For Patients and Visitors
FAQs | Safe in Our Care| Vendor Restrictions
At Tidelands Health, we are continuing to provide the safe, quality, compassionate care our patients expect.
If you are planning to visit a patient, click here to learn about our visitation restrictions.
As our region’s largest health care provider, Tidelands Health is accustomed to caring for patients with potentially infectious illnesses. We are drawing on that expertise to guide our response, in alignment with CDC guidelines, to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Do you think you have COVID-19?
Here’s what you should do if you believe you have COVID-19:
- Call the Tidelands Health COVID-19 Nurse Line at 843-652-8800 Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (closed on Christmas Day and New Year's Day) for COVID-19 screening and referral, or contact your primary care provider for instructions on what to do next. If you do not have a primary care provider, call 1-866-TIDELANDS for assistance finding one. You can also use the no-cost MUSC Health virtual screening tool at muschealth.org.
- If you do not have symptoms but believe you may have come into contact with an infected person, call the South Carolina Department of Health at 888-847-0902.
- If you are experiencing symptoms, be sure to call ahead before coming to any Tidelands Health location. Tidelands Health is testing patients when a physician determines it is clinically appropriate to do so. We are not offering walk-in COVID-19 testing.
- In case of an emergency, always call 911.
What visitor restrictions are in place at Tidelands Health?
For the latest information about visitation at Tidelands Health, please click here.
What kind of screening can patients expect at Tidelands Health hospitals?
To help prevent the spread of coronavirus in our community, patients arriving at Tidelands Health locations will be screened. All patients and visitors will be required to wear a mask for the protection of other patients and staff. Those who do not wish to wear a mask will be required to reschedule for a later time. As always, no patient who needs emergency care is ever turned away.
Inpatients (who are not on COVID-19 isolation) and their visitors may remove masks when in a private patient room with the door closed.
I have a doctor's appointment scheduled, but I’m concerned about getting the virus. Should I keep my appointment?
We have rigorous infection prevention protocols in place to protect our patients, team members and the community.
However, if you are not feeling well or have concerns you may have the COVID-19 coronavirus, please call your physician’s office in advance to notify the staff. The office will provide further instructions.
Do I need to wear a mask at Tidelands Health care locations?
All patients and visitors are required to wear a face covering or mask in all Tidelands Health care locations. If you don’t have a face covering, we will supply one before you enter the building, but you are strongly encouraged to bring your own.
Inpatients (who are not on COVID-19 isolation) and their visitors may remove masks when in a private patient room with the door closed.
Is Tidelands Health testing coronavirus patients?
Yes, several testing options are available to accommodate our community’s unique needs. For more information about testing, please click here. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911. Please do not come to an emergency department to be tested.
How do I get in touch with the Tidelands Health business office?
Patients who need assistance from the business office should reach out by phone. For the Tidelands Waccamaw Community Hospital business office, call 843-652-1020. For the business office at Tidelands Georgetown Memorial Hospital, call 843-652-8201.
How do I request medical records?
Medical records can be accessed through the Tidelands Health patient portal, or requests may be sent by mail. You may also request records by phone. For Tidelands Georgetown Memorial Hospital, call 843-520-8404. For Tidelands Waccamaw Community Hospital, call 843-652-1098. To speak with a team member in the health information management department, call 843-527-7426.
Have hospital entrances changed?
Yes. As part of our efforts to protect our team members, patients and their loved ones amid the COVID-19 pandemic, we have instituted hospital entrance changes at Tidelands Waccamaw Community Hospital and Tidelands Georgetown Memorial Hospital. To view a map that reflects the changes at Tidelands Waccamaw, please click here. For a look at the changes at Tidelands Georgetown, please click here.
