Facebook (Naval
Health Clinic Oak Harbor):
Initiatives to Reduce the Spread of
COVID-19
Infection Control
Measures: We
adhere to strict cleaning and safety standards, with protocols in place to
quickly identify and isolate patients with COVID-19 symptoms. We take the
health of our community seriously and have an expert team ready to provide you
with safe, reliable health care. We are here. We are ready.
As
with all services and areas available to our patients during the COVID-19
pandemic, the reinforcement of protective safety precautions for all patients
and staff is our first priority in re-introducing services. Health and safety
protocols for staff and patients during any visit will be strictly enforced and
will include:
Health
screening prior to entry to any building.
Modified Visitor
Policy: To
prevent the spread of COVID-19 and protect the health and safety our patients
and safe, we are restricting visitors during the pandemic. It is important for
patients to come to their appointment unaccompanied; however, one support
person is allowed, if needed.
The
OB/Gyn Clinic is implementing a strict "one person in the exam room"
policy. We are attempting to minimize the risk of transmission of the virus to
staff and patients, many of which are considered high risk. Spouses,
significant others, and family members to include children and friends will not
be permitted in exam rooms with patients.
The
health and safety of our patients and staff is paramount at this time and we
appreciate your understanding.
Mandatory Face
Coverings: It
is a mandatory requirement for everyone to wear a cloth face covering upon
entry to any building (unless prohibited by a medical condition).
PPE: All staff will be
required to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) as required by the care
and treatment being provided.
Physical Distancing: For everyone's safety,
we will strongly encourage physical distancing in patient waiting areas.
Medical
Services
Bottom Line Up Front: Any
changes will be made to protect our patients and staff, and to conserve limited
resources. Specifically, Naval Health Clinic Oak Harbor will:
·
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: Behavioral Health (BH) continues to provide
acute walk-in services. Face-to-face appointments are available to new
patients, those on Limited Duty, and as determined by provider. Most groups are
once again running and the current schedule is as follows:
·
Monday, 1300-1430, Sexual Trauma Group
·
Tuesday, 1000-1200, Combat PTSD Group
·
Wednesday, 1100-1200, Mindfulness and
Meditation
·
Friday, 1100-1200, Men's Group
Due to the ongoing need to limit exposures for
patients and staff, many Behavioral Health follow-up appointments will still be
conducted over the phone. To find out which type of appointment is scheduled,
patient can contact BH between the hours of 0730-1600 at 360-257-9484/9485.
Substance Abuse Rehabilitation Program (SARP)
referrals will continue as normal.
Guidance for IMPACT, OP, IOP, and group can be provided by calling the
clinic at 360-257-2394. SARP follow-up appointments are conducted over the
phone or in person. The clinic is open
Monday–Friday, 0730-1600.
Primary Care:
Aviation
Medicine: Aviation Medicine continues to support the
mission by keeping our units deployable and ready to respond to our Nation's
demands. Deployment Health and other ancillary services will be available for
operational requirements.
Family Medicine:
In addition to caring for all acute
needs, NHCOH Medical Homeports have resumed wellness and preventive visits,
prioritizing care to high risk patients and preventive care that was deferred,
particularly for maintaining active duty readiness and deployability.
Pediatrics: Well child care
includes all well baby visits through age 2 years old, as well as 4- and 11-year
well visits. We encourage children to stay up to date on immunizations, which
can be given on the same day as an appointment. If a well child visit is not
needed, but a child is due for, or behind in, routine vaccinations, parents can
call the Immunizations Clinic at 360-257-9591 prior to arrival.
OB/GYN Care: OB continues to manage prenatal care using a
reduced visit schedule augmented by virtual/telephone appointments.
GYN
care will prioritize acute care needs and operational readiness. The walk-in
contraception clinic will remain closed for the time being but virtual and face-to-face
appointments are available. Elective procedures are being managed on a case-by-case
basis. Providers will discuss the need for surgery with patients, if necessary.
Orthopedic Services: Orthopedics has resumed in-person
appointments to include consults and follow up appointments. Priority will be given to acute injuries and
operational readiness concerns.
Virtual/telephone appointments will be utilized where appropriate. Elective procedures are being managed on a
case by case basis. Your provider will
discuss the need for surgical management with you if necessary.
Clinical Support
Services:
Physical
Therapy: Physical Therapy is accepting referrals and
will continue to operate utilizing both virtual and in-person encounters.
In-person services remain reduced.
Immediate
post-operative patients, patients with acute injuries, and other patients whose
conditions require hands-on care as assessed by the Physical Therapists, will
receive in-clinic services. All other patients will be managed with home
exercise programs and scheduled re-evaluations to take place either in-clinic
or over the phone. Patients can schedule
appointments by phone at 360-257-9695.
Laboratory:
The
lab continues to provide support to our providers, prioritizing acute care,
pandemic surveillance, and operational readiness while supporting routine
laboratory evaluations. The lab is open Monday–Friday, 0700-1600, and they can
be contacted at 360-257-9670.
The laboratory
will be open Monday–Friday, 0700-1600, with the following provisions:
·
From
0700 until 0930, patients will be prioritized by those needed fasting labs (as
directed by their provider) and active duty undergoing flight physicals or
PHAs.
·
From
0930 until 1600, lab services are available for all patients, including those
needing routine work ups.
Pharmacy: Pharmacy
hours for new prescriptions and refills, will be Monday-Friday, 0730-1600. NHCOH Pharmacy also offers delivery of
prescription medications and refills to active-duty patients at commands aboard
NASWI via the Mobile Pharmacy Unit (MPU).
Radiology: Radiology continues to
support our providers, to include routine evaluations. Radiology will be open from M-F from
0730-1600 for walk-in X-Ray studies as directed by your care provider. To schedule Ultrasound and CT exams, please
call x9630.
Dental
Services: Dental services have
expanded to include ALL Active Duty readiness exams and procedures. Emergent
care (sick call) continues. On July 6th, hygiene cleanings will start
back-up. Routine (elective) operative
procedures are still suspended.
Modified
Visitor Policy
To
prevent the spread of COVID-19 and protect the health and safety our patients
and safe, we are restricting visitors during the pandemic. It is important for
patients to come to their appointment unaccompanied; however, one support
person may be allowed, if needed, which will be determined by the clinic on a
case-by-case basis.
To
minimize the risk of transmission of the virus to staff and patients, many of
whom are considered high risk, the OB/Gyn Clinic is implementing a strict
policy allowing only the patient into the exam room. Spouses, significant
others, and family members to include children and friends, are not permitted
in the exam room. The health and safety of our patients and staff is paramount
at this time and we appreciate your understanding.
Questions
& Answers
Q1: Does the clinic have the ability to
test for COVID-19?
A1: We continue
to remain in close coordination with Madigan Army Medical Center (MAMC) to have
access to test kits and ensure compliance with all testing procedures. We
follow CDC guidelines in determining when to test patients exhibiting possible
COVID-19 symptoms. NHCOH is not a testing lab. While NHCOH does not have the
ability to conduct confirmation testing, providers are able to collect samples
and submit to DOD or local laboratories 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: NHCOH remains
open and dedicated to serving the health care needs of our active duty service
members, family members, and beneficiaries. As NHCOH 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 NHCOH resuming services?
A4: Yes. As
elective procedures are resumed, health care providers at NHCOH 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 and logistical 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 NHCOH conducting the resumption
of services (i.e. new hours, times, locations)?
A5: NHCOH has
begun a phased approach to resuming elective procedures in alignment with the
Department of Defense’s (DoD) health protection condition (HPCON) framework and
the administration’s “Opening Up America Again” plan. NHCOH 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
services resume and operating hours and locations return to normal, staff will
communicate through a variety of means to inform beneficiaries.
Q6: What specific services is NHCOH
resuming?
A6: NHCOH 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. NHCOH 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 or contact the
Nurse Advice Line at:
- Nurse Advice Line (1-800-874-2273,
option 1), who will assess your symptoms
Q8: How can I reach a registered nurse?
A8: There are several ways to reach a registered
nurse:
- Call
the Puget Sound Military Appointing Center or your civilian provider
appointment line.
- Call
the 24/7 Nurse Advice Line (1-800-874-2273, option 1).
·
Call your clinic primary care team, or your
civilian provider.
·
Send a secure message through MHS GENESIS
Patient Portal to your clinic primary care team.
As always, if you are experiencing a medical emergency,
contact 911.