Southeast Georgia Health System Opens COVID-19 Screening Hotline
On Monday, March 30, at 8 a.m., Southeast Georgia Health System will begin screening patients for coronavirus symptoms through a free COVID-19 Screening Hotline, 912-466-7222. The Hotline will be staffed with Health System nurses and advanced practice providers and will offer immediate access to Southeast Georgia Physician Associates health care providers, if needed. Patients who meet the criteria for an in-person coronavirus screening will be given an appointment and instructions for a virtual or in-person physical exam and, if warranted, instructions for testing. Initially, the Hotline will be available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. There are plans to expand hours and add weekend coverage as demand requires.
The primary symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, cough and shortness of breath. More advanced symptoms requiring immediate medical attention include difficulty breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, sudden confusion or inability to arouse and bluish lips or face. Elderly people and anyone with severe heart or lung disease or diabetes appear to have a higher risk for developing more serious complications from coronavirus.
“Health experts around the world know that containment is our best course of action to curb the spread of coronavirus. For this reason, Southeast Georgia Health System rapidly mobilized resources to roll out a screening hotline that will address public concerns and help local medical providers identify who needs testing, who can quarantine at home and who needs immediate medical attention. The hotline is just one of many efforts the Health System is taking to protect our community,” says Daniel L. Miller, M.D., board-certified emergency medicine physician at Glynn Immediate Care Center and member of the Southeast Georgia Health System Brunswick Campus medical staff.
To make the hotline available to those who truly need it, Health System officials are urging the public to call only if they or a loved one experience symptoms associated with the coronavirus.
If you experience COVID-19 symptoms, call the Screening Hotline, 912-466-7222, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. For COVID-19 updates, visit sghs.org or cdc.gov.
About Southeast Georgia Health System
Southeast Georgia Health System is a not-for-profit health system comprised of two acute care hospitals, two long term care facilities, three immediate care centers, five family medicine centers and numerous employed physician practices. The Health System has multiple outpatient specialty care centers, including the only CyberKnife® M6 Program in Georgia, and a Cancer Care Center accredited by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer. The Health System is part of Coastal Community Health, a regional affiliation between Baptist Health and Southeast Georgia Health System forming a highly integrated hospital network focused on significant initiatives designed to enhance the quality and value of care provided to our contiguous communities. For more information, visit sghs.org.
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