Coronavirus FAQ
Currently, no vaccine is available to prevent COVID-19
infection.
The best way to prevent infection is to avoid exposure to
this
virus by following stay-at-home orders. The Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends
everyday preventive actions to help limit the spread of
respiratory viruses, including:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least
20
seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an
alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed
hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the
tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and
surfaces.
It is important that anyone experiencing potential
coronavirus
symptoms first seek an evaluation – online or by phone –
before
seeking an in-person screening or test. Here’s the best
course
of action:
Patients who believe they have been exposed to the
coronavirus or
who are experiencing symptoms, which can include fever,
cough
and shortness of breath, may be tested as clinically
necessary.
A screening is a series of questions used to determine if a
COVID-19 swab test is necessary, in accordance with North Carolina Department of Health and
Human Services (NCDHHS) guidelines. Patients who
believe
they have been exposed to the coronavirus or who are
experiencing symptoms, which can include fever, cough and
shortness of breath, may be tested as clinically necessary.
We
do ask anyone who is seeking a screening or a test to first
call
their provider, take our online
assessment or call 877-9NOVANT so we can help
direct you to the best place for further evaluation.
The diagnostic test for COVID-19 costs $79 to $158 depending
on
where you receive care. However, you will pay $0 for a
COVID-19
test regardless of your insurance status. The test is
covered by
all insurance plans for those who have it – or will be
covered
by Novant Health for those who do not.
The COVID-19 antibody test cost is $101 and is fully covered
by
most insurance plans. If you don’t have insurance, there is
a
discounted self-pay rate. (If you receive a diagnostic or
antibody test at a Novant Health GoHealth Urgent Care
location,
visit gohealthuc.com/nc for pricing.)
While many insurance plans are also covering related services
such as an examination related to COVID-19 and/or treatment,
it’s important to note that out-of-pocket costs may vary for
each individual patient depending on their insurance
coverage.
We encourage patients to check with their individual
insurance
provider to better understand the costs they may incur.
Many factors affect what your out-of-pocket costs are for a
visit
or procedure - your insurance plan, your deductible, your
copay
and your annual income if you don't have insurance coverage.
Essentially, no two patients are alike, which means no two
bills
are the same. Novant Health has financial navigators
available
to help all patients better understand their healthcare
expenses, including what financial assistance is available.
To
contact a financial navigator, please call
1-888-277-3901, Monday to Friday, 8
a.m.
to 6 p.m. Voicemail is available for after-hours or weekend
calls.
We’ve seen significant improvements in turnaround times for
test
results. Here’s what you can expect if you have been tested:
- If you have a MyChart account,
your
test results will be available there. If you test
positive
for COVID-19, you will also receive a call from your
provider.
- If you do not have a MyChart account,
you
will receive a call with your results.
The best thing you can do right now is stay informed with
accurate information and do what you can to reduce your
chances
of catching any respiratory viruses.
Here’s what we think is most important to know:
Washing your hands is the best defense
Frequently wash your hands with soap and water for 20
seconds.
And please try to avoid touching your face. An alcohol-based
hand sanitizer can be used as an alternative, but
handwashing is
your best defense.
Call for care
We are asking individuals who feel they may have symptoms of
the
coronavirus to first take the online
assessment, then if they need to be seen, please
call
ahead before coming to a Novant Health office, or to one of
our
screening or respiratory assessment centers. We will triage
you
by phone or MyChart
to get you to the right place for further evaluation and
screening. This will help you get care quickly while
decreasing
the risk of exposure to yourself or others.
If you do have symptoms that concern you, use our coronavirus assessment tool for
recommendations on where to go for further evaluation and
screening. Our 24/7 coronavirus helpline is also available
for
questions at 877-9NOVANT.
Stay home
Putting distance between yourself and other people is key to
helping curb the spread of the coronavirus. This is
especially
important for people who are at higher risk of getting very
sick.
If you need care that’s not coronavirus-related and not an
emergency, consider virtual
health options. Novant Health offers virtual care
through MyChart and TytoCare
to help save you a trip to your physician’s office. For
severe
symptoms or a medical emergency, call 911.
Be informed
It’s important to stay informed with accurate, up-to-date
information. Check back here for updates or visit Coronavirus.gov for more resources.
Beginning May 4th, we will resume some of the non-time
sensitive
and non-emergent surgeries, procedures and appointments that
we
postponed back in March when the coronavirus first started
to
hit our communities.
We needed to take a pause, giving us critical time and space,
to
focus on increasing our capacity to care for COVID-19
patients
while the community helped flatten the curve. It is clear
physical distancing and efforts to reduce spread have been
effective.
Instead, and consistent with national trends, we have seen a
disturbing decline in patients seeking care for potentially
emergent conditions, including heart attack and stroke. At
the
advice of our physicians, and on behalf of our patients who
need
care, we have thoughtfully decided to resume some of these
services so we can continue caring for all of our patients
when
and where they need us.
Putting off care indefinitely, is simply not good for our
patients – and in some cases, deadly. We urge our community
to
seek the care they need. While virtual care options will
continue and are encouraged to be used as much as possible,
this
announcement ensures patients who had their care delayed can
resume treatment, including many surgical procedures.
We will continue to monitor the situation and adjust as
necessary
to keep our patients and team members safe and healthy.
To ensure the safety and health of our communities, we are
resuming our services in phases.
We will begin rescheduling patients who had delayed
appointments,
procedures and surgeries. Patients who fall into this
category,
prioritizing pediatric well visits, will receive
communication
from their healthcare provider with additional information.
While virtual care options will continue and are encouraged
to
use as much as possible, we will prioritize office visits
for
patients with acute care needs or chronic disease.
Novant Health facilities will add enhanced safety measures,
including patient and team member screenings, required
masking
of patient-facing team members, and enhanced cleaning and
disinfection processes. Novant Health has also taken
measures to
ensure physical distancing and address clinical safety
concerns,
which may include lowering the number of patients in the
clinic
at once, workflows to reduce use of waiting rooms, and even
some
care delivery within the confines of your vehicle. Visitor
restrictions will remain in place.
All Novant Health hospitals offer free Wi-Fi connection, so
we
encourage patients to bring a smart phone, tablet or laptop
to
stay connected with their friends and family members during
this
time.
Novant Health is also helping patients stay connected to
their
care plan while in the hospital by using MyChart Bedside, a
free
app patients can download to their personal devices. MyChart
Beside is also available on Novant Health tablets at select
facilities.* With MyChart Bedside, patients in the hospital
can:
- View vitals, labs and medications
- Access patient education materials
- View and chat with their care team
- View scheduled events, such as an upcoming surgery
- Make nonurgent requests for items such as blankets and
ice
- Access games and entertainment
*Facilities include Novant Health Charlotte Orthopedic
Hospital,
Novant Health Huntersville Medical Center, Novant Health
Mint
Hill Medical Center, Novant Health UVA Health System
Haymarket
Medical Center and Novant Health UVA Health System Prince
William Medical Center.
Yes. All community events and classes at our facilities are
cancelled until further notice, including lactation classes,
facility tours and Baby Cafés. We encourage expecting moms
to
consider these two online class options:
Novant Health supports stay-at-home orders across North
Carolina.
In order to prevent our hospitals from becoming overwhelmed,
this action is necessary. The coronavirus is spreading
rapidly
across the state, and without an order to stay home, our
front
line medical care teams are at risk. Our system simply
cannot
support the surge of critical patients should the virus
reach
levels seen elsewhere.
The safety of our patients, team members, and the communities
we
serve are at risk without an immediate change in behaviors
to
reduce the spread of the virus. While difficult, this order
will
help to preserve critical supplies and ensure we can care
for
the most vulnerable when they need us most.
Once stay-at-home has passed, Novant Health is committed to
working with county, state, and national leaders to help our
communities restore good health and prosperity.
While clinical trial participation is voluntary, not all
patients
will be eligible for the trial. Each patient’s healthcare
team
will discuss treatment options with them, including
eligibility
for any clinical trials.
It’s important for the community to know that, while clinical
trials are a vital step in the development of future
treatments
for COVID-19, the activation of these trials does not change
the
importance of continued social distancing and other
prevention
measures. COVID-19 is still a very serious threat to our
communities. We are committed to identifying treatment
options
for our patients and the communities we serve.
Our mobile screening center and respiratory assessment center
sites will offer testing to individuals experiencing
coronavirus
symptoms. You can drive or walk to the centers to receive
care.
Testing will be available, should a provider determine it is
necessary.
While appointments are not necessary, we do recommend that
anyone
experiencing symptoms first call our 24/7 coronavirus
helpline
at 877-9NOVANT to get advice on
whether they should be further evaluated. As a reminder, not
all
people who have symptoms are being tested right now, per CDC
guidelines, and visiting a screening center unnecessarily
will
only further your risk of exposure and put a strain on
resources
for those who need it most.
Your mental health is important to you, and it’s important to
us.
The coronavirus has impacted the wellness of many, which
includes our mental health. If the anxiety around the
coronavirus and social distancing are causing you
overwhelming
feelings of fear or depression, Novant Health has resources
to
help. We have licensed therapists available to speak with
you
24/7. Call 800-718-3550 to be connected to a
therapist now.
The diagnostic test for the novel coronavirus costs $79-$158,
depending on where you receive care. However, you
will
pay $0 for a COVID-19 test regardless of your insurance
status. The test is covered by all insurance
plans
for those who have it, or the test will be covered by Novant
Health for those who do not. The COVID-19 antibody test
costs
$101 and is fully covered by most insurance plans. If you
don’t
have insurance, there is a discounted self-pay rate. (If you
receive a diagnostic or antibody test at a Novant Health
GoHealth Urgent Care location, visit
this site for pricing information.)
While many insurance plans are also covering related
services,
such as an examination or treatment related to COVID-19,
it’s
important to note that out-of-pocket costs may vary for each
individual patient depending on their insurance coverage. We
encourage patients to check with their individual insurance
provider to better understand the costs they may incur.
Many factors affect what your out-of-pocket costs are for a
visit
or procedure, including your insurance plan, your
deductible,
your copay and your annual income if you don't have
insurance
coverage. Essentially, no two patients are alike, which
means no
two bills are the same. Novant Health has financial
navigators
available to help all patients better understand their
healthcare expenses, including what financial assistance is
available. To contact a financial navigator, please call 1-888-277-3901, Monday to Friday, 8
a.m.
to 6 p.m. Voicemail is available for after-hours or weekend
calls.
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