Your safety and well-being are our top priorities and our experts are working closely with federal, state and local authorities to help keep our community safe. We are closely monitoring developments related to COVID-19 and will provide updates as the situation develops.
COVID-19 TESTING
UC Health’s COVID-19 Testing Clinic in West Chester is now located in a safe, private and comfortable office located inside the Physicians Office South building, 7675 Wellness Way, Suite 301, West Chester, OH 45069.
At this time, testing is currently available for ages 14 and older with a UC Health provider’s order and by appointment only. A scheduled appointment must be made by your UC Health provider’s office.
COVID-19 TESTING
UC Health’s COVID-19 Testing Clinic in Clifton is now located in a safe, private and comfortable office located inside the West Professional Building at 3120 Burnett Ave., Suite 202, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229.
At this time, testing is currently available for ages 14 and older with a UC Health provider’s order and by appointment only. A scheduled appointment must be made by your UC Health provider’s office. For questions, please call 513-475-8000.
We know your loved ones play a vital role in your care journey. That’s why we now allow one (1) visitor per patient in most of our facilities, with some exceptions and/or restrictions.
One visitor per patient per day is permitted at UC Medical Center, West Chester Hospital and long-term acute care units at Daniel Drake Center for Post-Acute Care. Visitation hours vary by location and for our Emergency Departments.
Our outpatient offices are also allowing one (1) visitor per patient appointment, with exceptions given to parents with no alternative childcare options and to legal guardians.
At this time, due to regulatory requirements from the State of Ohio, Daniel Drake Center is not allowing visitors in its Skilled Nursing Facility.
Find the full visitation policy here.
The safety of our patients, visitors, staff and clinicians is of utmost importance to UC Health. As of today, UC Medical Center, West Chester Hospital and Daniel Drake Center for Post-Acute Care do not allow visitors on their campuses.
There are few exceptions to this that are handled on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of the Medical Director and Nurse Manager. All visitors will be screened for COVID-19 symptoms prior to entering a UC Health facility. Any visitors that meet the exception will be screened for COVID-19 or flu symptoms, as well as other potential exposures.
UC Health encourages loved ones to use video chat on personal devices to connect with patients whenever able.
*Important Note: We are working diligently to safely loosen our visitor restrictions. We hope to announce a new restriction policy in the coming days/weeks.
As part of our Responsible Return, we’re gradually restarting select construction and renovation projects on our Clifton Campus that were paused in early March. This work is primarily funded by previously secured investments that can be used only on projects such as these.
You may soon see construction activity when you visit our Clifton Campus. Please know the safety of our patients, visitors and employees is always our top priority. We’re working closely with all construction teams, including their subcontractors, to follow all proper COVID-19 safety protocols.
We’re proud to be creating healing, innovative environments for our friends and neighbors that reflect the expertise, passion and innovation that occurs every day within our walls.
Because of our collective efforts — staying home when possible, maintaining social distancing and practicing good hand hygiene — Greater Cincinnati “flattened the curve.” Following the guidance of Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and the CDC, we are gradually resuming in-person care that was postponed. Our locations are taking every precaution to ensure the safety of our patients and employees as we begin to reopen and reschedule in-office visits.
The following outpatient locations have reopened their doors for in-office appointments:
UC Health Physicians Office (Florence)
UC Health Physicians Office (White Oak)
Appointments and/or referrals to offices at these two locations are available. Patients with in-office appointments may enter each building following required safety precautions such as wearing a mask and receiving a screening.
To request an appointment or for questions about your health, please contact your preferred location or call 513-475-8000.
Beginning May 18, the Dental Center will reopen Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Our staff will call patients the day before their appointments to prescreen for COVID-19 symptoms. Patients will also be screened upon arrival.
To request an appointment or for questions, please contact your preferred location or call 513- 584-6650.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, many changes have occurred in our offices, including our hours of operation. But our outpatient laboratory locations continue to remain open. As with all of our locations, we are taking every precaution to ensure the safety of our patients and employees. Before entering a UC Health facility, please ensure you are following required safety precautions, including wearing a mask and receiving a screening.
Following the directions of Gov. DeWine and our UC Health Responsible Return leadership team, the Pulmonary Function Testing labs at Ridgeway Tower at 3200 Burnet and UC Medical Center will begin to resume patient pulmonary function tests (PFT) starting this Monday, May 11. The safety and well-being of our patients, employees and clinicians is our top priority, and therefore, a comprehensive plan for screening, universal masking and enhanced environmental cleaning has been implemented. Appointments will be staggered throughout our regular hours of operation to decrease foot traffic and promote social distancing. The PFT staff will be contacting patients to reschedule appointments that may have been affected due to COVID-19. Look for more announcements about our Responsible Return soon.
We will resume limited surgeries and procedures on Monday, May 4 in accordance with Responsible RestartOhio. During the coming weeks, patients will be contacted by their providers to discuss their needs. Each case will be considered individually to ensure the proper safety precautions are in place, including pre-procedure COVID-19 testing if deemed necessary. Our leaders are partnering with Greater Cincinnati healthcare organizations and state leaders to ensure we have the right resources needed to reopen services.
Our hospitals and healthcare facilities are safe, open, and ready to care for you and your family.
We understand that you may be uncertain about re-engaging in your healthcare at this time but we can assure you, we are committed to caring for all your health needs. Please do not ignore or delay health needs for you or your family. Click here for a message from our leaders.
On May 4, as part of our Responsible Return, the Department of Radiology will begin to reopen outpatient services on a limited basis. Radiology services for CT, MRI, and ultrasound exams will resume at Ridgeway, West Chester North, Daniel Drake Center for Post-Acute Care, UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute, and Varsity Village outpatient facilities. These appointments will be staggered through limited hours of operation to decrease foot traffic, in addition to numerous other safety measures. Those whose appointments will be rescheduled will be contacted by their providers. Look for more announcements about our Responsible Return soon.
Yesterday, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced that this Friday, May 1, healthcare organizations can resume limited surgeries and procedures that do not require hospitalization or an overnight stay as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. When our health system made the decision to postpone certain surgeries and procedures, it was to preserve PPE, staff resources, and available beds in the event of a surge in COVID-19 cases in the community. UC Health is just as safe as it's ever been.
Our best and brightest leaders are working together to plan a Responsible Return that prioritizes the needs and safety of our patients, their families, and our employees. UC Health is partnering with Greater Cincinnati healthcare organizations and state leaders to ensure we have the right resources needed to reopen services. We will announce more details soon. Your provider will work with you to reschedule any surgery or procedure that was previously postponed or canceled.
Our healthcare facilities remain safe and open for critical, life-saving care. Please do not delay emergency care for any new symptoms that may indicate a serious condition.
The University of Cincinnati, UC Health and Hoxworth Blood Center have launched a new clinical trial for the use of convalescent plasma to treat the sickest COVID-19 patients in our community. This is part of a national study to determine the efficacy of convalescent plasma as a treatment for COVID-19.
We will be able to collect plasma from individuals who have recovered from COVID-19 and who have been symptom-free for 28 days. Hospitalized patients who have severe or life-threatening cases of COVID-19, or who may be at high risk for disease progression, are able to opt into the study and receive convalescent plasma treatment.
Hoxworth Blood Center is seeking individuals who:
If you tested positive for COVID-19, or believe you had COVID-19 and have been fully recovered for at least 28 days, please click here to fill out the eligibility form and schedule a donation. An appointment is required.
The following office locations have been temporarily closed in an effort to ensure continued safety during the COVID-19 pandemic. Appointments originally scheduled at these offices will be rescheduled to other locations or offered as a virtual visit.
UC Health Physicians Office (Florence)
UC Health Physicians Office (White Oak)
To request an appointment or for questions about your health, please contact your UC Health provider's office or call 513-475-8000.
If you already have a UC Health provider, you can also request an appointment by logging on to your My UC Health (MyChart) account, selecting “Appointments” and then selecting “Schedule an Appointment”.
The safety of our patients is our top priority, and we understand the importance of maintaining lab services during this time. The following UC Health outpatient laboratory locations are open Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
For the protection and safety of our patients, visitors, and staff, enhanced restrictions have been implemented at all of our locations. Before visiting a UC Health location, please review our COVID-19 restrictions for patients and visitors posted below.
UC Health Physicians Office (Clifton)
UC Health Medical Office West (Clifton)
Hoxworth Blood Center (Clifton)
UC Health Physicians Office (Midtown)
UC Health Physicians Office (Montgomery)
UC Health Physicians Office – South (West Chester)
The safety of our patients, employees, and clinicians is our top priority. As such, all employees and clinicians will begin wearing masks (and face shields in clinical areas) on April 7.
Together, the mask and face shield deliver optimal protection against the spread of the disease. As the number of COVID-19 cases increase in our community, we will continue to implement science-based, appropriate precautions to keep our employees, clinicians and patients as safe as possible.
For the protection and safety of our patients, visitors, and staff, enhanced visitor restrictions are being implemented, effective immediately, at all UC Health ambulatory offices.
The COVID-19 situation is fast evolving. In efforts to protect our patients from avoidable exposure to the virus, UC Health is adopting the American College of Radiology guidelines. This will also reduce exposure to our health-care staff and keep them available to provide urgent and emergency care to those who need it during this situation.
A key principle is that we must “flatten the curve” to avoid overwhelming the capacity of our health system. As such, we are beginning the process of rescheduling non-urgent care.
You may receive a call to reschedule your upcoming non-urgent imaging or fluoroscopy this includes but not limited to non-urgent x-ray, CT, MRI, Mammography, DEXA, Ultrasound, Nuclear Medicine/PET, and Interventional Radiology.
In-House COVID-19 Testing:
We have begun in-house testing for COVID-19. The testing will be conducted at the UC Health Precision Medicine Laboratory located at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. The test is a modification of the assay developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for which an Emergency Use Authorization has been issued by the FDA.
In-house testing will initially be limited to inpatients within UC Health hospitals, including the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, West Chester Hospital and Daniel Drake Center for Post-Acute Care. The test must be ordered by a physician providing care for a patient at one of these facilities. UC Health will continue to utilize outside laboratories for other COVID-19 test specimens.
The UC Health laboratory is able to test specimens collected via nasopharyngeal swab in viral transport media. The anticipated turnaround time for test results is between one and three days.
Acute Care Hospital Visitor Restrictions:
The safety of our patients, visitors, staff and clinicians is of utmost importance to UC Health. Our visitor restrictions are set in compliance with public health agency guidelines and best practices as well as those of the Ohio Hospital Association and with consideration of the Ohio Governor’s “stay at home” guidelines:
Effective immediately, UC Medical Center and West Chester Hospital will not allow visitors on their campuses.
There are two exceptions to this rule:
In cases where a visitor is permitted with the permission of the nurse manager and/or medical director, they will be screened upon entrance. Only 1 visitor will be permitted.
Effective immediately, UC Health’s two acute care hospitals will implement enhanced visitor restrictions:
University of Cincinnati Medical Center
West Chester Hospital
Visitors are encouraged to use video chat on their personal devices to connect patients with other friends or family who are not permitted to visit.
Daniel Drake Center for Post-Acute Care and Bridgeway Pointe have previously stopped allowing visitors due to their patient populations.
For the protection of our patients, employees and guests, West Chester Hospital has limited access points into the hospital to two locations:
All other entry points into the facility are restricted for use by employees with badges only. All visitors entering the facility will be screened for signs of COVID-19 illness before entry is permitted.
Due to high demand and the need to prioritize available testing supplies for the most urgent and critical needs, the amount of appointments available for our COVID-19 testing will fluctuate each day.
UC Health patients with non-emergent symptoms should stay at home and call their primary care physician for further information and direction. Please be advised that your primary care physician and our clinical staff answering our central phone line may or may not recommend testing based on the number of available supplies and the prioritization of those with the most severe health challenges.
In order to provide the safest possible environment for patients, staff and clinicians, beginning Monday, March 16, UC Health hospitals, including UC Medical Center, West Chester Hospital and Daniel Drake Center for Post-Acute Care, will implement restricted access measures and updated visitor restrictions.
Beginning on Monday, March 16, the following entrances will be publicly accessible:
Ambulatory locations, including outpatient buildings and physician offices, are being evaluated for restricted access and may implement future restrictions on a case by case basis.
Visitors to UC Medical Center and West Chester Hospital must be over 14 years of age and will be screened for signs and symptoms of COVID-19. Daniel Drake Center for Post-Acute Care and Bridgeway Pointe are not accepting visitors due to their high acuity patient population.
To protect our patients, visitors and staff, UC Health WILL NOT ALLOW visitors in the Emergency Departments at West Chester Hospital or the UC Medical Center. Visitors will NOT BE ALLOWED at Bridgeway Pointe or Daniel Drake Center until further notice. This is in addition to our original cough, cold and flu visitor restrictions put in place earlier in the week.
At this time, to promote patient safety and help prevent the spread of respiratory illness, visitors are NOT ALLOWED in inpatient areas or waiting rooms if they show signs of cough, cold and flu symptoms such as:
If you DO HAVE symptoms, but DO NOT need immediate medical assistance, self-monitoring at home is recommended by the CDC. You can also call your primary care provider or the Ohio Department of Health at 1-833-4-ASK-ODH (1-833-427-5634) to discuss if, when, and where you should be seen. If you don’t have a primary care provider, we can help you find one.
If you have traveled to high-risk areas OR have been in contact with a patient with cough, fever or shortness of breath who has traveled to a high-risk area AND you have these symptoms you should notify the Ohio Department of Health at 1-833-4-ASK-ODH (1-833-427-5634). This line is available 7 days a week from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.