Flu updates for providers

Updated Nov. 5, 2009

We are in a restricted visiting period Please let your patients know that our hospital is in a restricted visiting period due to the H1N1 (swine) flu. No visitors under the age of 18 will be allowed in the hospital at this time. This includes siblings. Only visitors on the "approved visitor" list may enter the hospital. If you have a runny nose, nasal congestion, sore throat, cough or fever greater than 100 degrees, please alert a Children's Hospital representative before entering. What is restricted visiting? At certain times, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin may need to restrict visitors who come to the hospital. We do this to provide a safe place for our patients to recover from illness or surgery. Who can visit during restricted visiting? Parents and primary custodial care providers of the patient may visit at any time. Inpatient families will be asked to provide up to four or more people who are over 18 years old who may visit their child. They can be relatives, such as grandparents, aunts or uncles. They also can be other visitors, such as clergy or teachers. This list cannot be changed during your child's hospital stay, and will be used until your child goes home from the hospital. We are sorry that your child's brothers and sisters under 18 will not be able to visit during restricted visiting. What if a visitor comes to the hospital during restricted visiting? The Welcome Center will ask visitors for their names and who they are here to see. If their names are on the list, they will be given a badge and told how to find your child's room. If not on the list, he or she will be told that we need to limit visitors and will not be able to go into the hospital. The visitor will be directed to call the family for more information. Parents and guardians visiting children who are in isolation for influenza need to wear a mask while in the hospital. Here's what you should know when referring patients: We are strongly discouraging siblings from accompanying families to the hospital-based clinics (Orthopedics, Physical and Occupational Therapy, MACC Fund Center for Cancer and  Blood Disorders, Herma Heart Center, Pulmonary, Infectious Disease, Renal, Dialysis, Sleep Clinic and Imaging/Radiology).  If you are referring patients to Children's Hospital – main campus for the above listed hospital-based clinics and services, please alert your families to these visitor restrictions. If you are scheduling new appointments, please remember that we have alternate locations for some of these services:         Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Clinics-New Berlin        The New Berlin Clinic offers Cardiology, Pulmonary, Sleep, Radiology and lab services.        The clinic also offers walk-in and scheduled laboratory and radiology services, including ultrasound, X-ray, fluoroscopy, MRI and CT.        Laboratory hours are 7 a.m. To 7 p.m. Monday through Friday; 8:30 a.m. To Noon Saturdays.        Radiology hours are 7 a.m. To 7 p.m. Monday through Friday; 9 a.m. To 1 p.m. Saturdays.        (http://www.chw.org/newberlin)       Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Clinics-Greenway        The Greenway Clinic in West Allis offers Orthopedics, Sports Medicine, Urology and Radiology services.        Greenway Clinic also offers walk-in X-ray and scheduled ultrasound services. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. No appointment necessary.        (http://www.chw.org/greenway)Here's what you should know when referring patients: The main hospital building will have restricted visitor access. We are strongly discouraging siblings from accompanying families to the hospital-based clinics (Orthopedics, Physical and Occupational Therapy, MACC Fund Center for Cancer and  Blood Disorders, Herma Heart Center, Pulmonary, Infectious Disease, Renal, Dialysis, Sleep Clinic and Imaging/Radiology).  Please check our Flu updates for families page or call our Visitor Status Hotline at (414) 266-8600 to review the current visitor policy. We thank you for helping us keep our kids safe.

(Spanish) Flu updates for families

Preparing for flu season

Providers, please note that Children's Hospital of Wisconsin follows the guidelines of the state of Wisconsin (pandemic.wisconsin.gov) and the Centers for Disease Control (flu.gov).  

Planning

Children's Hospital of Wisconsin has planned for the resurgence of H1N1 influenza. An interdisciplinary team has identified many issues and needs related to this challenge. Through a community-wide initiative, the team also is working in collaboration with local health departments and other area hospitals to address lessons learned this past spring when H1N1 emerged. 
 
Children's Hospital follows the guidelines of the state of Wisconsin. We advise you to visit www.pandemic.wisconsin.gov <http://www.pandemic.wisconsin.gov> as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Web site, www.cdc.gov <http://www.cdc.gov> . 
 

When to refer to Children's Emergency Department:

If your patient has the symptoms below, you may need to consider referring to the Emergency Department:

1. Fast breathing or trouble breathing. Call 9-1-1 if skin color looks blue.
2. Not drinking enough fluids or severe vomiting.
3. Not waking up or interacting.
4. Being so fussy that your child does not want to be held.
5. Flu-like symptoms that went away but return with fever and worse cough.
6. Fever with rash.

To protect our patients and staff, we ask that you respect our policies and visitor guidelines related to H1N1 influenza.