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.

Important info about our Hazardous Communication Program:

Hospice of the Piedmont uses a paperless Safety Data Sheet (SDS) system so staff can access this information at any time from any computer. Here’s how:

Website: www.MSDSonline.com
Login ID: NHPCO892
Password: HospiceSafety1!

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 6.2.2021

1. In order to continue limiting the number of individuals in administrative offices at any time, all homecare clinical staff will continue to work remotely, as is practicable.
2. All other administrative team members will continue to report to work pursuant to any scheduling and/or remote working arrangements made by mutual agreement between the administrative team member and the team member’s leader.  Such agreements are subject to periodic revision.  Revisions may result in a reassignment of work duties.
3. The organization will continue to support remote and/or telecommuting options for administrative team members where practicable. Such options are subject to periodic revisions including a reassignment of work duties in order to fulfill organizational and/or departmental work needs and/or objectives.
4. If a team member has been exposed or is symptomatic, the team member shall:
   • Notify their direct supervisor prior to reporting to work or at the first on-set of symptoms, whichever is earlier.
   • Notify their direct supervisor and/or the organization’s Employee Health Coordinator(s) or any test results.  Test results shall be submitted within 24-hours of receipt.  Submissions may be made by paper copy, fax, or email and shall be inclusive of weekends or off-hours.
5. Based upon consultation with the organization’s Employee Health Coordinator(s), the team member’s leader will notify the team member of any need to quarantine or of a need for any subsequent actions.
6. In accordance with the CDC Guidelines, the organization shall enact the following provisions effective Sunday, June 6, 2021:
   • Consistent with CDC guidance, vaccinated team members are not subject to quarantine for exposure.
   • If an unvaccinated team member is quarantined due to an exposure to COVID-19, is awaiting results and is asymptomatic:
     • The team member may, subject to an agreement made by the team member’s leader, perform such telecommuting duties as may be appropriate for their job function. In such cases, this time shall be counted as normal work time.
     • In such cases as telecommuting work is not available or the team member’s role cannot be completed as a telecommuter; the team member shall use PTO and/or ESL for any work days beginning on the team member’s first day of quarantine and ending upon receipt of a negative test.
     • If a team member declines a test, the team member must use PTO and ESL for any normally scheduled work days and may not return to work for up to 14-days provided the team member is afebrile and has improving symptoms. In the alternative, team members may provide evidence of a negative PCR test.
   • If an unvaccinated team member is quarantined due to an exposure to COVID-19, is awaiting COVID-19 test results and is symptomatic:
     • In such cases where the test result is positive, team members will be required to use available PTO and/or ESL or any combination thereof for until the team member is cleared to return to work.
   • If any team member, regardless of vaccination status, is symptomatic and declines a test:
     • The team member shall be required to use PTO and ESL for the duration of the illness, but may not return to work until 14-days from the on-set of symptoms, provided the team member is afebrile and has improving symptoms, or provides a negative PCR test, whichever is earlier.
   • Except in instances where team members are fulfilling telecommuting duties, all other absences from normal work duties shall be recorded as an absense (occurrence) consistent with the organization’s attendance policy(ies).
7. Effective Sunday, December 13, 2020, the use of ESL for Family Care Days or other Coronavirus-related consideration is amended as follows:
   • Up to ten (10) days of ESL may be used for considerations related to the Coronavirus National Emergency, which includes caring for children affected by the Coronavirus-related closure(s) of NC School Systems and/or daycare centers; caring for a dependent child, spouse/domestic partner due to Coronavirus-related issue(s).  No elimination period is required for use of ESL for Coronavirus-related purposes.
   • Usage of ESL is limited only to a team member’s available ESL balance.
8. The administrative offices will be remain open for visitors.  All visitors will be required to wear a mask, and visitors, vendors and all team members are reminded to practice frequent handwashing.
9. The organization will continue to support flexibility in scheduling for all team members.  Based upon organizational and/or departmental needs, however, such flexibility may necessitate the reassignment of work duties based upon departmental and/or organizational need.
10. 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.
11. If you are in someone else’s office, be polite.  Even if social distancing is possible, wear your mask and ask before removing it.
12. 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.
13. 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.
14. Please launder re-usable/washable masks/covering frequently throughout the week using hot water and detergent.
15. While congregating in offices or other meeting spaces, exercise good social distancing and wear a face covering when appropriate or when asked by others.
16. Continue to observe good handwashing practices and wash hands often throughout the day and use hand sanitizer as needed.
17. 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.
18. For Meeting and/or Conference Spaces, the organization will follow the following guidelines:
    • Use remote collaboration tools/resources (i.e. Zoom, GoToMeeting, et. al.) where its use is practical and promotes organizational and/or departmental efficiency(ies).
    • All in-person meetings, including in-person team meetings, in-person 1-on-1 grief counseling and group grief counseling services and/or KidsPath services shall resume provided the following:
      • Meeting leaders, participants and clients are encouraged to consider wearing facial coverings during a meeting/session if social distancing is not possible..
19. Before any team member is subject to a reduction in work hours due to limitations imposed upon the organization by any contracted partners; the individual team member shall be assigned other work duties.  If other work duties are not available, the team member may be subject to a reduction in hours worked.
20. Other than the provisions outlined herein, the organization will continue to follow those processes and procedures enacted on March 16, 2020, and any subsequent revisions thereto.  

Updated 6.2.2021

IPU Visitation Requirements:

As a healthcare organization which receives federal and state healthcare dollars, Hospice Home at High Point and the Randolph Hospice House are legally required to comply with established public health mandates which may be imposed by federal, state and/or local public health authorities. Accordingly, each individual visitor to the Hospice Home at High Point or Randolph Hospice House is subject to the following:

• For the safety and health considerations of all visitors, patients, volunteers and staff, masks must be worn at all times while visiting.
• Visitors may only access the facility through the main entrance. Entry into a patient room by any other exterior access door is prohibited.
• Visitors are required to check-in at the team station and may be subject to symptom screenings.
• Visitation is strictly limited to four individuals in the patient room at any time.