Initiatives to Reduce the Spread of
COVID-19
Outdoor
Screening: Naval Health
Clinic Lemoore has implemented 100% screening for everyone who enters the
facility that include health questions and temperature checks prior to entering
the clinic’s single entry point.
Triage
Tent: A triage tent has
been set up to allow patients with respiratory illness symptoms (fever, cough,
and shortness of breath), a history of travel, and believed exposure to
COVID-19, to be screened prior to entering NHCL.
Those who are seeking evaluation for
flu-like illnesses or potential COVID-19 infection will be directed to an
outdoor area or their cars where they will be checked-in, triaged, and
evaluated by a licensed provider.
During the triage process, the providers
will determine if further evaluation and testing is needed, or if patients can
proceed home for self-observation.
The outdoor screening process is
primarily to determine the right course of care for patients.
Virtual Health: Primary
and specialty care services have moved to employ virtual health resources on a
much broader scale, maintaining direct communication between providers and
patients.
Medical Services
Bottom Line Up Front: Protecting
the health and safety of our patients and staff and conserving limited
resources are our top priorities at this time and NHCL is taking the following actions:
·
Resume wellness and preventive visits, prioritizing
care to high risk patients and preventive care that was deferred, particularly
for maintaining active duty readiness and deployability.
·
Limit dental services to readiness exams and
non-aerosol generating procedures until conditions change.
·
Continue to encourage use of telehealth /
virtual health for care delivery as appropriate.
·
Continue to limit points of entry at all
facilities to ensure all staff, patients, and visitors are screened for
COVID-19 symptoms.
·
Limit visitors to ensure social distancing is
maintained.
·
Ensure outpatient facilities and waiting areas
have adequate space for maintaining social distancing.
·
Promote use of the Nurse Advice Line for care
options for all beneficiaries, 1-800-TRICARE, option 1.
·
Continue to appropriately triage patients with
COVID-19 symptoms.
·
Designated specific rooms for known or suspected
COVID-19 patients.
Acute Services: Acute services across all service lines continue to
be maintained.
Routine Services: Each clinic
is assessing the capability, need, and safety for resuming routine services at
this time. Clinical decisions to restart services and procedures will be based
on a risk assessment by subject matter experts.
Mental
Health:
Mental Health will continue to provide outpatient and acute services, observing
social distancing and COVID-19 screening procedures to ensure safety.
Continuing
Psychiatric Care: Patients requiring continuing psychiatric
care will remain in their barracks/housing and utilize telehealth care options.
Some patients may require in-person care, and NHCL will continue to support
that care. Patients are encouraged to use telehealth care options. Patients
will contact the outpatient Mental Health Clinic to schedule a telehealth
appointment or discuss care needs.
Outpatient
Mental Health:
This clinic has transitioned to telehealth, meaning care is provided
telephonically for all low acuity and stable outpatients. Patients can be
brought in by exception for urgent care situations. Non-urgent care is on hold
until further notice. Patients will contact the clinic to schedule a telehealth
appointment.
Substance
Abuse Rehabilitation Program (SARP): SARP
remains unchanged. High complexity patients are being deferred to outside
network hospitals as necessary.
Primary Care: NHCL Medical Home Port remains open for
primary care services and acute care. Face-to-face appointments for urgent care
services will be available as well as telehealth/virtual appointments for
routine medical needs.
Appointments
will be made through the appointment call center at 559-998-0889. Clinic hours
and times are not being reduced at this time.
Hours
of Operation:
·
Monday–Thursday,
7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
·
Friday,
8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Active Duty Sick Call:
Active Duty Sick Call remains
open for primary care services and acute care. Face-to-face appointments for
urgent care services will be available as well as telehealth/virtual
appointments for routine medical needs.
·
Monday–Thursday,
7-7:30 a.m.
Hornet Health Clinic: The Hornet Health
Clinic remains open and dedicated to serving the health care needs of active
duty service members with needing periodic health assessments (PHA), separation
physicals, and all other appointments for medical readiness.
Surgical Services: All patient with deployment clearance and
post-operative orthopedic appointments will be seen.
Anesthesia will
be staffed for operating rooms on a case-by-case
basis.
Obstetrics will
continue to see both acute and routine cases. Gynecology will continue see
urgent and emergent patients.
Clinical Support Services:
Physical Therapy: Physical Therapy (PT) is prioritizing
appointments for operational forces who are due to deploy, post-operative patients,
and acute appointments. PT is screening all other patients for home care
options.
Pharmacy: Effective
July 1, the Pharmacy’s hours of operation are:
·
Monday—Friday,
7:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
·
Saturday,
9 a.m.–1 p.m.
·
Sundays
and Holidays, closed
The
pharmacy will continue its drive-thru service for patients picking up
medication. The line for pick-up is located at the west side of the building,
near the flag pole.
Medication
call-in:
·
Refills
via AudioCare or with pharmacy staff. For all refills, please use the refill
line at 559-998-4454 or 1-888-253-1832.
·
New
prescriptions from DOD provider via pharmacy staff member
·
New
prescriptions from non-DOD provider via pharmacy staff member
Hardcopies
of prescriptions can be dropped off with the pharmacy team at the west entrance
and patients will be called when their medication is ready for pick-up.
Radiology: Basic diagnostic x-rays
are available.
Occupational
Health Clinic:
The main side Occupational Health Clinic is temporarily closed. All Occupational Health matters will be
processed at the Occupational Health Clinic at the Hornet Health Clinic on the
operational side.
Operational
Side Occupational Health Clinic hours:
·
Monday–Thursday,
7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
·
Friday,
8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
To reach an Occupational Health staff member,
please call 559-998-4320 or 559-998-432-3301.
Dental Services: Dental services will continue to be provided
in support of active duty readiness and emergencies. Limited dental services
will be provided for readiness exams and non-aerosol generating procedures.
Health Care Business Office:
The Health Care Business office is available for TRICARE, referrals, beneficiary
counseling, customer service, debt collections, enrollment and case management
needs.
Questions & Answers
Q1: Does the clinic have the ability to
test for COVID-19?
A1: NHCL is not
a testing lab. While NHCL does not have the ability to conduct confirmation
testing, providers are able to collect samples and submit to DOD labs for
testing and confirmation.
Q2: Where can Navy Sailors and Navy
civilians find more information concerning COVID-19/all-stop guidance?
A2: Navy military
members and their families who have questions regarding COVID-19 guidance or
entitlements associated with stop movement should contact the MyNavy Career
Center (1-833-330-6622) or email AskMNCC@navy.mil. Detailers are ready
to support all order modifications and commands should work with their
placement officers. Navy civilians should work with their local Human Resources
Office.
Q3: What actions is the clinic taking
during this pandemic?
A3: Naval Health
Clinic Lemoore remains open and dedicated to serving the health care needs of
active duty service members, family members, and beneficiaries. As Naval Health
Clinic Lemoore responds to the COVID-19 pandemic, staff have implemented
additional health protection measures to minimize foot traffic throughout the
facility and help mitigate the spread of the virus, enabling us to better
preserve the health and well-being of patients and staff. They remain committed
to providing safe, efficient, and high-quality care to their patients.
Q4: Is Naval Health Clinic Lemoore resuming
services?
A4: While the
pandemic response continues, providing medical care to service members and all
other eligible beneficiaries is a priority. NHCL is thoughtfully and cautiously resuming services, including routine
appointments and elective procedures, as local conditions allow. We will
prioritize cases to maintain active duty readiness and deployability. Health
care providers and specialists will also determine whether the risk of delaying
a procedure outweighs safety concerns. Careful attention will be paid to local
conditions and changes to the level of services available will be adjusted as
required to best protect patients and staff and reduce spread of the virus.
Q5: How is Naval Health Clinic Lemoore conducting the resumption
of services (i.e. new hours, times, locations)?
A5: NHCL will
thoughtfully and cautiously increase availability of routine and preventive
appointments as well as elective procedures as local conditions allow and in
alignment with the Department of Defense’s (DoD) health protection condition (HPCON)
framework and the administration’s “Opening Up America Again” plan. NHCL
continues to encourage the use of virtual care, when appropriate, and is taking
all necessary steps to ensure the health and safety of our patients and staff.
As changes are made to services and operating hours, staff will communicate
through a variety of means to inform beneficiaries.
Q6: What specific services is Naval
Health Clinic Lemoore resuming?
A6: Naval Health
Clinic Lemoore is resuming wellness and preventive visits, prioritizing care to
high risk patients and preventive care that was deferred, particularly for
maintaining active duty readiness and deployability. Additionally, limited
dental services will be provided for readiness exams and non-aerosol generating
procedures. Naval Health Clinic Lemoore will continue to encourage use of
telehealth / virtual health for care delivery as appropriate.
Q7. What should I do if I feel sick or
think I was exposed to the virus that causes COVID-19?
A7. If you have
symptoms of COVID-19, have been in close contact with a person sick with
COVID-19, or traveled to areas where infection is prevalent, don’t make an
appointment or walk into your local military hospital or clinic. Instead, stay
at home and contact your provider or health care professional at any of the
following:
Q8: How can I reach a registered nurse?
A8: There are several ways to reach a registered
nurse:
- Call
the Central Appointment Line at
559-998-0889, or your civilian provider appointment line.
- Call
the 24/7 Nurse Advice Line (1-800-874-2273, option 1).
- Send
a secure message through TRICARE Online Patient Portal to connect with the
health care team.
As always, if you are experiencing a medical emergency,
contact 911.