitors must bring and wear a mask at all times.
ARCHER INSTITUTE (Behavioral Health)
- No visitors
Restrictions in Place at Memorial
Patients needing to access admissions/appointments/procedures/MOB I office visits (at the front of the hospital) should enter through the main entrance lobby on Oak Park Boulevard between 5 AM – 6 PM, Monday-Friday. Valet parking is available Monday - Friday.The main lobby entrance is closed on weekends and after 6 PM weekdays.
Patients with appointments/office visits in MOB II (at the rear of the hospital) can use that entrance for clinic visits, lab, infusions, and pharmacy from 6 AM – 5 PM, Monday-Friday only. The MOB II entrance is closed on weekends.
Patients may access Emergency Services 24/7 at the ER entrance on 2nd Avenue.
After 8 PM only pre-approved visitors in the event of a critical illness event may enter through the Emergency Department.
If you accompany a patient for an appointment that does not require a caregiver, the non essential caregiver will not be allowed to wait in the lobby areas within the hospital. You must wait outside or in your vehicle.
Moonbeam Disinfecting Technology
Memorial is using the Moonbeam technology which is a portable, powerful
solution that disinfects quickly, reliably and responsibly. MoonBeam is
designed for fast, on-demand disinfection of high-touch surfaces in patient
rooms, operating rooms and bathrooms and can be used on patient care equipment,
fixtures, keyboards, monitors and work stations on wheels.
Three individually-adjustable, articulating arms can be positioned at almost any angle to target the UVC light. Moonbeam is quick and easy to use, with operation cycles as short as 3 minutes. Its unique design allows it to be used in more places and its targeted, high efficiency dosing increases speed.
COVID-19 Symptoms & Testing
The CDC has added these symptoms to its list of COVID-19 signs and symptoms. Previously, it highlighted just three symptoms: fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Now, the list includes:
- Chills
- Repeated shaking with chills
- Muscle pain
- Headache
- Sore throat
- New loss of taste or smell
If you have a primary care physician, you may contact them to discuss symptoms and how to proceed.
Mobile testing sites are available on certain days and times throughout Southwest Louisiana. In partnership with the Louisiana Department of Health’s Office of Public Health and local parish governments, the Louisiana National Guard will be operating mobile testing sites to make it more convenient for residents. Information can be found at here.
What You Need to Know About Masks & Gloves
The Latest News From the Louisiana Department of Health
Local Health Care Businesses
Do your patients, family members, chaplains or employees need emotional support during these times? Our Palliative Care Manager, Nancy Coffey, RN, MSN, is available for free phone consultations to address anxiety, stress and grief. Please call (337) 494-2273.
What is Palliative Care? A holistic approach of care that focuses on the comprehensive management of the physical, spiritual, cultural, and emotional needs of patients and their families dealing with serious, life-limiting illnesses.The goal isto alleviate all types of suffering through communication, education, and comfort.
