COVID-19 Updates & Emergency Preparedness

Our emergency preparedness work group is in the process of updating and combining policies from the pre-merged organizations. Stay tuned for an updated, completed policy.

Please visit these links for local and national emergency preparedness information:

• Triad Healthcare Preparedness Coalition: www.triadpreparedness.org
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:www.cdc.gov
• Official Website of the Department of Homeland Security: www.ready.gov

Organizational COVID-19 Updates

Updated 8.7.2020

1. All administrative team members who are unable to work remotely will continue to report to work as normally scheduled on Monday, August 10^th.
2. The organization will continue to support remote and/or telecommuting options for administrative team members where practicable.
3. The administrative offices will continue to be closed to visitors for the duration of Phase 2.  Vendors, contractors, those with appointments and/or delivery services, however, will still be able to access the administrative offices.  Additionally, each team member should continue promoting the social distancing of visitors into the administrative offices and at the team stations and throughout the inpatient facilities where possible.
4. All homecare team members will continue to work remotely until the Governor announces the beginning of the Phase 3 Plan. Telehealth/telemedicine and other established visit protocols will continue until the organization enacts alternative measures or the National Coronavirus Emergency is declared over, whichever is earlier.
5. In an effort to minimize the number of individuals in the offices at any one time and consistent with recent practice; Clinical Leadership will  continue with any previously arranged schedules.  Other members of Senior and Extended Leadership will continue to telecommute intermittently for the duration of Phase 2.
6. For open workstations (i.e. cubicles) and/or shared offices, the organization will follow the following guidelines:
   1. Decrease density in open workstations/shared offices to allow six feet of distance between individuals.
   2. If that is not possible, team members should identify other available workspace on a temporary basis.  IT will be able to support a temporary re-location (i.e. from office to cubicle, etc.)
7. Unless prohibited due to religious belief or for a documented medical reason; face masks/coverings must be worn in all common areas or in areas where social distancing is not possible or practicable.
8. If you’re in someone else’s office, be polite.  Even if social distancing is possible, wear your mask and ask before removing it.
9. If you are in an open space like a breakroom, team station, etc. and individuals are observing social distancing, then facemasks or coverings are not required, but should be kept at the ready in the event maintaining good social distance is not possible.
10. Most importantly, take the time to explore the expectations of those team members around you and understand your wearing a face mask or covering not only is a protection for yourself, it helps protect your fellow team members in the event you are actively shedding the virus during an asymptomatic phase of COVID-19 illness.
11. Please launder re-usable/washable masks/covering frequently throughout the week using hot water and detergent.
12. In-office congregating should be avoided where possible.  If it is not possible, then exercise good social distancing and wear a face covering when appropriate or when asked by others.
13. Continue to observe good handwashing practices and wash hands often throughout the day and use hand sanitizer as needed.
14. It is strongly recommended for individuals to wash their hands before and after touching multi-touch surfaces/appliances like coffee makers, microwaves, refrigerator handles/doors, water dispensers, and Keurigs® etc.  If handwashing is not possible, use a barrier like a paper towel or napkin to handle equipment or touch multi-touch surfaces.
15. Hand sanitizer will be co-located with multi-function devices like printers, copiers, fax machines, etc. Team members are strongly encouraged to use hand sanitizer before and after touching and/or using multi-function devices.
16. For Meeting and/or Conference Spaces, the organization will follow the following guidelines:
    1. Use remote collaboration tools/resources (i.e. Zoom, GoToMeeting, et. al.) as the primary meeting option, even for those onsite in the same office suite.
    2. Although in-person meetings are discouraged at this time, if an in-person meeting is required:
       1. Confirm total number of in-person attendees.
       2. Choose a meeting space that can accommodate at least double the number of attendees (i.e., if there are five in-person  attendees, choose a meeting space that accommodates 10 or more).
       3. Individuals should leave at least one empty seat between them and the person next to them.
       4. Consider wearing facial coverings during a meeting if social distancing is not possible.
       5. Meeting participants should “wash-in and out of the room” using hand sanitizer, and wash hands with soap and water as soon as possible.

17. Any team member whose work day or workload may be restricted because of limitations imposed by any of our contracted partners (e.g. nursing home/assisted living) will not be subject to a reduction of work hours. Individual team members affected by such work limitations will be assigned other work duties.
18. Other than the provisions outlined herein, the organization will continue to follow those processes and procedures enacted on March 16^th and any subsequent revisions thereto.
19. The organization will observe Coronavirus Casual through September 30^th.