Outpatient facilities, hospitals are safe places for those who need care
San Diego CA— Scripps Health has reopened a trio of outpatient clinics in the region as the health system continues to restore services that were curtailed in March after state and county officials issued shelter-in-place orders in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Patients may once again visit Scripps Coastal Medical Center Escondido, Scripps Coastal Medical Center Solana Beach and Scripps Clinic Santee for the same range of medical services that were available at those sites prior to their closure, with the exception of radiology. During the closures, patients had been redirected to other Scripps sites that remained open.
Scripps also has begun resuming time-critical surgeries at its five hospital campuses and outpatient surgery centers in San Diego County.
As more businesses reopen throughout San Diego County, Scripps is taking every precaution to ensure the safety of its patients, staff members, employees and visitors.
“We want everyone to know that the safety of our patients and caregivers is our top priority,” said Ghazala Sharieff, M.D., MBA, Scripps chief medical officer, clinical excellence and experience. “We are very thoughtfully and cautiously phasing in a return of services to make sure that we have what we need to protect our patients and staff– from personal protective equipment to disinfecting supplies – to ensure the safety of everyone in our facilities. Scripps clinics and hospitals are safe places to receive medical care for everything from preventative health visits at our outpatient clinics to heart care and cancer treatments at our specialty clinics to immediate medical issues at our urgent care facilities and emergency rooms.”
Scripps hospitals and clinics are taking all necessary steps to keep patients and caregivers safe. These efforts include requiring all staff and patients to wear masks, screening all patients and visitors before they enter Scripps’ facilities, isolating patients with coronavirus from other patients, using stringent cleaning protocols, and not allowing visitors, except under special circumstances. Those who are allowed inside must wear a face covering.
Patients and visitors to all Scripps facilities should bring their own face coverings with them to help protect themselves and others.
About Scripps Health
Founded in 1924 by philanthropist Ellen Browning Scripps, Scripps Health is a nonprofit integrated health care delivery system based in San Diego, Calif. Scripps treats more than 600,000 patients annually through the dedication of 3,000 affiliated physicians and more than 15,000 employees among its five acute-care hospital campuses, home health care services, 28 outpatient centers and clinics, and hundreds of affiliated physician offices throughout the region.
Recognized as a leader in disease and injury prevention, diagnosis and treatment, Scripps is also at the forefront of clinical research. With three highly respected graduate medical education programs, Scripps is a longstanding member of the Association of American Medical Colleges. Scripps has been ranked five times as one of the nation’s best health care systems by Truven Health Analytics. Its hospitals are ranked No. 1 in San Diego County and among the best in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Scripps also is recognized by Advisory Board, Fortune and Working Mother magazine as one of the best places in the nation to work. More information can be found at www.scripps.org.