Each morning, the NEA Baptist Leadership team gathers to assess the COVID-19 situation in our community. Daily, the team reviews the current supply of resources as well as the numbers of those being tested in both our hospital and clinics. Staff members are screening every person who enters any NEA Baptist facility by taking temperatures and giving every employee and hospital visitor a mask to wear while on campus.  The number of visitors allowed for hospital patients has been reduced to ensure the safety of our patients and colleagues.

Video Visits on Demand

NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital has launched a new on-demand video visit feature through the Baptist OneCare MyChart app. Download the app, and activate it. Click on video visit to begin your consultation. For assistance, call (870) 936-8000.

This feature allows patients to schedule and conduct doctor’s appointments from their home or office, using a smartphone, computer or tablet. As with regular doctor’s appointments, patients may be required to pay co-pays or additional fees after their insurance is filed.

Baptist OneCare MyChart also offers the Find Care Now feature, which allows users to view the closest NEA Baptist Urgent Care locations and wait times. Patients can also check in for their appointments from their phones.

COIVD-19 Hotline

The number is (870) 936-8320.

General Grief Online Support Group

This is held virtually every Friday in May from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. and is provided through WebEx Secured Platform. Registration is required and limited spaces are available. This is a free service. Call (870) 936-7719 to register.

Visitor Information

One Visitor Allowed for: Outpatient surgery/proceedure patients (for transportaiton needs only), Patients with caregiver needing training before discharge, Labor and delivery patients

Two visitors allowed for: Minor patients (parent and legal guardians only)

Limited visitors: Patients at end of life

All visitors must screen negetive based on travel, have no symptoms of repiratory infection (fever, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath), and have had no contact with known or suspected COVID-19 patients.

For the protection of fmaily members and medical staff, no visitors will be allowed in rooms of patients with pending or positive COVID-19 tests.

Fundraising for Healthcare Workers and Patients

In an effort to help any NEA Baptist patient or employee impacted by Coronavirus, we have started the COVID-19 Assistance Fund. Through this fund, you can partner with us to provide support to patients or staff who have fallen victim to this disease.  If you would like to participate, simply visit our giving page at https://neabaptistfoundation.org/giving/covid-19-assistance-fund/.

The NEA Baptist Charitable Foundation has created a COVID-19 fund to assist our patients and employees  with expenses that may arise due to this virus.

In addition we are also partnering with Bearded Bouquet to sell signed and numbered prints of our 2019 Art Slam signature painting “ Then sings my soul” by Allison Smith.  The prints may be purchased at NEABaptistFoundation.org. Proceeds from this print benefit our Employee Assistance Fund.

EVS Team and Cleaning Policy

During the COVID-19 pandemic, anxiety over cleanliness across the country is at an all-time high. Much recognition has come to those battling the virus on the front lines through direct patient care. We would like to highlight the work done by a group of hidden heroes. EVS is a team of around 70 individuals with the task of ensuring NEA Baptist is the safest environment for patients to receive care.

EVS has an arsenal of tools at their disposal. From an XRO-3 cart, which is equipped with a built in vacuum capable of eliminating dust, and pathogens from spreading as seen with regular dusting, all the way to a portable UV lighting unit designed to completely sanitize a room in minutes. These hidden heroes live their motto every shift of, “We Save Lives”. “Our process has not changed during the pandemic. Our team members clean each room with the expectation that their family member will be the next occupant. We conduct 300 regular inspections each month and another 90 black light inspections to ensure that we hold to a high standard”, said Michael Lucas, Director of EVS. Black light inspection is the process where a shift lead will spray frequently touched areas of a recently vacated room before cleaning has begun and unbeknown to the crew cleaning the room. After cleaning is complete, the shift leader will inspect the surfaces with a black light to ensure all surfaces have been thoroughly cleaned and sanitized.

“The morale of the NEA Baptist EVS team has remained high during these unprecedented times. When faced with the unknown of what impact COVID-19 would have, our team continued to push forward by keeping the patient the center of focus on their daily operations. This team is the best defense we have for infection prevention throughout our facility and into the community. NEA Baptist is blessed to have UV equipment that takes disinfecting to the next level. This equipment has been instrumental in the cleaning of our isolation rooms for the past 2 years and even more so with the addition of COVID-19. The use of UV to eliminate the virus gave the staff an extra sense of accomplishment in knowing we are doing what is safest for our patients as well as our NEA Baptist team.”, said Stephanie Taylor, Director of Quality at NEA Baptist.

We salute these hidden heroes of health care and would like to recognize them for the work they do to keep our patients, team members, and families safe during these trying times.