Queen’s North Hawaii Community Hospital in Waimea will be a testing site for COVID-19 starting this week.
The testing will be processed through Diagnostic Laboratory, which now has the ability to run tests on Oahu, according to a Sunday media release from The Queen’s Health Systems.
Testing will be available from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays at the entrance to the Lucy Henriques building.
Testing will require a physician’s order, Queen’s said.
Also Monday, NHCH will begin temperature screening for all employees, physicians and visitors, who must use a single entrance.
From 5 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., all people entering the facility will need to use the front lobby. After 8:30 p.m., entry is via the emergency department.
To be permitted entry, persons must have their temperature checked and be given a sticker each day.
Visiting hours will also be restricted to 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. There will be a limit of two visitors per patient, and visitors must be screened for flu-like symptoms.Visitors must be at least age 12.
The Queen’s Health Systems’ 24/7 COVID-19 information line at (808) 691-2619 is available for medical-related questions only.
Meanwhile, Kona Community Hospital in Kealakekua remains ready should a presumptive positive COVID-19 patient come to the facility.
“We have not experienced a major surge at this point, but are prepared for this if needed,” Sean McNeal, MS, MSN, the hospital’s chief nurse executive and assistant hospital administrator, said Sunday.
The Hawaii Health Systems Corp. facility continues to require visitors to enter through the admissions door, located north of the emergency room, entrance from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. After 5 p.m. visitors must enter via the ER.
In addition, unlike Queen’s in Waimea, Kona Community Hospital is “not a testing site at present.”
“We advise our community to first call their health care provider or an urgent care clinic unless patients are experiencing an emergency or severe and/or life-threatening symptoms,” McNeal said. “This will help us provide timely emergent care to those patients who truly need it.”
Hilo Medical Center will also be a testing site starting Tuesday. Access restrictions are also in place at the facility.