New Coronavirus Testing at OHSU Announced

As of Friday, May 1, noon

• 144 COVID-19 cases to date: 43 inpatient/ED, 101 outpatient

• Of 43 inpatient/ED patients: 28 discharged, 6 deceased, 9 remain in hospital

• As the state’s academic health center, Oregon Health & Science University is participating with state and local public health authorities and health systems across the metro area to coordinate a regional response. The goal remains to contain the spread of the virus, known as SARS-CoV-2.

In contrast to what we know about influenza, we do not yet know the severity of this new coronavirus nor do we have a vaccine or effective antiviral medications in hand. Therefore, OHSU activated an emergency operations center that has adapted response plans already in place from previous pandemic influenza outbreaks.

OHSU is prepared to treat an expected surge of patients with COVID-19, while working proactively to contain the spread of the virus and protect our workforce.

Mobile, drive-through testing sites

OHSU is offering drive-through testing at the Gordon Faber Recreation Center in Hillsboro and at the Expo Center in Portland for people with COVID-19 symptoms, including fever, cough, shortness of breath, chills, muscle pain, the new loss of taste or smell, vomiting or diarrhea and/or sore throat – no appointment or provider referral is necessary.

These criteria are expected to change in accordance with CDC guidelines and the availability of testing supplies.

OHSU mobile testing locations are:

• Hillsboro Stadium – 4450 NE Century Blvd, Hillsboro, OR 97124
  • Hours: Monday – Saturday, noon to 6 p.m.
• Portland Expo Center – 2060 N Marine Drive, Portland, OR 97217
  • Hours: Monday – Saturday, noon to 6 p.m.

Patient care

• Visitor restrictions: Support of friends and family is an important part of healing; however, to ensure patient, visitor and staff safety during the COVID-19 outbreak, OHSU is not allowing hospital visitors, with the following exceptions:
  • 1 healthy person age 18 or older at a time (no more than 2 per day), may visit:
    • A child or baby
    • A patient in labor or who just had a baby
    • A patient with limited comprehension, if their care team thinks it is needed for their treatment and safety
    • Any patient, temporarily, to learn discharge instructions for when they leave the hospital
  • 2 healthy people age 18 or older per day may visit a patient at the same time during end-of-life care
  • Friends and family are important. Connecting with loved ones often via phone or through electronic communication is encouraged.
• OHSU has implemented a “mask on” policy for all patients, visitors and staff inside the hospital. For employees, this means anyone working in a patient-care area, in hallways, and in nonpatient facing areas such as research labs when working within 6 feet of another employee. All employees who work in patient care areas will receive masks provided by OHSU. OHSU is asking all employees to conserve supplies as much as safely possible to preserve these precious resources for the entire institution and their colleagues.
• OHSU’s research community came together to launch an in-house COVID-19 testing lab on March 24. The lab is an example of the many collaborations that have been happening at OHSU and in the health care community. In this case, members of the research community rallied to support the clinical community and testing in a drive to combat COVID-19.
• OHSU’s Telemedicine Program offers an opportunity for patients to consult with licensed clinicians through a telephone or video connection from their home, limiting barriers to health care access. The service has expanded exponentially in response to COVID-19.
• OHSU clinicians and scientists partnered with Oregon-based Nike to develop locally made personal protective equipment for health care workers treating patients with COVID-19.
• OHSU School of Medicine students jumped into the health care workforce three months early to immediately help address COVID-19 in Oregon.
• OHSU’s emergency preparedness group has adapted response plans in place from previous disease outbreaks.
• OHSU is closely coordinating with state and regional public health agencies, as well as area health systems, to ensure adequate supplies of personnel, hospital space and equipment.
• An internal task force that began meeting weekly in January to discuss supplies, logistics, emergency management and necessary measures to ensure the health of patients, visitors, students and employees was elevated to an Emergency Operations Center that has been meeting for several hours daily since the first case was announced in Oregon on Feb. 28.
• Patient access support specialists and health care unit coordinators are vigilantly conducting travel and symptom screening questions, and helping with appropriate triage and masking of symptomatic patients.
• OHSU is ready to deploy two surge tents, when needed, as directed by our Emergency Operations Center team.
• On Friday, May 1, OHSU Health (OHSU, Tuality and Adventist) will resume some nonurgent surgeries and procedures, as described in Gov. Kate Brown’s April 23 announcement. OHSU is giving priority to patients whose status may have changed since we stopped all non-elective surgeries and procedures March 18 in anticipation of a surge of patients who will require hospitalization and intensive care for COVID-19. This action helped to free up space in the hospital while also conserving supplies and personnel.