WOMEN’S HEALTH
A newsletter from El Camino Women’s Medical Group
| 2022, Issue 1 | www.ElCaminoWomen.com | January 3, 2022 |
Happy New Year! Looking forward to a healthy 2022!
2022 brings so much hope after two long years of the COVID 19 pandemic, as vaccination rates in our area reach all-time highs. The omicron variant has shown us that vaccination is the strongest tool we have to keep people healthy in the face of the ever-changing COVID19 virus. We encourage everyone to get vaccinated and get their boosters if they’re due (5 mo after 2nd vaccine, not 6!)
We are excited to welcome Dr. Balassiano back to the office after her recent leave. We now have our full complement of five physicians since Dr. Lam joined us in August of 2021. This has led to some changes at the office you can read about in our Practice Updates.
This issue includes an update on COVID19, updates on visiting policies, and a fantastic article by El Camino Health’s new Medical Director of Breast Surgery, Dr. Denise Johnson-Miller, on women at high risk for breast cancer.
Finally, please follow us on social medial to stay up-to-date on health care issues affecting women and news from our practice. You can find us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or Instagram.
As always, feedback is welcome regarding our practice, customer service, and even this newsletter!
We wish all of you good health and please make sure you get your COVID19 vaccines and are up to date with your booster!
In this issue:
Women at High Risk for Breast Cancer—Management Strategies
Introduction to Resistance Training
El Camino Hospital Visitor Policy Updates
Highlights from our Women’s Health Blog
Practice Updates
End of the Year Survey
As we enter 2022, we hope to continue to invest in our staff and physicians to provide the best care possible to our patients. Please check your emails for a survey from our office and take 3-4 minutes to give us your feedback. Constructive criticism and feedback are welcome, and we do our best to review feedback promptly and address issues within the office to improve the care our patients receive.
Our Physicians
As we are now five physicians, we will have more availability with scheduling, seeing patients five days a week, and most Saturday mornings. We will have Wed evening hours again as well. Dr. Azad will also be taking fewer calls for Labor & Delivery as her administrative responsibilities have grown over the years.
Barb Dehn, NP
2022 will also see changes with Barb Dehn, NP. A Nurse Practioner with decades of experience in Women’s Health, previously with Dr. Sutherland and Women’s Physicians GYN Medical Group and with El Camino Women’s Medical Group since 2016, Barb Dehn, NP has decided to transition to a new model that all allow her to spend more time with patients and increase her focus on education. Read more below.
New Staff
It’s been a busy year, and we’ve hired FIVE new staff this year. Look out for Angelica, Amanda, and Michelle, all Medical Assistants, as they meet you at the front desk or bring you back for your appointments. Both Kim and Nicole will be greeting you on the phone when you call in. All this hiring is from the addition of Dr. Lam and the loss of two staff, Tiara who left for personal reasons, and Divya who just started PA School!
Office Visitor Policy Updates
We have said before, we’re considering changing our visitor policies to allow for one vaccinated person to attend appointments with patients sometime in February of 2022. We will make that announcement closer to that time as we have more data on the severity of the omicron variant.
Don’t forget to follow us on social media to stay updated on office information and women’s health topics. You can follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or Instagram. Your feedback on our office practices and physician and staff communication is always welcome.
Online Prenatal and Women’s Health Classes
Prenatal Classes
We are now offering four virtual prenatal classes a month online. These classes cover preparing for childbirth, breastfeeding, and newborn care. These classes have been very popular, and we plan to have them every month. They are also available for women interested in signing up, though we prioritize our patients.
Virtual Breastfeeding Class
This is a 2-hour class presented by Nadia, RN, our lactation educator. The class is a virtual, in-depth review of breastfeeding. Learn how to get the best start, avoid pain, make sure your baby is getting enough, and when to ask for help!
Virtual Newborn Care & Safety Class
2.5-hour class presented by Nadia, RN
Practical tips for caring for a newborn
- Appearance of newborn
- Normal skin conditions
- bathing & diaper changing
- safe sleeping
- Newborn safety:
- Car seat safety
- Choking hazards
- Poison control
- Childproofing your home
Childbirth Preparation Part One
2.5-hour class presented by Nadia, RN:
- The last month of pregnancy
- Preparing for the hospital
- Laboring at home, when to call and when to come in
- Admission to the hospital
- Active labor
- Pain management
Childbirth Preparation Part Two
2.5-hour class presented by Nadia, RN:
- The last stage of labor: pushing
- Vaginal delivery
- Cesarean delivery
- Initial recovery in the hospital
- The postpartum period
You can learn more about these classes or register here.
Pregnancy Q&A Webinars
We started hosting these in July of this year, and they have been very successful. We will continue these once every 1-2 months for our pregnant patients. Every webinar will start with 1-2 common topics that are important to understand in pregnancy and most the session is just open Q&A for women who have questions, general or specific. No personal questions will be answered during the Q&A and they do not replace the wonderful prenatal classes that are offered every 1-2 months.
Research at ECWMG
Materna Study
We’ve well into our trial with the MaternaPrep device! In the planning stages for a few years, we’ve had several patients successfully complete the process on Labor and Delivery. It is exciting to help study the possibility of helping women preserve their pelvic floor function. This NIH-funded trial will look at the device’s safety and ability to reduce pelvic floor injuries and the length of labor in first-time mothers. We are actively enrolling women now. Reach out to moc.n1695899235emowo1695899235nimac1695899235le@of1695899235ni1695899235 if you are interested in more information.
Next Gen Jane
We continue to encourage women who have completed NIPT and are less than 20 weeks to consider enrolling in the research being conducted by NextGen Jane, a research company based in the Bay Area. They are trying to build a safer, more accurate method for non-invasive prenatal testing that can be done as early as six weeks of gestation. The study involves wearing an organic tampon for 20-60 minutes. Wearing tampons during pregnancy is safe and does not carry any adverse effects. To participate in their study, scan the QR code below or contact NextGen Jane directly, and they will help you start the process. They will ship you a kit with all the instructions and assist you with the consent process. To thank you for your participation, NextGen Jane will provide you with a $25 amazon gift card for every sample tampon you send in (5 max).
Women at High Risk for Breast Cancer—Management Strategies
Denise Johnson Miller, MD, FACS
Breast Surgeon and Surgical Oncologist
Breast cancer remains the second most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide, with 2.1 million new diagnoses and an estimated 627,000 breast cancer-related deaths reported in 2018. In the Commission on Cancer El Camino Breast Cancer Report published online in 2020, tumor registry data from 2019 noted that 29.7% of women aged 40-49 were diagnosed with breast cancer with women age 50-59 and 60-69 diagnosed at 21% and 21.4% respectively, of all breast cancers treated at El Camino Health. Initiatives have been undertaken by El Camino Health and other organizations to identify high-risk women and develop programs to apply risk stratification approaches that would better identify those individuals who require more frequent imaging, lifestyle modification, and possibly genetic testing.
For example, when we follow 100,000 women ages 30-34, about 30 women develop breast cancer or less than one percent risk. The absolute risk increases with each decade for women from birth to age 40 it is 0.6%; age 50 (2.1%); age 60(4.3%); age 70 (7.4%) until age 90 where the risk is 1 in 8 women. The lifetime risk is estimated to be 12.9% in large population studies reported online in 2020. When we contrast these published data for absolute risk and compare it to actual women diagnosed with breast cancer as reported in our tumor registry, we understand that many risk factors not related to sex or age can modify your individual chance of developing breast cancer.
These risks are modified significantly in women with strong family histories of breast, ovarian and other cancers, and women with a known genetic cancer mutation such as the BRCA gene family greatly increase risk. Additionally, lifestyle factors of obesity, excess alcohol intake, sedentary activity, reproduction (such as the age at the time of the first period, nulliparity, age of first live birth, and age at menopause) can impact risk. The environment such as radiation exposure as well as known radiation to the chest wall for treatment of other diseases and cancers contribute to this risk.
It is for this reason that high-risk breast clinics were established because it is recognized that there is “no one screening recommendation or prevention measure that fits all. Well-established models to estimate breast cancer risk development are Gail, modified Claus, and Tyrer-Cuzick models used most frequently. Published reports have found that the Gail model underpredicted risks. We favor Tyrer -Cuzick models because of its focus on family history and age of diagnosis of cancers and histology of prior breast biopsies which significantly impacts ten-year and lifetime risks. High risk for developing breast cancer is generally defined as a 20% or greater risk of lifetime breast cancer development and recommendation for more follow up and referral to high-risk breast clinics. These models are available online and are in use in many breast imaging centers and primary care offices.
El Camino Health launched a Breast Health Campaign in 2021 using Acitum Health’s AI(artificial intelligence ) model to determine if patients with higher risk scores for breast cancer have greater engagement with imaging and scheduled PCP appointments. Patients were excluded with prior history of breast cancer.
With the establishment of our High-Risk Breast Clinic, appropriate patients can be referred or self-referred for consultation and management.
The major aim of this initiative and clinic is to reduce the incidence and deaths from late-stage breast cancer by personalization of screening, lifestyle recommendations, and chemoprevention as well as appropriate referral for genetic screening. We will track the current number of genetic screening referrals before and at periods after this intervention begins with plans to apply for grant funding to support these important initiatives.
Improvements in these measures depend on more widespread introduction not only into the current at-risk population but also into the large proportion of women unknowingly at high risk.
Denise Johnson Miller, MD, FACS
Breast Surgeon and Surgical Oncologist
Medical Director of Breast Surgery
El Camino Health
2500 Hospital Dr. Bldg 15 Suite 1
Mountain View, CA 94040
O: 650-641-7861
F: 650-963-5071
What’s New with Barb Dehn, NP?
Barb Dehn, NP
NurseBarb.com
An Insurance Update from Nurse Practitioner Barb Dehn
Providing high-quality Women’s Health Care is not only fulfilling, but it’s also an honor and a privilege. I truly value having enough time to listen carefully to my patient’s concerns, help them understand what they’re experiencing, and endeavor to provide in-depth education and guidance. And yet, as you may have heard, insurance reimbursements to providers have been reduced over the last few years and do not reflect the necessary time needed to address patients’ concerns.
In order to provide this kind of care, which does take more time, I’ve decided to become an “Out-of-Network” provider, and not accept any insurance plans starting on March 1, 2022.
This type of arrangement is known as “Fee for Service.” You may have encountered it with other providers, therapists, or practitioners who do not accept any insurance plans and ask for payment at the time of service.
What does this mean for Barb Dehn NP’s patients?
Barb Dehn NP will:
– Continue to see patients at the same location within the El Camino Women’s Medical office both in-person and virtually.
– Accept a “fee for her services” prior to the visit.
– Provide an insurance form for patients to submit to their insurance company for the reimbursement of their “Out-of-Network” benefit.
– Continue to see Medicare and PMG commercial HMO patients at a discounted rate.
– Continue to utilize the same electronic medical records located within the El Camino Women’s Medical Group.
– Expand her hours with In-person appointments on Tuesday and Friday afternoons with telehealth and virtual appointments on Wednesday mornings.
– Continue to provide primary women’s health care, which includes consults, annual examinations, evaluations, menopausal, teen health, vulvar pain, sexuality concerns, PCOS, and weight management.
– Continue to order and interpret labs, mammograms, ultrasounds, and other diagnostic tests.
– Continue to prescribe medications, refer to specialists, and coordinate care with other providers.
– Not provide obstetrical care. If you become pregnant, I’d highly recommend that you establish care with one of the outstanding ECWMG doctors, that I’ve been privileged to work with and learn from.
The El Camino Women’s Medical Group will:
– Be reviewing Barb Dehn NP’s progress notes and charts.
– Be available as referral physicians for procedures, surgeries, and other care that is out of Barb’s scope of practice.
– Not be available for emergencies, after-hours calls, and prescription refills, UNLESS you are an active patient of the practice.
– Not be the billing entity for superbills or claims to insurances.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I make an appointment?
You can make an appointment by calling the office (650) 396-8110. Barb will be seeing patients in person on Tuesday and Friday afternoons and having telehealth and virtual visits on Wednesday mornings.
How do I contact Barb Dehn NP?
You can contact her via moc.n1695899235emoWo1695899235nimaC1695899235lE@nh1695899235eD1695899235. She will be checking this email Monday through Friday.
This is not for emergencies or urgent issues. If you’re experiencing an emergency or have an urgent question, contact your primary care provider or go to the nearest urgent care or emergency room. Please do not use other social media to contact Barb for medical concerns as these are not checked regularly.
What if I need an emergency refill of my birth control pills or medications?
Try to plan ahead and contact Barb as soon as you think you might need a refill. For weekends and after-hours, the doctors on call for El Camino Women’s Medical Group will not be able to complete refill authorizations. Barb will take care of those Monday through Friday.
What if I think I have a urinary tract or vaginal infection or other urgent issues?
You can email Barb at moc.n1695899235emoWo1695899235nimaC1695899235lE@nh1695899235eD1695899235 and she will do her best to coordinate virtual telehealth, in-person, or phone visit to help you get the care you need. If she is not available, you can see your primary care provider, go to urgent care, or establish care with one of the doctors at El Camino Women’s Medical group.
What is the process for obtaining insurance reimbursement?
ou will need to pay the entire fee at the time of service and then you will be provided a health care SuperBill that will have the diagnosis (ICD-10) codes and CPT (procedure) codes listed. You will then submit this SuperBill to your insurance company for reimbursement of your “out-of-network” benefit.
Because every insurance plan is different with varying rates of reimbursement, deductible rules, and what is covered and not covered, please call the number on the back of your insurance card or visit their website for your specific questions.
What are the fees?
These fees include a thorough review of your intake forms, notes from other providers, labs, imaging, family and medical history in addition to any care coordination and referrals with other providers.
Phone calls, emails, and text messages about normal results are included at no charge. For more complicated discussions, we will arrange a telehealth or telephone visit.
– For a new patient consult or annual exam, the fee is $450.00
– For an established patient annual exam, the fee is $350.00
– For a 15-minute follow-up visit in person or virtually, the fee is $150.00
– For a 30-minute follow-up visit, in person or virtual, the fee is $225.00
What about patients with MediCare?
– For established MediCare patients, the annual gynecologic exam fee will be discounted to $200.00
– For established pessary patients with MediCare, the fees will remain at $175.00
What about patients who have MediCal or PMG insurance coverage?
– For Barb’s current established patients with insurance coverage through PMG commercial HMOl, she will be offering a 50% discount for visits.
– New patients with MediCal or PMG commercial HMO insurance coverage may be eligible for a discounted fee. Please speak to the receptionists for more information and to be placed on a waiting list.
Sudden Hearing Loss
By Katrina Chaung, M.D.
Board Certified ENT
Hearing is one of our basic senses and a darn important one at that! Commonly, hearing loss can progress slowly over the years, but some causes of hearing loss can present much more suddenly. As you can imagine, experiencing a sudden hearing loss, especially if it only affects one ear, can be very disconcerting, disorienting, and frightening and can also have underlying causes that need to be addressed as soon as possible.
If you experience a sudden hearing loss, you may also feel associated ringing or buzzing (tinnitus)or sensation of “blockage” of the ear. Some types of sudden hearing loss can also be associated with dizziness.
There are multiple reasons why you might experience a sudden hearing loss. Some reasons are relatively straightforward, and others may not be.
A physical exam is needed to rule out causes such as earwax (cerumen impaction), trauma, a foreign body in the ear canal, fluid in the middle ear cavity, or an ear infection. If no obvious reason for hearing loss is identified on examination, then a hearing test (audiology evaluation)needs to be done to evaluate the function of the ear.
If the hearing test determines that you have hearing loss due to damage to the hearing nerve, then you may have a condition called sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL). In these cases, oral steroid therapy has a good chance of recovering your hearing. The earlier the treatment is started, ideally within two weeks or even earlier if possible, the higher the chance of recovery. This is why, if you notice a sudden drop in your hearing, you should undergo evaluation as soon as possible.
Sometimes, in addition to taking oral steroids, a treatment called hyperbaric oxygen therapy during which you are exposed to pressurized oxygen over a number of sessions may be recommended. If oral steroids do not improve hearing or the patient cannot tolerate them for any reason, a steroid injection into your middle ear cavity may be considered as “salvage therapy.”There can certainly be side effects of all of these treatments. For instance, oral steroids can cause
issues including high blood sugar, which can be problematic in diabetic patients, insomnia, high blood pressure, anxiety and irritability, depression, and acid reflux problems.
Despite treatment, even if started in a timely manner, sometimes the hearing does not recover or only partially recovers. Unfortunately, there is no way to predict if and how much recovery there may be. The worse the hearing loss, associated balance issues, and older age are associated with lower rates of improvement. Hearing can take up to 6 weeks or longer to improve. If hearing does not improve, further testing such as imaging may be recommended.
If you are having symptoms of sudden hearing loss, you may need an evaluation by an Ear, Nose & Throat physician as soon as possible.
Katrina Chaung, M.D.
Board-certified, Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
2495 Hospital Dr.
Suite 450
Mountain View, CA 94040
(650) 988-4161
COVID19: Omicron Update
In California, we’re seeing about 36,000 new cases of COVID19/day, higher than we’ve seen since the vaccines have been widely available but still only half that of early Jan of 2021. Fortunately, hospitalizations for COVID19 have been relatively stable since the summer.
The omicron variant has changed our circumstances dramatically. More contagious than other variants, omicron has slowly taken over as the dominant strain in the community, making up 95% of all new cases. Though still being studied, it appears that in vaccinated people, the omicron strain causes more common cold symptoms than the earlier strains. Symptoms also start earlier due to a shorter incubation period. It’s not yet clear how aggressive it will be in unvaccinated individuals, but being so highly contagious, it’s like to see an increase in hospitalizations and death in the unvaccinated. There have been at least a few confirmed deaths from the omicron variant so far. Also, the delta strain is still out there and for more patients who test positive, we won’t know which strain it’s from.
On the bright side, the data in California continues to support the value of being vaccinated. Vaccinated individuals are five times less likely to test positive for COVID19 and 15 times less likely to be hospitalized. The vaccinated are also 15 times less likely to die from COVID19 than the unvaccinated.
Governments across the US and globally seem more committed to keeping businesses and schools open this year than last. The strategy and messaging are very much: mask, vaccinate, and get boosted. Also, testing! In California, there’s a big emphasis on testing, with funds allocated to help all CA schools offer rapid home tests for students. Unfortunately, with the widespread omicron variant forcing people to stay home, even with shortened quarantine times, we’re likely to see decreased services and business/school closures due to a lack of staffing.
If you test positive or are exposed to someone who has tested positive, here are the updated quarantine guidelines.
In summary: put on your mask, get your vaccine, get your booster shot five months from your second Covid19 vaccine, continue social distancing, and please, be kind. You just don’t know what strain another person is under from this pandemic, what family member they are worrying about, what childcare they’re managing without, and how short-staffed they may be in their work position.
Ways to Honor the New Normal
By Juliet Malray
Transformation Coach and Women’s Circle Leader
Ways to Honor the New Normal
The end of quarantine and masking may be coming to an end soon! It may feel like you have been in a not-so-nice dream and have no idea how to return to “normal” or a new normal. There is no need to rush to be “𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦” 𝘰𝘳 “𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦.”
You have the opportunity to create your end and beginning ritual for the pandemic. This can be powerful when you have the intention of closing things that have not served you well and creating space for new flow and opportunities.
Here are five ideas to usher in your new normal:
- 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡. The pandemic created a rise in depression and anxiety. Honor how you feel without pushing yourself to be “normal.” Find support through therapy, coaching, and supportive loved ones. Give yourself time to adjust…no rush!
- 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 all missed holidays, graduations, and births that were missed. You can have one big get-together or several smaller ones.
- 𝐊𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮 during the pandemic. Being isolated and missing out on living gave us the opportunity to understand what is truly important to us. There is no obligation to recommit to everything we did pre-pandemic.
- 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐥 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬. Be understanding that they may be struggling and cannot support you or be able to adjust. Stay in empathy and support them. If it is too much for you due to your own mental health, offer other ways they can be supported like therapy.
- 𝐇𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐭. There is a good chance you lost someone dear to you, almost lost someone, or know someone who did. Many of us missed the opportunity to have closure with a proper funeral. Creating a way to say goodbye can help release sorrow that you may have pushed down or numbed yourself. This can be done in a joyous, loud, quiet, or silly way; whatever feels best for you, is the right way.
You have the power of choice to create how you move forward. Remember that you deserve to be kind to yourself in the process! We all deserve to have happy, healthy lives and can achieve this by learning to adapt to changes. Create ways to cope, honor what you need to feel fulfilled, and adopt a positive mindset to enjoy the new days ahead.
Juliet Malray, MCHC
Transformational Coaching
Reach out here if you are interested in a free discovery call!
Introduction to Resistance Training
By Svetlana Dani, MD
Board Certified in Primary Care Sports Medicine
The benefits of resistance training are many – improvement in strength, positive effect on bone health, improved ability to tackle everyday life, which has a surprising tendency to test your ability to squat and maintain core strength every day. Resistance training can improve your performance in a sport by increasing speed, power, and agility as well as decreasing your chances of injury. But how do we get started? Here’s your guide.
How should I start?
Start with a proper form that stabilizes the muscles of the core, hips, and shoulders. Weight training regimens should include exercises that engage all major muscle groups. Squats and deadlifts target the legs, hips, and core. Bench press and overhead press target chest and shoulders. Push-ups and pull-ups are great for the shoulders, chest, and core as well. If you do not have access to fitness equipment, using your own body weight or resistance bands is a great alternative. Getting help from a certified strength and conditioning coach at a gym can be great for form in the beginning. If this is not an option, there are lots of Youtube videos to help with form as well.
How often should I train?
Training 1-2 days a week is all you need at first. Both beginners and advanced athletes who are new to resistance training should begin training at a gradual pace.
How do I advance?
As your body adapts to the workout regiment, you should start to increase your workload to continue to see the effects of resistance training. Workload is the volume or intensity of the exercise. This is called progressive overload and this challenges your body and allows your musculoskeletal system to get stronger.
How much weight should I start with?
Use “one-rep max” to calculate your starting point. This is the maximum weight you can lift once. A good starting point is 45-50% of your one-rep max. Start by performing 1-3 sets per exercise. Each set should have 8-12 repetitions (reps). It is safe to increase your load by 10-15%per week.
Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS)
It is common and normal to have soreness after initiating resistance training. This is caused by microscopic muscle breakdown during intense exercise. The soreness of DOMS peaks 48-72 hours after exercise and resolves on its own without any intervention. Take some time to rest and recuperate from the particular exercise that caused the soreness. If the pain is severe and does not resolve, this can be significant for injury, and talking to your sports medicine or an orthopedic physician is a good idea.
Maintenance
Most important thing is to keep going! Maintaining good nutrition and hydration is key. Good sleep to allow your body to recover is vital as well. Generally, resting for 2 days between exercises that target the same muscle group is sufficient. It is OK to lift 2 days in a row if you’re focusing on different muscle groups.
Svetlana Dani, MD
Board Certified in Primary Care Sports Medicine
430 Samaritan Dr.
San Jose, CA 95124
408-559-3889
SvetlanaDaniMD.com
El Camino Hospital Visitor Policy Updates
Thank you for allowing El Camino Health to care for you and your loved ones. As we continue to operate our healthcare system during the COVID-19 pandemic, safety remains our highest priority.
For the safety of our patients, visitors, and staff, the California Department of Public Health now requires all visitors to provide one of the following:
Proof of a COVID-19 vaccination series completed at least two weeks prior to visit
Proof of a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours prior to visit
Additionally, while in El Camino Health facilities, visitors must wear a hospital-provided mask at all times, physically distance from all persons and limit visit to the patient room only. Visitors are not permitted elsewhere in the facility, including the cafeteria, or to linger in hallways.
Information for Labor & Delivery, NICU and the Mother Baby Unit:
Last updated December 2021
We understand this is a special time for you and your family. For the safety of our patients and staff, we must limit visitors to one support person at a time, with a limit of two designated support persons per hospitalization.
For more complete details, click here.
As we all know, this pandemic has been several different phases with several different recommendations, so these visitor policies may change. At no point during the pandemic has El Camino Hospital prevented laboring or postpartum women from having at least one visitor with her that met requirements.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM OUR WOMEN’S HEALTH BLOG
Our Women’s Health Blog, continues to be a very popular section on our website attracting readers from all over the world. We find it helpful to put out up-to-date information on relevant women’s health issues. Last quarter, nearly 1,000 women read an article by guest author Dr. Shyamali Singhal on avoiding cancer-causing chemicals in cosmetics! The second most popular, appropriate for the start of the year, was Stop Eating all The Time: Snacking and Intermittent Fasting! The third was also an article by Dr. Singhal, Keeping your Self-Esteem up after a Mastectomy.
We update our blog at least a few times a month with information on all kinds of women’s health issues. Recent posts have been on the new recommendations on the COVID19 vaccine and booster shot. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or Instagram to be informed when we post new articles and stay updated on the latest in women’s health.
GENERAL OFFICE INFORMATION
| Address: | 2495 Hospital Dr. Bldg 670 Mountain View, CA 94040 |
| Phone: | 650-396-8110 |
| Fax: | 650-336-7359 |