PARIS, TN – Henry County Medical Center announced today that beginning Saturday, June 27, 2020 they are making some modifications and clarifications to the visitation policy that was released on June 15.

General visitation for HCMC will continue to be from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Only two visitors are permitted in a patient’s room at a time. In some cases, a friend or family member may stay overnight. This will be approved on a case-by-case basis. Children under the age of 13 are not allowed to visit unless otherwise noted. Please note that Entrance Hours are changing for the facility:

Entrance Hours: The front circle entrance and the patient parking lot/bridge entrance will be locked daily at 5 p.m. to 5 a.m. and will be locked on the weekends starting at 5 p.m. on Friday to open at 5 a.m. on Monday. The Emergency Department entrance will continue to be open 24 hours a day.
Emergency Department – Only one support person may be allowed with the patient based on the patient’s age and condition. If the patient is not able to have a person in the ER room with him or her, the support person can wait in the waiting room. No other waiting room visitors will be allowed.

At Henry County Medical Center, our goal is to ensure the safety of our patients, visitors, and staff. With COVID-19, many of our policies and procedures have changed because of federal, state, and local policies as well as procedures outlined to us by the CDC and JCAHO. Currently, our visitation policy states that no one under the age of 13 is allowed into our facility unless they are a patient. Additionally, there is only one visitor allowed in the Emergency Department with the patient and in the waiting room. Visitation for CCU is closed, depending on the status of COVID-19 patients. If there are any suspected COVID-19 patients in any of our units, those units are closed to visitation or they are monitored and visitation is determined based on infection control procedures. All other visitation guidelines released on June 15 will remain the same.

Because of the restrictions, we communicate with the visitor or family member that is provided as the immediate contact and it is up to that individual to communicate to the rest of the family or other friends and visitors.

Safety protocols put in place regarding care include, but are not limited to:

All individuals entering Henry County Medical Center facilities, including partners and providers, will continue to be screened for COVID-19 symptoms including temperature checks daily.
All individuals entering Henry County Medical Center will be asked to wear a mask. Patients and visitors are asked to bring their own masks. If they do not have one available, one will be provided based on supplies available at the hospital, Surgery Center, and Diagnostic Center.
Six-foot social distances will continue in public areas such as waiting rooms.
Extra cleaning and disinfection of high-touch, public surface areas will continue.
Infectious patients will continue to be cared for in isolation, away from non-infectious patients.
Surveillance statistics of our community and regional area will be monitored for trends and stability.
Utilization of hospital beds, ventilators, and PPE will be monitored to ensure ability if there is a need.

In addition to safety protocols, Henry County Medical Center remains prepared to cease non-essential procedures in the event a surge or peak of COVID-19 develops in the area.

To remain prepared, HCMC will monitor its supplies and its ability to procure supplies. HCMC will also maintain established guidelines for occupancy availability. We will continually evaluate and monitor to ensure patient safety and surveillance needs. In addition, HCMC will collaborate with the medical staff and the TN Department of Health and the Henry County Health Department to continually evaluate incidences and trends of COVID-19 cases within Henry County and the surrounding area.

The HCMC Pink Petal Gift Shop is now open on the weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Cashier and Business Office are also now open to take your bill payments. We still encourage people to use our online bill pay at www.hcmc-tn.org or call the Business Office to make a payment if possible. The HCMC Iris Café will continue with the current hours of operation:

Breakfast

Monday – Friday………………..7:30 am – 10:15 am

Saturday – Sunday……………..8:00 am – 10:15 am

Lunch

Monday – Friday…………………11:00 am – 2:00 pm

Saturday & Sunday……………..11:00 am – 2:00 pm

*grab and go items only from 1:30 pm – 2:00 pm

Dinner – Closed

Beginning July 1, 2020, Due to changes in available food items from our wholesalers and increased costs associated with many items, HCMC Iris Cafe’ will be changing some menu selections and implementing a price increase on some selections. We apologize for the inconvenience. For more information on what is available in the cafeteria each day, call our Cafe’ Menu Line at 731-644-8440.

As schedules continue to change, HCMC will keep patients informed through our website, www.hcmc-tn.org and on our social media platforms.

HCMC continues to update daily our chart on our website that provides information on testing, hospitalizations, and deaths within our organization. It can be found at www.hcmc-tn.org. We are additionally posting on our social media platforms a daily update that provides information about COVID-19 at HCMC, TN, KY, the counties our organization serves, as well as statistics from the Henry County Health Department. Both will be updated and available by 6 p.m. daily.

HCMC Administration continues to follow the CDC guidelines as well as the TN Department of Health guidelines to ensure the safety of our patients, families, partners, and community.

How you can help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses such as Coronavirus:

Stay home when you are sick.
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then discard in a trash.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your health care provider. To learn more, go to our website at www.hcmc-tn.org or go to the CDC website at www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/index.html

Located in Paris, TN, Henry County Medical Center is a progressive, integrated healthcare organization committed to serving the healthcare needs of Henry County and the adjoining region. Including a 142-bed hospital and other facilities, the medical center provides a variety of outpatient services, as well as inpatient care. Additionally, HCMC owns and operates 7 provider clinics in various specialties. Henry County Medical Center is a county-owned and operated nonprofit institution. For more information: www.hcmc-tn.org.