AltaMed Health Services Ensures Safety of Patients and Staff During Outbreak of the Novel Coronavirus
As confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) continue to increase in Los Angeles and Orange counties, AltaMed Health Services, the nation’s largest federally qualified community health center, has updated the way it delivers care across all health services to ensure the safety of all of its patients and employees.
"Our organization has been working tirelessly to implement rapid response plans, conduct drills and distribute educational tools to ensure our employees are well-prepared to care for our community,” said Sherrill Brown, M.D., medical director, infection prevention at AltaMed. “This is a fluid situation that is changing frequently and our team is closely following recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the state, and our local health departments to reduce the spread of infection in the communities we serve.”
At this time, AltaMed has implemented the following:
Outdoor Assessments: AltaMed will provide drive-through assessments for those who have cold or flu-like symptoms to evaluate whether or not they need to be tested. High-risk patients are evaluated for testing because of their greater risk for complications, which require higher levels of care.
o High risk patients are defined as:
Persons older than 65 years old
Those who are pregnant
People with multiple chronic conditions
Those with compromised immune systems
People with severe symptoms
Low-risk patients are asked to follow recommendations for home care and self-isolation. As tests become more available, testing criteria may be expanded per Public Health protocols.
Evaluation center locations
Patients must call (888) 499-9303 before visiting any center.
Los Angeles County
AltaMed Medical and Dental Group – Commerce, Goodrich
972 Goodrich Blvd.
Commerce, CA 90022
AltaMed Medical Group - Pico Rivera, Passons
6336 Passons Blvd.
Pico Rivera, CA 90660
AltaMed Medical and Dental Group - South Gate
8627 Atlantic Ave.
South Gate, CA 90280
Orange County
AltaMed Urgent Care — Anaheim
1325 N Anaheim Blvd., Ste. 101
Anaheim, CA 92801
AltaMed Medical Group - Santa Ana Bristol
2720 South Bristol St., Ste. 110
Santa Ana, CA 92704
Primary Care: AltaMed clinics are still open to help patients manage chronic conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure, or prenatal care. Appointments related to nutrition, behavioral health and HIV care are being conducted over the phone whenever possible. AltaMed has asked all patients to call before visiting any location.
Dental: In accordance with California Dental Association recommendations, AltaMed has suspended non-urgent dental procedures with the exception of urgent and emergency treatments.
Program for All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE): The PACE program provides care for those who are 55 and older and designated by the state to need nursing-level care. The PACE health center will remain open only for those participants who have critical medical needs that are unable to be managed in a home setting due to lack of family or caregiver resources. The health center is cleaned and disinfected, following strict protocols, in between patient visits to reduce the spread of infection. For participants that are not coming into the center, PACE staff are making frequent phone calls, home visits and wellness checks to ensure they have the resources needed to remain comfortable.
Behavioral Health: Appointments are offered through telephone.
HIV/AIDS Care and Prevention: To protect immunocompromised patients, physicians are contacting patients and setting up telephone appointments if possible. The prevention team is exploring alternative options for their health education programs.
If you develop symptoms of COVID-19 including fever, cough or shortness of breath and believe you have been exposed to coronavirus, call your primary physician first since they know your medical history. If you don’t have one, you can call AltaMed at (888) 499-9303 for evaluation, especially if you have other health conditions. It is important to call ahead before coming into the clinic, so that staff can prepare and avoid putting you and others at risk. Be sure to tell your health care provider about recent travel or any close contacts that may have coronavirus. If you develop severe symptoms such as severe shortness of breath that require immediate medical evaluation, call 911 or visit your nearest emergency room.
To learn more about AltaMed
AltaMed Covid-19 Response
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