COVID-19 Operations Update

Entry Screening

All Veterans, caregivers, and employees will be screened for COVID-19 before entering VA medical facilities.  

Veterans, their caregivers, and VA Healthcare employees can use the COVID-19 Screening Tool | Veterans Affairs (va.gov) on their mobile phones to facilitate the screening process, help reduce wait times at entry points, and lower exposure risks.

Additional screening may be required for entrance into specific units and departments at the discretion of clinic leadership.

Patients, visitors, and VALLHS employees are required to wear a face-covering in healthcare buildings.

Elective Surgeries, Non-Urgent and Non-Emergent Procedures

In response to the recent increase in COVID-19 cases, VA Loma Linda Healthcare System clinical leadership have issued guidance to begin postponing all non-emergent, non-urgent, and elective procedures.   This will ensure the appropriate alignment of surge resources available for the continuity of operations and the delivery of safe, quality healthcare in our emergency department and inpatient settings for our COVID-19 positive Veterans.

Surgical teams are poised to support this effort.  They will review each case individually and will begin temporarily delaying some elective, non-urgent, non-emergent surgical cases, particularly those requiring an overnight stay.

Veterans and Authorized Caretakers will be contacted if their surgery requires rescheduling.  We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause to our Veterans.

For questions or information about an upcoming procedure, Veterans are encouraged to contact their surgical team or call Surgical Service at 909.825.7084 ext. 5321

Main Outpatient Pharmacy Hours Adjusted

VALLHS Main Outpatient Pharmacy will be open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Veterans can also request prescription refills through My Health e Vet, mail, or the automated refill line at 909.777.3259.

Visitors 

Visitors with symptoms of COVID-19 should not plan to visit the facility.  

Visitors with respiratory infection symptoms, including but not limited to fever, runny nose, cough, and shortness of breath, will not be allowed in clinical areas.

All visitors will be screened and must wear a face-covering in the facility.

Patients and visitors may also be screened in clinic areas. Some clinical areas may have adjusted visitation policies based on patient safety protocols.

All visitors to inpatient units will go through the COVID-19 screening process and show proof of full vaccination with a CDC card or have a negative COVID-19 test within the last 72-hours and be asymptomatic. No more than two visitors may visit a patient once a day for a maximum of 30 minutes. 

Visitors are not allowed in COVID-19 units, patients under investigation or isolation unless deemed end-of-life* visitation.

End of Life Visitation

Visitors are only permitted to enter COVID-19 inpatient units if the Veteran is at end-of-life. 

All visitors must show proof of full vaccination with a CDC card or have a negative COVID-19 test within the last 72-hours and be asymptomatic. All approved visitors must show a valid government ID to match the name on their CDC card or COVID-19 test results. 

Only two visitors are permitted to visit a Veteran at a time and must sign an informed consent to acknowledge and accept the risk associated with entering a COVID-19 inpatient unit. 

Visitors must wear approved personal protective equipment at all times. 

Maintaining a safe environment for our patients and staff is our priority, so we ask that visitors be limited to those essential to the patient’s physical or emotional well-being. 

We encourage other forms of communication to connect, such as using video-call apps, tablets, or cell phones.

Appointments

VA Loma Linda Healthcare System offers veterans face-to-face and virtual care options through VA Video Connect (VVC) to meet their healthcare needs.

Veterans can schedule appointments for all appointment types by calling 909.825.7084 ext. 5085 or send a secure message to their health care team via My Health e Vet.

COVID-19 Testing

Please contact your primary care provider for COVID-19 testing.

COVID-19 and Flu Vaccines

COVID-19 flu vaccines are available through primary care. 

Veterans can request COVID-19 and flu vaccines during their appointments. 

COVID-19 vaccine boosters are available Monday through Friday at the main and Ambulatory Care Center. Veterans can schedule a booster appointment by calling 909.825.7084, ext. 6212.

VA Loma Linda Main Hospital 

11201 Benton St, Loma Linda, CA 92357

7:30 a.m. – 3 p.m., Mon. – Fri.

Moderna and J&J boosters are available.

VALLHS Ambulatory Care Center (ACC)

26001 Redlands Blvd., Redlands, CA 92373

8 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Mon. – Fri.

Moderna booster only

Patient Advocate

Patient advocates assist Veterans and their families with help receiving care and managing concerns in a timely manner. Patient Advocates can help you get care or get problems solved by connecting you with members of the care team.  

Veterans are encouraged to discuss issues and concerns regarding their experience with clinic leadership or Chief of the Service to facilitate swift resolution.  However, Veterans with concerns unable to be managed through clinic leadership can contact a patient advocate at 909.583.6133 for assistance. 

Additional Information and Resources

Enroll in My Health e Vet to communicate securely with your VA health care team, schedule and manage appointments, order and track prescription refills and access your medical health information at https://www.myhealth.va.gov/ 

VALLHS My HealtheVet Coordinators: 909.825.7084 ext. 7439 or 6220.

My HealtheVet National Help Desk: 877.327.0022 

VA Clinics at Murrieta, Corona, Palm Desert, Rancho Cucamonga, and Victorville  

appointments 909.825.7084, ext. 5085; Toll free: 800.741.8387, ext. 5085.

 

The health and safety of our patients, visitors, and staff remains our highest priority. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation with policies and procedures.

We will continue to monitor the situation and keep you informed of new developments.