At St. John’s Riverside Hospital, we understand there is nothing more important than your and your family’s health and safety. You are our number 1 priority! Throughout the COVID-19 outbreak in New York, St. John’s has been at the forefront of treating the disease. We have helped many residents of Yonkers and Southern Westchester recover from the virus, and we are now able to offer many resources for those who are still on the journey to recovery.
We Are Here For Your Health & Safety Is Our Mission
Take Our Risk Assessment by clicking HERE. Additionally, we are offering a RISK ASSESSMENT SURVEY to learn: what your chances are of exposure to the virus, how to protect yourself, how to get tested, our visitor policy, how you can access services to enhance your recovery from COVID-19, and much more. For more information, call our COVID Center at 914-964-4480. The Center is Open from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm Monday through Friday For urgent needs, please call our Virtual Telehealth service at 914-964-4429
St. John’s is making it easier—and safer—to get care. If you think you may have been exposed to COVID-19 or think you have it, you can get care quickly through our Virtual Telehealth service by calling 914-964-4429.
St. John’s Riverside Hospital
Is One Step Ahead!
One Step Ahead
We understand your concerns for the upcoming flu season and your desire to remain healthy, so please be reassured St. John’s Riverside Hospital is one step ahead.
The Laboratory at St. John’s Riverside is preparing for the onset of flu season by implementing a molecular-based instrument, the Cepheid GeneXpert XVI. This instrument will quickly and accurately identify if your viral respiratory symptoms are due to influenza, RSV, or the SARs-CoV2 (the virus responsible for the illness known as COVID-19).
Molecular technology looks for the presence of the genetic sequence that is specific to each virus and tells us if any of those viruses are present in the sample that we have collected from your nasal passages. The test itself takes an hour, and we can process up to 8 tests simultaneously.
We are ready to conduct patient testing in conjunction with the start of the flu season. Providing fast and accurate testing for the detection of flu or SARS-CoV2 leads to quick identification of cases, prompt treatment for those infected, and immediate isolation to prevent spread.
Yonkers and Southern Westchester communities were among the hardest areas of New York during the recent COVID-19 surge. Our COVID Information, Testing & Recovery Center will provide ongoing medical support to the thousands of recovered COVID-19 patients in the area.
Do Not Delay Your Care
Our physicians have treated thousands of COVID patients. However, many of these patients continue to face lingering side effects, and we want to help connect these patients to the care they need to make a full recovery.
- If you or a loved one need medical support after recovering from COVID-19, call 914-964-4480 to discuss your needs and obtain referrals to services to help you recover.
- Evaluation and Referrals are available for:
- Sleep Apnea and other sleep disturbances
- Cold Laser Treatment for Smoking Cessation
- Pulmonary Function Testing
- Endocrinology
- Cardio Pulmonary Rehab
- Physical Therapy and Mobility evaluation
- Dietitian – nutrition counseling and weight management
At St. John’s Riverside Hospital
You Are Our #1 Priority
What We Have Done
In a world forever changed by the virus, here are some positive changes you can expect at our medical practice and at our hospital.
- Telehealth visits may be recommended, depending on your symptoms and type of medical appointment requested. Our schedulers are ready to assist you with an appointment to meet your health needs.
- Segregated treatment areas for COVID-19 patients so that YOU will NOT be exposed. Testing and properly isolating ALL admitted patients to avoid any exposure.
- Face masks are standard procedure for patients, visitors and staff. Masks prevent the transmission of infection or a virus to others. If a patient does not have one, we will provide one. Additional handsanitizing stations are located through out our facilities.
- New check-in processes include waiting in vehicles until patient appointments begin or in waiting areas with chairs set more than 6 feet apart. There are floor stickers in registration areas for social distancing and there continue to be visitor restrictions.
- Use of additional PPE. In addition to gloves,your doctor, nurse, or technician may wear a face shield, surgical gown, or head covering. This is done out of an abundance of caution and may be required based on your symptoms and procedures.
- Screening for COVID-19 symptoms for all patients that enter our facilities, including taking temperatures and asking health questions of patients before appointments.
- COVID-19 testing for all patients during pre-surgery and mandatory daily staff screening for fever and respiratory symptoms.
Virtual Urgent Care
Virtual Urgent Care visits are available for emergency patients. If you have an urgent medical concern, St. John’s Riverside Hospital emergency providers are available to provide video care appointments 9am through midnight, 7 days a week. You can video chat with a provider from a mobile device or computer without leaving your home. Virtual video visits are covered by most health insurance providers. Call 914.964.4429 to register. A link will be emailed or texted to you, and you will be quickly connected to a provider. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please call 911.
Technology
Technology has allowed us to better focus on our patients – literally. St. John’s Riverside Hospital has equipped rooms with high-definition remote monitoring capabilities. “This technology allows our staff to continuously view and monitor patients in need and improve care by allowing staff to visualize patients without risk to other patients and staff,” said Erick Lapice, Director of Planning. “We designed this system to monitor patients in isolation and reduce the number of people entering the room. But, it does not replace bedside care.”
St. John’s Riverside Hospital has also invested in the RD-UVC robot, which utilizes ultraviolet light to kill viruses, bacteria, mold, and spores. Our RD-UVC robot is deployed to sterilize each room prior to occupancy based on the technology used by NASA in their decontamination systems. The RD-UVC robot emits powerful bursts of ultraviolet light that destroy pathogens, even in the shadows. “This device gives us added reassurance that the rooms are as clean as possible,” said Mr. Lukaczyn. “RDUVC technology adds a powerful, chemicalfree layer of protection for our patients.”
“Another new technology adopted during this time is the use o f FEMA approved ventilator helmets which allow a patient to remain awake and benefit from noninvasive ventilation. It also allows for physical therapy treatments while on a ventilator,” said Rajendra Rampersaud, MD, Chief of Medicine and Intensive Care. “These helmets are a major breakthrough in healing our patients.” Our high-tech approach extends from patient care to continuous cleaning of all of our facilities. Our facilities are disinfected throughout the day utilizing electrostatic sprayers, which enable us to apply our disinfectant solutions more effectively to surfaces, no matter how difficult it is to reach. “Using electrostatic sprayers makes the advanced disinfectant solutions better adhere to surfaces for more complete coverage and for longer, more effective times,” said Michael Lukaczyn, AVP of Environmental Services at St. John’s Riverside Hospital. “We are lucky to have worked at our community hospital during this pandemic. Most importantly because we were the rightsized hospital to be able to share ideas daily, alter practices and implement technologies based on our findings as a team,” said Dr. Rampersaud.
Elective Surgery
We have taken extra precautions to assure elective surgery is safe during these COVID-19 times. If you are planning a surgical procedure, you are tested for COVID-19 before your procedure, even if you are asymptomatic. This is for your own protection, as well as for the protection of our staff and other patients in the hospital. All our operating room staff are screened daily for fever and other symptoms. Our team is trained to use PPE and will always be appropriately covered. “Our administrators and medical leadership have also taken the time over the past few months to reorganize the hospital, creating separate units to treat elective surgical patients and those here for routine medical testing, away from those with suspected or confirmed COVID to ensure there is no co-mingling,” said Jon Bauman, MD, Chief of Anesthesia at St. John’s Riverside Hospital. Our surgical department has rearranged daily scheduling to accommodate the increase in elective surgeries. And finally, our nursing and physician staff are excited to return to the operating room and are ready to serve the patients of our community members. Call 914.964.4DOC to make an appointment or receive a referral for a surgical specialist.
Visitor Info
Guidelines for patient visitation have been issued by the New York State Department of Health allowing for limited visitation to resume. Read More
Wear A Mask, Wash Your Hands & Social Distance
Protecting Yourself from Coronavirus (COVID-19): The steps to protect yourself from coronavirus (COVID-19) are generally the same as those for the flu:
- Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available. Read more
- Avoid close contact with sick people
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue or your elbow. Dispose of a used tissue properly in a lined trash can.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a household cleaning spray or wipe.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth face cover when around others. You could spread COVID-19 to others even if you do not feel sick. Read more
- Testing will not change how we treat your illness. Whether you have COVID-19 or another seasonal illness like the flu, we advise the following:
- Stay home and only leave if you need medical attention
- Isolate yourself from others in your household by staying in a separate bedroom.
- If you wish to consult a doctor about your symptoms, please use our virtual service, Virtual Urgent Care, as a first step (914-964-4429). You can chat with a doctor on your smartphone or personal computer.
- NYS Information on Novel Coronavirus
- New York State Quarantine Exemption for Patients
- Patients from a state where there is significant community spread of COVID-19, and their companions, may travel here despite the quarantine “for a medical procedure, elective procedure, or another appointment that cannot be postponed,” according to the state Department of Health. Patients and their companions must remain quarantined except for travel necessary to their medical care, and the companions must abide by the visitor policy while in our facilities.
- More information on New York’s quarantine policies, including a list of states to which it applies, can be found on the NYS website.
We Are In This Together
- A novel coronavirus is a new coronavirus that has not been previously identified. The virus causing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), is not the same as the coronaviruses that commonly circulate among humans and cause mild illness, like the common cold.
About the Name
- On February 11, 2020, the World Health Organization announced an official name for the disease that is causing the 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak, first identified in Wuhan China. The new name of this disease is coronavirus disease 2019, abbreviated as COVID-19. In COVID-19, ‘CO’ stands for ‘corona,’ ‘VI’ for ‘virus,’ and ‘D’ for disease. Formerly, this disease was referred to as “2019 novel coronavirus” or “2019-nCoV”.
- There are many types of human coronaviruses, including some that commonly cause mild upper-respiratory tract illnesses. COVID-19 is a new disease caused by a novel (or new) coronavirus that humans have not previously seen.
Source of the Virus
- COVID-19 is caused by a coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that are common in people and many different species of animals, including camels, cattle, cats, and bats. Rarely, animal coronaviruses can infect people and then spread between people. This occurred with MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV, and now with the virus that causes COVID-19. The SARS-CoV-2 virus is a betacoronavirus, like MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV. All three of these viruses have their origins in bats. U.S. patients’ sequences are similar to the one that China initially posted, suggesting a likely single, recent emergence of this virus from an animal reservoir. However, the exact source of this virus is unknown.
Last Updated June 16, 2020
Support St. John’s by donating to the COVID-19 Emergency Fund today!
Please support our team of heroes with the resources they need to remain ready to serve you. Any donation, large or small, will be used to purchase PPE, ventilators and helmet ventilators, critical care beds, spray sanitizing materials, UV sterilizers, and equipment. Your help today will assure our presence for you, your family, and friends when you need us. Click here to make a donation TODAY!