Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

May 6, 2020

We know many of our patients, family and friends are very concerned about the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).  Providing for the safety and well-being of our patients and their families is our paramount priority.  Our agencies are following the recommendations of the CDC on prevention steps, including following strict handwashing procedures and in wearing Personal Protective Equipment with patients who are sick. We also are staying up to date with the CDC recommendations as they change.  In addition, our agencies are in close contact with the local and state health department and are following their guidance. 

Additionally, we have implemented expanded screening protocols specific to COVID-19 for admitting new patients and whether to visit existing patients based on their symptoms.  If the new patient is not seen by our clinician, their personal physician is immediately contacted. When a patient is on our service and not seen, we are contacting their physician and staying in close communication with the patient/family.

We have a Critical Response Team (CRT) in each agency.   The CRT will be assigned to any patient on caseload who are positive for COVID.   These teams are comprised of clinicians that are all equipped with the necessary Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and that have been thoroughly trained on the precautions and techniques of treating COVID patients and in keeping themselves, other patients and their loved ones as safe as possible.  We have also invested in an internet-enabled screening platform that monitors our employees’ symptoms through a single dashboard that is updated with real-time data.   All employees must pass the screening process before treating a patient.

The CDC has recommended a variety of steps that we are implementing to help reduce the potential for spreading the virus to our patient population.  However, we need your help in battling COVID-19.  Below are some examples of how you can help us protect our patients and their families, as well as prevent the spread throughout the community. 

Please notify your caregiver immediately if you or a household contact have:

• signs and symptoms of respiratory infection, such as fever, cough, shortness of breath, or are ill with respiratory illness
• had contact with someone with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19
• a suspected, pending confirmation or confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis

We are in regular communication with our patients, family members, staff and suppliers, and will update our website when we have new information to share with our community.

We are keenly focused on COVID-19.  We value the trust you place in us and we will continue to do our utmost to keep you informed of any new developments affecting our patients, their families and friends, and our staff and suppliers.

Please contact our individual agencies for specific information about your loved one if you have any questions.

Sincerely,
Mark L. Hunt
Vice President, Home Health
Elevate Home health

Helpful links:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html – Center for Disease Control

https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Immunization/ncov2019.aspx – California Department of Health