Hospital suspends elective surgeries and other changes

Effective immediately, Grays Harbor Community Hospital and Harbor Medical Group are suspending elective and non-emergent surgeries and other changes. 

In a release, the hospital group says that the decision to suspend is based on guidance from the Center for Disease Control, American College of Surgeons and Surgeon General’s Office.

Procedures will only be postponed when a 3-month delay would not cause patient harm.

According to Dr. Rachel Sell, “This decision was unanimously agreed upon by the Department of Surgery and Administration at Grays Harbor Community Hospital for the protection of our patients and to preserve staff and equipment. We want to reassure our patients and our community that we continue to be available and prepared for any of your urgent or emergent surgical needs. This includes unscheduled procedures for patients that come through the emergency room, as well as scheduled procedures for cancers or other progressive surgical conditions.”

If you have any questions about whether you need an urgent surgery or procedure, you are asked to reach out to the office of your surgeon or primary care provider.

Anyone with a canceled or rescheduled appointment will be notified as soon as possible.

As soon as we have gained control of the COVID-19 pandemic, the hospital says that they will begin to reschedule surgeries.

The hospital also stated that they are putting new procedures in place to obtain patient records.

“As our Patient Portal is still being safely rebuilt and all patient medical records must be obtained in person from the hospital. Out of caution for the safety of our community due to COVID-19, we are implementing a new procedure for obtaining your records: 

1. If possible, please fill out this form before your arrival: https://www.ghcares.org/media/1731/health-information-disclosure-form.pdf
2. Submit form and present a matching Photo ID to the entry staff person at Grays Harbor Community Hospital’s (GHCH) main lobby.
3. If you have a cell phone with you, you will be asked to return to your car.
4. If you do not have a cell phone you can wait in the lobby.
5. Records will be brought up to registration and you will be contacted.

 “We are very sorry for this continued inconvenience, and are diligently working to rebuild the patient portal as quickly yet safely as possible. This new procedure is being implemented with yours and other’s safety in mind. We are trying to reduce the opportunity for infection in as many ways as possible while still maintaining services for those who need them.”

In addition, the hospital is implementing a new procedure for paying your hospital bill in person.

They ask that, if possible, you choose options 1,2, or 3 rather than coming in. 

1. You can pay online at: https://ghcares.patientcompass.com/RA/
2. If you want to make a credit card payment by phone, please call: 855-459-5117 
3. If you want to make payment by check mail it to: 

Grays Harbor Community Hospital

915 Anderson Drive

Aberdeen, WA 98520

4. If you need to make a cash payment, we ask that you please call ahead: 360-537-4183 or 360-537-4182

You will be asked to wait outside or in the area between the sliding glass doors while the entry staff person informs registration to call the financial counselors. The financial counselors will come to the front doors, accept the payment and provide a hand written receipt for the patient.

 “We recognize this may be an inconvenience, however this new procedure is being implemented with yours and other’s safety in mind. We are trying to reduce the opportunity for infection in as many ways as possible while still maintaining services for those who need them.”