UW Medicine Orcas Clinic is now increasing in-person visits

–UW Medicine Orcas Island Clinic —

UW Medicine is pleased to announce that the Orcas Island Clinic is in the process of increasing in-person visits. As we increase the number of patients in the clinic, we want to assure you that we are committed to creating the safest possible environment for your care and have put many new safety measures in place for your protection. These new safety measures include:

Masking of UW Medicine Staff, Patients and Visitors
- All staff, patients and visitors in our clinics must wear a mask to protect against COVID-19 transmission. For patients and visitors, these can be cloth face covers or personal masks. We will provide masks to patients and visitors who arrive without their own masks.
Screening of Patients and Visitors
- Patients and visitors will be screened at check in for symptoms of respiratory illness. These symptoms include chills, cough, fever, gastrointestinal issues (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea), headache, loss of sense of smell and/or taste, muscle pain, runny nose, shortness of breath, and sore throat.
Physical Distancing of Patients
- We are reconfiguring our clinical area, waiting room and schedules wherever possible to optimize and maintain physical distancing precautions.
Mandatory Screening of UW Medicine Staff
- All UW Medicine employees are required to sign a form every day at the start of their shift to indicate that they do not have a fever or symptoms of any respiratory illness. Those employees who have symptoms of a respiratory illness are required to stay home until they have recovered completely. All employees also have quick access to COVID-19 testing when they have symptoms of the disease.
Hand Hygiene
- Creating a safe environment for our patients begins with hand hygiene. Our care team members will continue to wash their hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer before they care for you.
Visitor Restrictions
- With certain exceptions, we request that only necessary family members and/or caregivers accompany patients in the clinic. Visitors with COVID-19 symptoms are instructed not to enter our facilities.
Ongoing Efforts to Ensure the Highest Level of Safety
- We continue to learn about COVID-19 and adapt our care practices to reflect the latest recommendations from our UW Medicine experts, who are recognized as national leaders in the fields of infectious disease and virology. We also work very closely to assure your safety with our partners at San Juan County Public Health and Washington State Department of Health.