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COVID-19 Guidelines

Our hospital is committed to providing the highest quality care and ensuring the safety of our patients, employees, providers, volunteers and visitors. We are continuing to monitor the evolving situation with the coronavirus (COVID-19) and are taking the necessary steps to ensure we are fully prepared to care for patients, in accordance with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and in partnership with our local and state health departments.

Below are a number of resources to help educate you and your family on COVID-19. For more information on the virus, please visit the Missoula City-County Health Department’s  page or for health realated questions Missoula County residents may call (406) 258-INFO (4636).

Quick Links

COVID-19 Online Risk Assessment

To help support the health of our community, we are providing access to an online COVID-19 risk assessment developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This tool does NOT provide a diagnosis, and it should NOT be used as a substitute for an assessment made by a healthcare provider.

Hospital & Clinic Patients

Patients with symptoms, should call our FREE 24/7 Nurse on Call line for symptom evaluation (406) 327-4770. Please call this number in advance of visiting the hospital or any clinic. Patients experiencing respiratory or flu-like symptoms may also check-in online at Community FirstCare for symptom evaluation. Anyone experiencing a life threatening condition should call 911 or visit the emergency room.

Required Masking

All patients (age 5+) and all visitors are required to wear a surgical mask upon entering any CMC facility and must wear it for the duration of their visit. A surgical mask will be provided at the entrance. 

Visitation: Loved ones are welcome again.

It’s been a hard year. During the COVID-19 pandemic, our community has faced a number of new challenges as we have worked to protect each other’s health and well-being. Perhaps one of the biggest of those challenges has been separation from others – whether that means forgoing in-person gatherings, grabbing coffee with a friend or visiting a loved one who is receiving care at the hospital.

As we come closer than ever to putting the pandemic behind us, we are pleased to announce that our visitation restrictions are relaxing, and loved ones are welcome again. We know that it has been difficult to be apart from family and friends who are receiving care, and we want to thank you for your patience and understanding while restrictions were in place to protect the health of our patients and staff.

We are so pleased to welcome our patients’ loved ones back to the hospital to visit. Our updated visitor policy can be found below.

It’s been a hard year. Let’s make the next one better…together.

Visitation Guidelines

Any visitors who have ANY symptoms of COVID-19 are not allowed to enter.

Hospital & Outpatient Clinics
Each patient is allowed to have two visitors in the hospital at a time with the exception of the departments listed below.

  • NICU: Two visitors (must be age 18+) 
  • ER: One visitor per patient 
  • Cancer Center: New patient appointments only
  • COVID+ or Rule Out Patients: No visitors unless the patient is end of life or requires a caregiver. Patients requiring a caregiver may have one caregiver stay with them. The caregiver may not leave the room once they have entered, must wear a mask for the entire stay, and must sign the COVID+ caregiver acknowledgement form.

All visitors must undergo hand hygiene and wear a surgical mask (no cloth masks) over the nose and mouth for the duration of the visit. Visitors who are found not wearing a mask during their visit will be asked to leave.

Elective / Discretionary Procedures

We continue to do any surgeries related to conditions that threaten a patient’s life as well as elective procedures and surgeries including inpatient, outpatient and endoscopies (including screening colonoscopies). If you have questions, please contact your medical provider or surgeon. If you need an appointment or provider referral call (406) 327-4170.

How do I get tested for COVID-19?

Community FirstCare is offering rapid tests for symptomatic patients (results in about an 1-2 hours) as well as asymptomatic PCR tests (results in 48 - 72 hours). Providers follow all appropriate CDC, state and local guidelines. Patients should follow instructions from providers, as testing does not change the patient’s course of treatment. 

What do I do if I’ve been exposed to someone with a confirmed case of COVID-19? 

The person who has developed symptoms should seek a COVID-19 test. If the individual tests positive, the health department will reach out to the patient’s close contacts.

The Health Department investigates the exposure risk of all known COVID-19 cases to identify and communicate with anyone who may have been a close contact with the patient. A close contact is someone who was within six feet of the patient for a prolonged period (at least 15 minutes) or was directly exposed to the patient’s infectious secretions (such as respiratory droplets). People who are concerned that they may have been exposed to a positive case but have not developed symptoms do not need to be tested. If you are identified as a close contact and the health department contacts you, you will be given instructions to follow based upon your level of exposure.

I believe I have symptoms of COVID-19. What do I do next?

I’m experiencing mild symptoms right now, but I’m worried.

If you are experiencing fever and/or mild symptoms, call our 24/7 Nurse on Call (406) 327-4770 to be evaluated or visit Community FirstCare for evaluation and testing. Additionally you should isolate at home. For details about how to correctly perform home isolation and tips for managing your illness at home with family members, please visit the CDC’s website

Should I get tested?

Yes. Call our 24/7 Nurse on Call after hours for evaluation or visit Community FirstCare for evaluation and testing.

Worsening symptoms – I need to see my provider.

Be alert to any changing symptoms and seek prompt medical attention if your symptoms are getting worse. If you feel you need to visit your healthcare provider, call our 24/7 Nurse on Call at (406) 327-4770 to evaluate symptoms or visit Community FirstCare for evaluation and testing.

Will I be tested? Your provider will make this determination based on your symptoms. You may or may not be tested, but your provider will follow all appropriate CDC and Montana DPHHS guidelines.

Emergent symptoms – I am having difficulty breathing.

If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please call 9-1-1 and notify the dispatch agent that your emergency is related to possible COVID-19 symptoms.

Will I be tested? Your emergency medicine provider will make this determination based on your symptoms. You may or may not be tested, but your provider will follow all appropriate CDC and Montana DPHHS guidelines.

Where to Go

In order to minimize the risk of exposing others, we are directing patients who think they may have been exposed to COVID-19, or have respiratory or flu-like symptoms, to call our free 24/7 Nurse on Call line at (406) 327-4770 for instructions on seeking care. Patients may also check-in online or walk-in to any of our Missoula area Community FirstCare clinics for symptom evaluation and testing.

Online check-in at CommunityFirstCare.com