Beebe Healthcare scheduling hours extended to include weekend

Beebe Healthcare is expanding the hours for its scheduling team to include weekends to better serve the community.

As the healthcare system and the community continue to recover, Beebe leaders encourage community members and patients to reschedule tests and procedures that may have been put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Patients can now call 302-645-FAST (3278) any day of the week to make an appointment.

Beebe scheduling hours are 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday to Thursday; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday; and 8 a.m. to noon, Saturday and Sunday. Weekend hours have been added to better serve the Sussex County community.

“Thanks to this effort, our patients will not have to wait until a weekday to set up an appointment,” said Dr. David A. Tam, Beebe president and CEO. “In addition, those calling the scheduling line will not have to wait as long to talk to a representative.”

Face coverings are required for all appointments. Patients are reminded to practice physical distancing and to arrive before the appointment time to fill out any necessary paperwork.

This is part of the new normal and Beebe’s recovery phase. All outpatient services such as lab and imaging require an appointment. This allows Beebe to maintain physical distancing in common areas, which sometimes will include car-based registration and waiting in one’s car prior to appointments in certain cases. A physician order is required to make an appointment.

Here are some other things to expect at Beebe care sites: Everyone should wear a mask or face covering. People can expect to be asked COVID-19 screening questions, such as whether they have been sick or been around others who might be sick. People can expect to have their temperatures taken, and to see Plexiglas dividers at some stations and visual cues on the floor to encourage physical distancing. People may be asked to call when they arrive or complete registration in their cars.

Continued visitors restrictions are in place. If patients are coming in for procedures where they will be under anesthesia, the person driving them will remain in the waiting area. Visitors are permitted in certain situations, such as labor and delivery, and palliative care. To understand visitation in a particular situation, talk to the care provider, surgeon or patient experience team. 

For more information, go to beebehealthcare.org.