Responding to COVID-19

View Visitor Guidelines below

Vaccinations for our Community

St. Mary’s Medical Center is not currently distributing COVID-19 vaccines to the public at its hospital site, but is instead partnering with the City and County of San Francisco and a consortium of health care organizations to vaccinate Bay Area residents age 65 and older at San Francisco’s Moscone Center. Please visit MyTurn where you can find out if it is your turn to get vaccinated and schedule a vaccination appointment. If it is not yet your turn, the MyTurn site also allows you to register to be notified when you are eligible.

If you are a Dignity Health Medical Group – Saint Francis/St. Mary’s patient please visit their website to learn which priority groups are being vaccinated and how to schedule a vaccination.  If you are a Hill Physicians Medical Group Patient visit their website to learn which priority groups are being vaccinated and how to schedule a vaccination. These websites are updated frequently. 

Crisis Response Guidelines

We continue to stay in close contact with the county department of health to determine the best way to care for an unprecedented surge of critically ill COVID-19 patients. If the number of patients exceeds our resources, and there are no alternate care sites available, we may need to implement triage guidelines so that limited resources are used equitably and consistent with national standards.

Triaging care during a crisis situation is the most difficult decision any care team has to make. At Dignity Health, triage guidelines are based on the unequivocal principle that we treat all patients with dignity and respect.

View our Crisis Response Guidelines

We want to assure the community that St. Mary’s Medical Center is closely monitoring all developments with COVID-19 and we are prepared to identify, isolate, and treat any potential patient who seeks care at our facility. We are in contact with local and state health officials as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and our staff is following the latest guidance from these public health agencies. St. Mary’s Medical Center has the supplies and equipment needed to effectively manage the care of any suspected or confirmed COVID-19 patients and we are continuously assessing the volume of supplies at our hospital. The safety of our patients, employees, and physicians remains our highest priority.

Here are some important steps we’ve taken to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in our community:

Virtual Care

We’re offering free virtual care visits from the convenience and safety of your own home for anyone exhibiting mild COVID-19 symptoms such as low-grade fever, cough, or respiratory problems. Schedule remote visits for same day appointments, well and sick care, and mild to moderate COVID-19 symptoms. Meet with one of our doctors from anywhere, right on your device. Find a provider that offers video visits.

If your symptoms are severe such as high fever, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, call 911, or visit your nearest ER. 

Supplies and Equipment Donations

St. Mary’s Medical Center is responding to COVID-19 and protecting our patients, staff and community. We are incredibly grateful for the outpouring of support we’ve received, and we are appreciative of your generosity and spirit of giving. 

If you wish to make a donation of supplies or equipment, please note that we can only accepting the items listed below at this time. Our safety and infection control experts will review and inspect the items before they can be used. We are unable to accept items that have been opened or items that are homemade.

Items we can accept:

  • Unused surgical masks and/or masks with face shields (not cloth)
  • Unused N95 respirator masks and unused isolation masks
  • Isolation or surgical gowns
  • Unopened packages or containers of:
    • Unvented protective goggles
    • Disposable gloves (not latex)
    • Hand sanitizer
    • Disinfectants and disinfecting wipes

Items we cannot accept:  Homemade supplies, items that have been opened or used, and food.

You are welcome to drop off donations in person at 2250 Hayes Street (between Stanyan and Shrader) on weekdays between 1-4:30 p.m. Please call (415) 516-5184 for curbside pick-up.

If other health providers are in need, we will share items with them. 

For large donations: Call (510) 691-3903.

For all other questions: Contact the St. Mary’s Foundation at (415) 750-5790 or [email protected]. 

Additional Resources

The following websites also offer up-to-date information about COVID-19:

Health Advisory: Priorities for COVID-19 Testing

  • Click here to learn more about St. Mary’s response to the San Francisco Department of Public Health Order No. C19-15. This response highlights our COVID-19 testing priorities. 

VISITOR GUIDELINES

The health and safety of our patients and their loved ones remain a top priority. To ensure everyone’s safety, the following visitor policies are in place:

  • In accordance with California Department of Public Health guidelines, St. Mary's Medical Center is limiting visitors until further notice. All inpatients (except COVID-19 positive patients, unless otherwise approved) may have one (1) support person/visitor (including clergy) daily between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
  • Special Circumstances: 

Pediatric patients and patients with physical, intellectual and/or developmental disabilities, and patients with cognitive impairments:

  • Two (2) support persons can be permitted in cases of prolonged hospitalization.
  • Parents or family members may be asked to limit frequency of patient room entry/exit.

Surgery Patients:

  • One (1) visitor is permitted until the patient is taken into prep (provided social distancing can be accomplished), and when the patient is in recovery and preparing for discharge.

Patients at End-of-Life

  • Two (2) visitors are permitted.
  • Visitors must:
  • Comply with all hospital visitor guidelines. 
  • Be 18 years or older.
  • Go through hospital screening for fever and COVID-19 symptoms.
  • Comply with universal medical-grade masking.
  • Limit movement in the facility: go directly to and from the patient’s room, and refrain from walking around in hallways of the facility. Visitors are not permitted in the cafeteria.
  • We continue to support patient communications with loved ones as much as possible through the phones in patient rooms, and through patients’ personal cell phones or tablets. There is supported Wi-Fi through SMMC Guest. 

  • For infection control purposes, we must also discourage the deliveries of flowers, food or gifts at this time. 

  • Thank you for helping us keep our patients, staff and community safe.

Protect Patients. Protect Yourself.

Please remember to:

  Dignity Health   Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you sneeze. 
  Dignity Health   If you don't have a tissue, use your upper sleeve or elbow, not your hands.             
  Dignity Health  

Wash or use Hand Gel often. Wash with soap and warm water for a full 20 seconds.
  Dignity Health   Don't touch your T-ZONE! Eyes, Nose and Mouth.              
  Dignity Health   Maintain a safe distance from others.