Franklin Foundation Hospital prepares for COVID-19(Coronavirus) and announce visitor restrictions

Franklin, LA. – In following guidance from the Louisiana Department of Health, Franklin Foundation Hospital will be restricting visitors in an effort to keep our healthcare workers and patients safe from the threat of COVID-19. For the protection of our employees, patients and our community, we are implementing the following measures.
• Restricted Entrances: We will be restricting access to the main entrance of the hospital and our Emergency Department entrance. These entrances will be monitored with a staff member who will screen visitors for travel, contact with someone exposed to COVID-19, signs of fever and respiratory symptoms (cough or shortness of breath). ALL visitors will be screened.
• One Visitor Per Patient: We understand wanting to be close to family and friends while they are recovering from an illness or surgery. To best protect the potential community spread of COVID-19 and to protect those with already compromised immune systems, we are limiting visitor to ONE per patient (in most cases). Visitors that are identified as high risk per the criteria listed above will be asked to go home and will not be able to enter the facility to visit the patient. We WILL NOT allow visitors under the age of 16.
o Our main hospital entrance will be open Monday through Friday from 6:00 am to 5:00 pm staffed with clinical screening.
o Our ED entrance will remain open 24 hours and will be staffed with clinical screening.
• Boulevard Bistro: Our Boulevard Bistro (cafeteria) is closed to the general public, food and nutritional services will be limited to employees and patients ONLY.
• The Physician Practices: Our Physician Practices are limiting office visits to patients ONLY. No visitors unless the patient is in need of physical or mental assistance. If the
patient is a minor, ONE parent will be allowed. Our Physician Practices will employ the
same screening process at the entrances.
• Employees and Vendors: To further protect our patients, employees and our
community, ALL employees and vendors will be required to undergo the same screening
process aforementioned.
• Dedicated webpage about COVID-19: We have crated a page on our website dedicated
to COVID-19. Please visit https://www.franklinfoundation.org/be-prepared-for- coronavirus-covid-19/ for up-to-date information and useful links to the CDC, LDH, LHA, NIH and Hand Hygiene.
Franklin Foundation Hospital strongly encourages those who are experiencing minor symptoms of COVID-19 to isolate themselves for 14 days, avoid contact with other people and pets, practice rigorous hand and body hygiene, disinfect surfaces regularly and avoid sharing items.
We continue to be in contact with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Louisiana Department of Health and Region III Office of Public Health. While in precaution for potential COVID-19 cases, please remember that healthcare workers within the hospital are still treating patients who are in distress, experiencing health scares like heart attack and stroke, and so much more. Now, more than ever, our Emergency Departments need to be used for emergencies.