Coronavirus Updates
All of us at GHC-SCW are working diligently to monitor rapidly changing conditions about the spread of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). Our highest priority is the health and well-being of our membership, our staff and our community. Like every organization today, we are following the advice of the Center for Disease and Prevention (CDC) and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) to determine the appropriate adjustments to when, where, and how we work.
If you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, please contact your Primary Care Clinic to talk to a nurse or utilize one of our virtual care options listed below. If you are experiencing symptoms after hours and would like to speak to a GHC-SCW nurse, please call our 24/7 GHC NurseConnect line: 608-661-7350 or toll free 855-661-7350.
If you are experiencing severe symptoms please call 911.
We kindly ask that patients with COVID-19 symptoms within the previous 7 days or with close household exposure to someone who has confirmed COVID-19 in the previous 14 days to please reschedule all non-urgent appointments. This includes specialty care and non-urgent primary care.
Important GHC-SCW Updates
Operating Hours
All clinic sites, except Capitol-Regent Mental Health, have returned to what their normal operating hours were before COVID-19. You can view our current clinic hours by clicking here or by visiting our GHC-SCW website.
Closed Clinic Site
At this time, GHC-SCW Mental Health is continuing to offer care to members virtually through video visits or telephone-only consultations. Regular in-person office visits are not available to members at Capitol-Regent Mental Health at this time. Only patients with an appointment will be allowed to enter the Deforest Clinic. Please call ahead to schedule an appointment.
We recommend our members utilize our telehealth and virtual visit services by visiting *GHC Care OnDemand or virtuwell.
*Members with Badgercare, Medicare or HSA-Eligible plans have restrictions or limitations.
VIRTUAL CARE OPTIONS
Many GHC-SCW departments like Mental Health, Clinical Health Education, PT/OT, and Primary Care are offering virtual visits for certain conditions. Please contact your clinic to learn more about virtual visit options with our GHC-SCW clinics.
GHC Care OnDemand is our new 24/7 Online Clinic. Appointments are not needed for medical visits and the service is free* for most GHC-SCW members. Appointments are available to be scheduled for virtual therapy or psychiatry visits through GHC Care OnDemand. Visit ghccareondemand.com to start a virtual visit. *Members with Badgercare, Medicare or HSA-Eligible plans have restrictions or limitations.
Virtuwell is another virtual visit option. Visit virtuwell. Describe your symptoms in a simple online questionnaire. A board-certified nurse practitioner will create a treatment plan, with prescriptions if necessary, and notify you within 30 minutes by email or text. As a GHC-SCW member, you receive three free visits to virtuwell per member per plan year! *Members with Medicare or HSA-Eligible plans have restrictions or limitations.
COVID-19 Testing Information
Please click here for more information on COVID-19 antibody testing and here for more information on insurance coverage.
GHC-SCW charges $76 for a COVID-19 Antibody Test (86769) and $150 for a COVID-19 Diagnostic Laboratory Test (87635). Additional services unrelated to the diagnosis and testing for COVID-19 during the same visit may result in additional charges.
WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN VISITING A GHC-SCW CLINIC
Please know that we are taking great steps to protect patients in our clinics and that providing safe care for all of our patients has always been our top priority. Patient safety and care has driven many GHC-SCW operational changes in the last several months. We want GHC-SCW members to be aware of the changes they will see as they return to our clinics. Some of the measures implemented to ensure patient safety include:
Clinic Symptom Screening
GHC-SCW staff will screen all members during appointment scheduling and members will be additionally screened during their appointment time at a GHC-SCW clinic.
Required Face-Coverings
GHC-SCW requires all staff, patients and support people to wear face-coverings at all times, including walking into a clinic from the parking lot and during the entire visit to a GHC-SCW clinic. Please know that we have limited personal protective equipment (PPE), therefore we ask that you bring your own face-covering or mask, if possible. As supplies last, we may be able to provide a cloth or paper face covering to patients who arrive without their own face coverings. If a patient arrives at one of our clinics without their own face covering, we may ask them to wait outside until they can be brought directly to the room of their appointment and/or reschedule their non-essential appointment(s).
*Face coverings should not be placed on children aged 2 and under, anyone with trouble breathing, or who is otherwise unable to remove their face covering without assistance.
Patient Gloves Not Recommended
We kindly ask that members do not wear gloves into our GHC-SCW clinics. Members will be asked to remove their gloves before proceeding to their scheduled appointment. This handout from Association for Professionals in Infection Control (APIC) explains the risks associated with glove use in public places. Read more.
Additional Patient Resources
In the face of growing medical necessity, innovation is needed to keep both providers and patients safe. We are so proud of our Chief of Staff Dr. Alison Craig for inventing a sustainable way to allow COVID-19 testing to be administered without needing as much personal protective equipment. This equipment such as gowns, head covers, masks, and shoe covers are in great demand and under global shortage. These items are necessary to keep providers safe enough to do their jobs. It is staff like Alison that we are celebrating during this time as we lean on all medical professionals who are willing to risk their own well-being to keep us healthy.
Thank you for your continued patience while we work to keep our membership healthy and safe. We truly are BETTER TOGETHER.
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