Because Of Ebola: Knock Before Entering One North Texas ER
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COLLIN COUNTY (CBS 11 NEWS) - Walk into the emergency room entrance at Baylor Medical Center in Frisco and you'll face a locked sliding glass door, with a sign attached telling you to knock.
Dave Williams, a radio news anchor on KLIF-AM in Dallas, says he noticed the chance during a trip to the hospital on Saturday.
Williams recalled, "She said, 'before I can let you in, I need to ask a couple of questions. Have either of you been in contact with anyone who has had Ebola?' No. 'Have either of you been to West Africa recently?' No."
Another sign posted on the door tells those who have traveled internationally recently and who show a variety of symptoms, not to enter patient-care areas.
♦♦♦ Complete Coverage Of Ebola In North Texas ♦♦♦
All of the changes were made because of concerns over the Ebola virus.
"I've never seen anything like it," Williams said. "She apologized and I said no, please don't apologize."
The state health department tells me hospitals may route patients with specific travel history or symptoms to other areas of the emergency department or hospital for more isolated screenings.
In a statement, Baylor Scott & White Health says, "We have a point of entry screening process in place designed to help protect our patients and caregivers."
A spokeswoman says they do that at any of its facilities that it's possible to do so, but couldn't be specific at how many. "If I worked there, or my wife worked in an ER, you bet I'd be concerned about that."
The hospital says no one at the Frisco facility has been or will be turned away. I called other hospital systems in North Texas.
A spokesman for Methodist said once people walk inside any of their emergency rooms, a greeter asks their travel history.
A spokeswoman at Parkland Hospital said they also ask people about their travel history once inside the emergency room.
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