Stony Brook Eastern Long Island Hospital Screening Process for Patients Presenting with Symptoms
All patients who present to the institution, both to ambulatory sites and the Emergency Department, are screened on arrival using the CDC recommendations.
Questions include fever or symptoms of acute respiratory illness such as cough and difficulty breathing. In addition to travel history, patients are asked about exposure to known cases of COVID-19 in the last 14 days before symptom onset.
Should a patient arrive at the hospital with cough or fever, they are directed to put on a mask before entering the ED.
Anyone who the clinician believes is a suspected case of COVID-19 is immediately placed on respiratory isolation, and infection control and the Department of Health is contacted.
Anyone from across Long Island, not just in Suffolk, who has contacted the New York State Department of Health at 888-364-3065 and has been deemed high risk or symptomatic by DOH will be tested. Anyone who believes they’re at risk should call the DOH Hotline, 888-364-3065, and talk to experts to determine if and how they should be tested.
Isolation is strictly enforced. The CDC has guidelines to limit staff exposure to these potentially infected COVID-19 patients before test results are available.
Nursing, physician and ancillary staff involved in the care of these patients have been trained in appropriate precautions.
We are making contingency plans should we see a surge of patients that exceed capacity.
