Heart of the Rockies Regional Medical Center will be gradually reintroducing in-person, elective services.

Providers will split their time equally between face-to-face clinic visits and telehealth visits.

Staying aligned with Governor Polis’ “Safer at Home” order, elderly and medically vulnerable patients are encouraged to stay home unless absolutely necessary to have an in-person visit, and medical providers will determine face-to-face visits on a case-by-case basis.

Calling ahead to schedule an appointment is required for all patients entering HRRMC clinics. HRRMC is not accepting walk-ins, with the exception at HRRMC’s designated walk-in clinic in Buena Vista.

Patients will undergo a COVID-19 specific medical screening over the phone before their appointment. If the patient screens positive for respiratory symptoms over the phone – such as fever, cough and shortness of breath – they will be asked to say home, and their provider will be notified. Those screening positive in person will be asked to return to their car to await further medical evaluation.

HRRMC will allow one accompanying person per patient if a patient needs assistance. This person assisting the patient will be medically screened prior to being allowed into any facility. Should they have respiratory symptoms, the person assisting the patient will be asked to return to their vehicle for further medical evaluation.

All patients entering clinics are required to wear a mask and encouraged to sanitize hands frequently. Screeners at the entrance to each facility will not allow patients to enter the clinics more than 10 minutes prior to their appointment time; patients arriving more than ten minutes early will be asked to return to their vehicle and wait.

All facility waiting rooms are reconfigured to accommodate social distancing and limit capacity to ensure six-feet-apart distances. These areas will be monitored and crowding will be addressed in real time. Signage and floor markings indicate safe social distancing protocols.

The surgery department has reestablished performing elective cases on a limited basis. All preoperative patients will be tested for COVID-19 prior to undergoing surgery. HRRMC will also perform rapid in-house COVID-19 testing on specific urgent and full trauma patients, and those being admitted to the hospital. Turnaround time for these test results ranges from 15-45 minutes.

For details on the reintroduction plans for specific lab, respiratory, imaging, rehab and additional ancillary services, please call the hospital or clinics directly and HRRMC will direct callers with the appropriate information.

“We’ve had many discussions with our providers, leadership, and our incident command COVID preparedness team, and have come up with safety guidelines to cover the entire in-person patient appointment process. We are taking every precaution to gradually ramp up volumes at our facilities – including elective services – so that we can return to a more normal level of supporting our community’s needs, while keeping safety our primary goal,” said HRRMC CEO Robert Morasko

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Dan R

Danny “Dan R” Ridenour has been in radio and television broadcasting for over 40 years, starting as a senior in high school in Rogers, Arkansas. His radio career has had stops in Nashville, Memphis, Oklahoma, and eventually, Colorado. Dan enjoys being involved in the community, having been a member of the Upper Arkansas Service Club and is currently on the board of directors for the Salida Community Center and is a member of the Chaffee County Fair Committee. He and his wife Carrie spend their days doing everything the mountains have to offer: hiking, camping, fishing and skiing. They've raised 3 children and have 2 grandchildren.

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