WE ARE IN THIS TOGETHER!

Palouse Medical & Pullman ReadyCare are open and ready to do all they can to support you, your family and the community during these unprecedented times.

SYMPTOMS

**IMPORTANT: COVID-19 can be present even with no symptoms**

Cough
Fever
Shortness of Breath
Sore Throat
Sinus Congestion

Fatigue
Headache
Loss of Taste
Loss of Smell
Chills & Rigors

Body Aches & Pains
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Nausea
Abdominal Pain

A person’s individual risk depends on their exposure to the virus. Some people have an increased risk of infection, especially those who have had close contact with a positive COVID-19 patient, or those who have traveled recently to an area with community spread.

WHAT IS COVID-19?

A novel coronavirus is a new coronavirus that has not been previously identified. The virus causing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), is not the same as the coronaviruses that commonly circulate among humans and cause mild illness, like the common cold.

On February 11, 2020 the World Health Organization announced an official name for the disease that is causing the 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak, first identified in Wuhan China. The new name of this disease is coronavirus disease 2019, abbreviated as COVID-19. In COVID-19, ‘CO’ stands for ‘corona,’ ‘VI’ for ‘virus,’ and ‘D’ for disease. Formerly, this disease was referred to as “2019 novel coronavirus” or “2019-nCoV”.
There are many types of human coronaviruses including some that commonly cause mild upper-respiratory tract illnesses. COVID-19 is a new disease, caused by a novel (or new) coronavirus that has not previously been seen in humans.

LEARN MORE ABOUT COVID-19

APPOINTMENTS & CARE

Your Health is Important

Following the guidelines outlined by Washington State, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and local recommendations from Whitman County Department of Health, Palouse Medical and Pullman ReadyCare are still open and providing care on the Palouse. Our top priority will always be the health and safety of our patients, staff and providers.

⇒ DON’T DELAY YOUR HEALTHCARE!

Getting annual physicals, screenings, and preventive check-ups are essential for your overall well-being. We are concerned that patients are going without important medical care for acute, chronic, or preventable conditions, illnesses or injuries, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We encourage you to contact your provider to schedule an appointment, whether it be in-person or Telehealth.

WHAT WE ARE DOING…

We continue to take extra precautions and follow state and federal protocols to keep you as safe as possible. Guidelines change regularly, please monitor the CDC’s website for the most current information. The following information is current as of August 2023.

REQUIRING A FACE MASK
We require a mask (over nose and mouth) for all who enter our with any Cold/Flu/COVID-19 symptoms, per the CDC guidelines. Masks are available at all hospital entrances and inside our lobby. Please let a staff member know if you need assistance or would like an N-95 mask.
SEPARATE WAITING AREAS
Those with Cold/Flu/COVID-19 symptoms are asked to wait in our outer waiting area, rather than inside the main patient lobby. This is to help reduce patient and staff exposure as much as possible.
USING APPROPRIATE PPE
Maintaining an adequate inventory of personal protective equipment (PPE) for our providers and staff.
REDUCING EXPOSURE RISKS BY INCREASED CLEANING EFFORTS
Conducting extra cleaning throughout the day and deep cleaning each night.

COVID-19 TESTING

COVID-19 Testing

Our Testing

Palouse Medical & Pullman ReadyCare currently offer a COVID/Flu or a COVID/Flu/RSV test. These area nasopharyngeal (back of nose collection) performed by a nasal swab. During week days these tests are ran in-house and come back same day (depending on the time of day and how busy our lab is). Due to the complexities of COVID-19 tests, we are not able to run COVID tests on Saturdays as our on-site laboratory is closed. .

Patients not established at Palouse Medical must be assessed through ReadyCare before we can conduct a COVID-19 test. Please note that means there will be charges for both the office visit and the test itself. This is because any diagnostic testing must be ordered by a physician. We cannot place orders for patients who are not established with a provider in our clinic unless they are seen.

An evaluation through ReadyCare is specifically recommended if you are high-risk and/or would like your symptoms to be evaluated. Other options include: contacting your Primary Care Provider, scheduling an appointment for a test at a local pharmacy, or using an at-home antigen test.

Test Options & Pricing

Please find our current COVID-19 testing options and prices below. These are the out-of-pocket costs before insurance. Please contact your insurance company for coverage estimates.

COVID/Flu: $180 (only available M-F)

Flu/COVID/RSV: $185 (only available M-F)

Testing Due to Exposure

At least 5 days must have passed since you were exposed to ensure an accurate result. We will not test you prior unless you develop symptoms.

For Travel or Any Other Means

ReadyCare only offers diagnostic testing, meaning you must be either symptomatic or exposed. If you are needing a COVID-19 test for any other reason, please contact your Primary Care Provider or reach other locations in the area. Find a list of resources in the area here.

Positive Home Test and/or Seeking Paxlovid

Please, do not come in to the clinic. If you tested positive for COVID-19 by an at home test and/or are seeking Paxlovid, call you primary care provider promptly. For more information, view our complete protocols.

If you have questions or concerns about COVID-19, please contact your doctor, the CDC website, or your health insurance nurse advice line.

This information is current as of September 2023.

PATIENT RESOURCES

Washington State Department of Health has established a call center to answer questions from the public about COVID-19.

If you have questions about what is happening in Washington State, how the virus is spread and what to do if you have symptoms, please call WSDOH hotline at 1-800-525-0127 and press #.

For current information on our local efforts for COVID-19, Visit the Whitman County Public Health’s website.

COVID-19 VACCINE

Palouse Medical is proud to have been a huge part of the local effort to vaccinate our community against COVID-19. We provided thousand of vaccines to the community through over 40 vaccine clinics!

As of 2023, we are no longer offering COVID-19 vaccines in our office. On occasion we have continued to host vaccine clinics for children or added COVID-19 vaccines in with our annual flu-shot clinic. However, this is all dependent on staffing and shipment. If COVID-19 shots become available at Palouse Medical–we will spread the word!

Visit the Whitman County Public Health’s website for a list of local vaccination sites.

Vaccination guidelines are continually being updated, so please check with the CDC and/or your Primary Care Provider for the most current recommendations