You’ve taken every precaution, and so have we.

The safety and health of our patients, caregivers and team members are always our highest priorities.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, RWJBarnabas Health - including our hospitals, outpatient centers and medical group practices - has worked with guidance from the New Jersey Department of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and regional and local health agencies to address this serious public health issue.

Surgeon

For RWJBarnabas Health, as a high reliability organization, safety comes first and is embedded in everything we do. With the safety of our patients and team members at the forefront, we are taking the appropriate precautions and using best practices to continue to ensure the highest quality care, protection, support and comfort for all of our patients.

Some of these measures include:

  • Adherence to the guidance and established criteria of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Hospital Association, leading national associations of nurses, surgeons and anesthesiologists, and the New Jersey Department of Health.
  • Staff vigilance regarding the appropriate use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) with all patients, including COVID-19 positive and non-COVID patients.
  • Stringent cleaning and disinfection throughout our facilities and in all rooms, including equipment and surfaces, frequently and between patients.
  • Screening of visitors (when permitted) upon entering a facility, for symptoms and COVID-19 exposure.
  • EVERY patient admitted to our hospitals will be tested for COVID-19.
  • Requiring everyone who enters a facility — staff as well as visitors — to wear a mask or face covering, per CDC universal masking guidelines and our RWJBarnabas Health mask policy.
  • Continued restriction of visitors.
  • Social and physical distancing measures for all people in our facilities – in all employee and patient areas – such as minimizing time in waiting areas, spacing chairs at least 6 feet apart, marking floors with tape at proper intervals and maintaining low patient flow so as not to cause crowding.
  • Strict hand hygiene and availability of hand sanitizer in all employee and patient areas.
  • Virtual communication for patients to connect with their loved ones.
  • Continued preparation and readiness for potential future surges.

Additionally, to provide appropriate care and reduce the risk of infection for caregivers, we will conduct COVID-19 testing for all surgical patients prior to their procedures, as well as all Emergency Department patients with influenza like illness symptoms; all Emergency Department patients who are admitted to the hospital; and all laboring mothers and their birth partners.

telemedicine

We continue to offer telemedicine for virtual visits. RWJBH TeleMed and Telehealth through the Medical Group.

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We are here for you. We are all in this together.

Thank you for your support and understanding.

COVID-19 Testing

All patients being scheduled for medical procedures will have a COVID-19 test as part of the pre-admission testing process. Patients will also be asked to self-quarantine following testing and up until the day of surgery.



Symptoms, experienced in the last two weeks, for which we will screen include:

  • Felt feverish or had a fever
  • Shortness of breath
  • Cough
  • Chills
  • Repeated shaking with chills
  • Sore throat
  • Muscle/body aches
  • Headache
  • Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea
  • New loss of sense of taste or smell

Additional Steps:

Those who present with no symptoms and report no fever will be permitted entry to the facility and will be provided and required to:

  • Wear a mask at all times
  • Practice hand hygiene upon arrival
  • Maintain 6 feet of distance from others

All patients who are COVID-positive or presumptive positive will continue to be separated from the general population.

Doctor and patient

    Emergency Departments

    We recognize that patients and their families may be fearful of seeking medical care at this time. However, it is vitally important to understand that care should not be delayed for patients experiencing signs and symptoms of a heart attack or stroke or other emergencies. RWJBarnabas Health remains ready to safely provide care in our Emergency Departments.