FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Elizabeth McCown
Director of Risk & Legal Affairs/Public Information Officer
Guadalupe Regional Medical Center
emccown@grmedcenter.com
830.401.7314

[Seguin, Texas] March 31, 2020 — The total of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Guadalupe County has risen to 15 with 1 known case in Seguin. Guadalupe Regional Medical Center continues to remain in a heightened state of preparation for the likely increase of COVID-19 cases.

This afternoon the Guadalupe Regional Medical Center emergency preparedness team had a conference call with Guadalupe County Emergency Management officials, Seguin Emergency Management, Seguin Police Department, Seguin Fire/EMS, and Guadalupe County Judge Kutscher and others to discuss coordination of efforts to manage a potential surge of patients with COVID-19.

Our emergency preparedness team continues to provide daily updates to STRAC (Southwest Texas Regional Advisory Council, our emergency council who assist in providing and monitoring resources for our region) regarding availability of facility beds, ventilators, personal protective equipment and supplies.

GRMC conducts a daily call with our emergency management team to review:

• National and local numbers of COVID-19 cases;
• Known and anticipated staffing and supply issues; and
• Updates from Centers for Disease Control, the Texas Department of Health and Human Services, Texas Hospital Association, Orders from Texas Governor Abbott’s Office, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid guidance, and federal legislation on COVID-19; and
• Modifies processes as necessary.

GRMC’s no visitor policy (with exceptions for special patient populations) will continue until further notice. One visitor will be allowed only for the following circumstances: Childbirth, End of Life, parent of pediatric patients, and goodbye visit of military personnel departing for deployment, and designated caregiver for patients who are unable to communicate medical decisions. Out-patient surgery patients will need to arrange to be dropped off and picked up.

Visitors will continue to be screened for travel, fever, and respiratory symptoms and no visitors under the age of 13 allowed. At this time we have closed the Patient Tower entrance and will be processing patients through the Central and ER entrances. The Central tower entrance is open Monday-Friday 6 am-6pm and the ER entrance is open 24 hours a day.

GRMC knows that social and emotional support are important aspects of patient care. We have a team of IT and counseling professionals working to arrange alternate methods of communication to keep our patients linked to their families.

COVID-19 is a serious situation and continues to evolve. GRMC will continue to evaluate and respond to provide the best and safest care possible in these challenging times.