Center Updates During COVID-19 Pandemic

Guided by our mission to provide the highest quality care, The Hill Medical Corporation and Huntington-Hill Imaging & Breast Centers are taking extra steps to safeguard our patients and employees during the Coronavirus/COVID-19, AND every imaging center team member has been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.  Our latest updates to policies, hours of operation and alerts can be found below.
“Cancer won’t wait, and neither should you.” Read this open letter from 76 cancer-fighting organizations about resuming cancer screenings and treatment.
[vc_wp_text]We are committed to being fully focused on providing high-quality, compassionate care during this unprecedented time, and our team’s number one goal is the health and safety of our patients, physicians and staff.

As the COVID-19 infection rate rises, we have updated our guidelines to ensure all visitors and vendors are following strict protocols. Please see the “Vendor and Visitor Vaccination Requirement” tab below.

At this time, everyone in our centers is required to wear a mask, regardless of vaccination status.

Additionally, as public health guidelines continue to change, our practice is adapting quickly and will post updates on our website as soon as possible – www.hillmedical.comSometimes it is necessary for our schedulers and sites to modify our operations and safeguarding measures before updates are posted online.

A message from the American College of Radiology: ACR Patient_infographic_reopening

COVID-19 Phone Line: Our hospital partner, Huntington Health, has a COVID-19 phone line –  (626) 397-3777.[/vc_wp_text]

[vc_wp_text]We are fully focused on the safety and health of our patients, physicians, and staff. During the COVID-19 pandemic we are taking extra steps to safeguard our imaging centers:

  • Extra Cleaning Measures: We have hired extra staff to ensure high traffic areas like the waiting room and registration are cleaned hourly, and we continue to adhere to the California Department of Health and Centers for Disease Control’s infection-prevention and safety standards.
  • Supporting Social Distancing: We have added signage at registration to ensure proper social distancing and have relocated waiting room chairs to allow for proper space between those waiting in the lobby.
  • Car vs. Waiting Room: Patients may also request to wait in their car, and we will text you when it is time to come in for your exam.
  • Added Sanitizer Stations: Hand sanitizer is available at registration and throughout our centers.
  • Restricted Visitor Policy: For everyone’s health and safety, patients who require assistance must limit the number of visitors they bring to their appointment(s) to one person.
  • Masks: All patients, employees, and guests are required to wear a mask. Those without a mask will be provided one at our registration desk. Patients refusing a mask will not be able to be seen.
  • Patient Health Screenings: Patients are asked to fill out a brief questionnaire at check in. Anyone who has had COVID-19 symptoms within the past 14 days OR has tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 14 days cannot be seen at our centers and will be referred to the hospital or their healthcare provider for guidance on where to attain appropriate imaging services.
  • Vendor & Visitor Vaccination Policy: Please refer to the tab below for details on this requirements for vendors and visitors to our sites.
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Patients and visitors are asked to fill out a brief questionnaire at check in. Anyone who has had COVID-19 symptoms within the past 14 days OR has tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 14 days cannot be seen at our centers and will be referred to the hospital or their healthcare provider for guidance on where to attain appropriate imaging services.

Rescheduling Appointments: Patients needing to reschedule an appointment should call:

          • Huntington-Hill Imaging Centers – (626) 698-7266
          • Jim and Eleanor Randall Breast Center – (626) 698-7210

CMBS/Hill Vaccination Requirements for Visitors & Vendors

Effective 8/11/2021

PDF of Vaccination Requirements for Vendors

Visitors (non-patient) including vendors to our imaging centers and business office must present proof of being fully vaccinated OR show proof of negative results of a COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours prior to entering, unless they are accompanying a minor patient or acting as a support person under ADA guidelines. Below is accepted proof of vaccination and test requirements per the order and details regarding exceptions to the order.

If you are fully vaccinated, prior to entering our facility you must present:
  1.  COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card (issued by the Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control & Prevention or WHO Yellow Card) which includes name of person vaccinated, type of vaccine provided, and date last dose administered); OR
  2. a photo of a Vaccination Record Card as a separate document; OR
  3. a photo of the your Vaccination Record Card stored on a phone or electronic device, OR
  4. documentation of COVID-19 vaccination from a health care provider; OR
  5. digital record that includes a QR code that when scanned by a SMART Health Card reader displays to the reader client name, date of birth, vaccine dates and vaccine
If you are unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated, prior to entering our facility you are required to present:
  1.  Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated visitors are eligible for indoor visits only if they can show documentation of a negative SARS-CoV-2 test where the specimen collection occurred within 72 hours before each visit and for which the test results are available at the time of entry to the
  2. Visitors may use either PCR testing or antigen Any PCR or antigen test used must either have Emergency Use Authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or be operating per the Laboratory Developed Test requirements by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Mask, personal protective equipment, and physical distancing requirements:
  1.  All visitors, regardless of vaccination status or test result, must:
    • Wear a well-fitting face mask (a surgical mask or double masking is recommended) upon entry and at all times within the facility;
    • Wear any other personal protective equipment (PPE) that facility personnel deem appropriate to the situation; and
  2. Physically distance from health care personnel and other employees/visitors.

Visitors/Vendors will not be permitted inside our facility without proper documentation, unless:

  • They are a visitor accompanying an underage patient (minor).
  • They are a visitor acting as a support person under the ADA guidelines.

NOTE: Patients do not need to show proof of vaccination at this time.

[vc_wp_text]Like all healthcare practices, we are working hard to ensure patients can schedule and be seen for appointments in a timely manner. However, with the added COVID-19 screening questions, extra precautions being taken, and dynamics of staffing during COVID-19, our hold times in scheduling and wait times at appointments may be increased. We apologize in advance for additional any added delays you may experience. For urgent assistance, patients can email us at info@cmbsllc.net and physician office staff are encouraged to contact their Hill Imaging/HHIC physician liaison. [/vc_wp_text]
[vc_wp_text]We are pleased to have reopened all our imaging and breast centers for all modalities including screening studies (mammography, DXA, heart and lung screenings, etc.).

  • Scheduling and billing offices are open Monday-Friday only.
  • No walk-in appointments are accepted for any procedure.
  • STAT/Urgent cases should call centers before sending patients; every patient must be pre-screened.
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[vc_wp_text]The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a massive delay in patients getting their screening mammograms, among other early detection and preventative exams. The fear of going out to doctors appointments and screening exams has delayed care for patients. Sadly, cancer and other diseases have not stopped because COVID-19 is here.

Delayed mammograms have resulted in delayed diagnoses, which have resulted in delayed treatments, which have resulted in later staged (and less treatable) cancers. Later staged cancers are harder and more expensive to treat. Additionally, patients have more treatment options when a cancer is found earlier, at a stage 0, 1 or 2.

So don’t delay! Schedule your annual screening mammogram TODAY! We have open appointments for screening mammogram, and we anticipate very full schedules after COVID-19 numbers improve.

Huntington-Hill Imaging & Breast Centers – (626) 698-7266

Jim & Eleanor Randall Breast Center – (626) 698-7210

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[vc_wp_text]We occasionally read imaging studies (typically by CT) that are suspicious for COVID based on imaging features. Because we pre-screen all outpatients at the imaging centers for COVID symptoms/history, these cases are clinically unsuspected and therefore treated as a critical value. If the radiologist is unable to reach the referring doctor within one hour, the radiologist will attempt to contact the patient directly.[/vc_wp_text]