MDH Will Be Removing Screening Tents at Entrance

MACOMB, Ill. – Those who enter McDonough District Hospital will notice a change, starting Monday evening (Sept. 28). With the fall and winter months approaching, MDH announced it will demobilize the MABAS tents at the Emergency Department entrance.

People may still only enter the hospital through the Emergency Department entrance. MDH will continue to focus on enhanced cleaning procedures in high traffic areas throughout all buildings and areas on campus, especially the entrances. 

Everyone entering the hospital will continue to go through a mandatory screening at the building’s Emergency Department entrance, everyone must wear a face covering, and the visitor policy remains in effect until further notice.

According to Vice President/Chief Nursing Officer Wanda Foster, taking down the MABAS tents will allow patients easier access to the hospital’s entrance, especially during inclement weather, by using the drop off area. 

“With the winter months approaching, we understand the need for safe and convenient access for our patients to enter and exit at the Emergency Department entrance. To ensure safe entry into the hospital, we will be removing the current screening tents, and patients and visitors will directly enter the building through the Emergency Department doors. Understanding the screening process continues to be an important safety measure, we will have a screening station immediately in the Emergency Department foyer for all staff, outpatients and visitors,” said Foster, who also serves as the hospital’s Incident Commander during the COVID-19 pandemic. “While our safety protocols including symptom screening and frequent cleaning of high touch surfaces have been hardwired into our practice, we hope our entry into the building will be easier for our patients. We will begin (daytime) indoor screening on Tuesday, September 29, and plan to remove the tents within seven (7) days, per MABAS protocol. MDH would also like to extend our appreciation to the Macomb Fire Department and McDonough County ESDA for the use of their tents during the past seven months.”

For more information on MDH and COVID-19, log onto www.MDH.org/COVID19.