COVID-19 Updates For Patients & Families
Friday, April 3, 2020
At Boys Town National Research Hospital, our top priority is the health and safety of our patients, youth and employees. With news of the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19), Boys Town is taking measures to ensure we continue to protect those in our care.
Boys Town is actively monitoring information about COVID-19 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as well as updates from state and local health officials.
Patients and Visitor Screening
As a precaution, all patients and visitors coming to Boys Town Hospital and clinics will be screened upon arrival. Our screening questions include the following:
- Do you have any of the following symptoms?
Yes or No
- Fever of 100.4 degrees F or higher?
- Cough?
- Shortness of breath?
- Have you or anyone in your household traveled in the last 2 weeks (domestic or international)?
Yes or No
- Have you had any known contact with any individual with a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19?
Yes or No
If you are concerned that you may have COVID-19, it’s important to remember to call ahead to your healthcare provider to be screened over the phone. The provider can evaluate and determine if testing is necessary. Flu activity is also still high in Nebraska. Flu tests should be considered as a first test option before considering a COVID-19 test.
The Nebraska Health Department urges you to self-monitor and contact your healthcare provider (via phone) first to discuss if your symptoms are significant enough to warrant a trip to the medical office. Following this guidance will allow those with the imminent need to get treatment, reduce your potential exposure and minimize the load on healthcare providers.
Visitor Policy Updates
Limiting visitors within our facilities will help protect our patients and healthcare staff.
Two healthy parents or designated adult visitors are permitted to be with each patient. No visitors under the age of 18.
For clinic visits, if there are two adults and children other than the patient, one adult will be asked to take the other child/ren to the car, and one adult will be allowed to remain with the patient for the visit.
For the Hospital, only the same two adults - parents or one parent/guardian and a designated second adult - will be permitted to be with the patient throughout the hospital stay.
For the Residential Treatment Center, visits and passes for our youth have been put on hold until further notice. We understand seeing your child is important and we are making video conferencing technology accessible. Our therapists will reach out to families to set up the connection. Thank you for being a partner with us in keeping your child, your family and our staff protected during this time.
Scheduling Appointments
If you or a family member needs to schedule an appointment, contact your Boys Town doctor’s office directly, or call our main line at (531) 355-1234. Depending on your medical needs, our nurses will assist you in scheduling an office visit, virtual visit or provide instructions for in-home care. Our pediatric and internal medicine clinics are each operating a single location for acute care visits to help decrease exposures.
Virtual Visits
Virtual visits, also known as telehealth, may be scheduled for pediatric and internal medicine sick appointments, chronic care follow-up and medication checks. Specialty care virtual visits include child and adolescent psychiatry, ear, nose and throat, allergy, pediatric gastroenterology, pediatric neurology and pediatric general surgery.
Patients and families should contact the clinic directly to request a visit. Depending on the patient’s medical need(s), our nurses will work with families to determine if a virtual visit or clinic visit is most appropriate. We have designated staff who will work with the families to help them set up the virtual visit on their end.
Consolidating Locations
Effective Monday, April 6, Boys Town Pediatrics and Internal Medicine will begin operating dedicated acute care clinic locations. This is to help decrease patient and staff exposures.
Pediatrics
- Acute/sick care will be available at our Lakeside Pediatric Clinic.
- Well visits, chronic care and specialty care will take place at our Harrison Street Clinic, 72nd Street Clinic and Pacific Street Clinic.
Internal Medicine
- Acute/sick care will be available at our Downtown Clinic, 555 North 30th Street.
- Well visits, chronic care and specialty care will take place at our 72nd Street Clinic and Pacific Street Clinic.
Same Day Pediatrics
- All Same Day Pediatrics visits will consolidate to the Pacific Street Clinic.
- Same Day Pediatrics is not accepting walk-in appointments at this time. Please call
(531) 355-7425 to schedule.
Boys Town Pediatrics - Pacific Street Clinic
14080 Boys Town Hospital Rd
Boys Town, NE 68010
Hours:
Monday – Friday 6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday – 12:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Holidays - 12:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Resources
Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services COVID-19 Information Line
(402) 552-6645, 8:00 a.m. from 8:00 p.m. 7 days a week
Douglas County COVID-19 Information Line
(402) 444-3400, weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
State and Local Health Information
