Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883

Update from CHI St. Alexius Health Carrington

Please note: All information contained here is current as of the newspaper deadline of 1 p.m. on Tuesday March 24, 2020. With the ever-evolving COVID-19 situation, please refer to our website, http://www.chistalexiushealth.org, find us on Facebook by searching for CHI Carrington, call the Carrington Clinic (701) 652-2515 or Hospital (701) 652-3141 for regular healthcare inquiries or call (701) 652-7217 for COVID-19 pre-screening inquiries.

Due to the continued efforts to keep patients safe in the communities we serve and to reduce the spread of COVID-19, the Carrington Clinic hours for the next four weeks will be Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., and will coincide with the newly established Carrington Respiratory Clinic hours. Each week two providers will be off as our community has taken COVID-19 seriously and are staying home.

The Saturday Urgent Care Clinic in Carrington and the New Rockford Family Clinic will be closed during this time.

The Carrington Clinic has set up a separate area to see patients with any respiratory symptoms. Please call (701) 652-7217 for pre-screening BEFORE coming to the clinic in person to be seen. All patients presenting to the clinic for walk-in or scheduled appointments will be stopped at the door and screened for COVID-19 at which point patients will either enter the clinic or will be directed to the respiratory clinic entrance. Any patients or visitors who are immediate family members over the age of 18 presenting to the Admitting Door will also be stopped at the door and screened for COVID-19 before being allowed to enter the facility. The emergency room remains open and is subject to COVID-19 pre-screenings.

CHI Carrington is following the CDC rigid guidelines prior to testing for COVID-19. Many patients do not meet that criteria and are not tested. Testing kits are limited and cannot be used unless those guidelines are met.

If a patient meets the criteria and is determined to need testing, the patient will be asked to drive to the east parking lot and park in the area where four orange cones are located. Laboratory staff will come to you dressed in personal protective equipment and first perform an influenza nasal swab. If the influenza test is negative, another swab will be taken to test for COVID-19. Right now, results take approximately 24 hours to receive. Patients will be asked to return home; stay in the home and will be called with results. Even if the test returns positive, the patient will be asked to stay in their home and practice social distancing or self-quarantine for 14 days unless the patient has increased difficulty breathing.

CHI Carrington encourages the community to follow the guidelines that help reduce the spread of COVID-19 such as eliminate non-emergent travel, keep your 6 foot distance from others, only be around healthy individuals in small groups of 10 or less, and wash your hands with a good amount of soap in warm water for 20 seconds and then dry your hands thoroughly.

If you are out to refresh supplies CHI Carrington highly encourages you to change your clothes and shower upon return home and wash the clothes you used to obtain supplies as soon as possible.

Thank you for your understanding during this unique and difficult time. Our facility receives multiple daily updates to continue in our response to COVID-19. All information and processes are subject to change depending on the direction of the Centers for Disease Control, the North Dakota Department of Health, and Federal mandates directed by President Trump and State directives from Governor Burgum.