TO: Ballad Health Leaders (Managers, Directors, AVP, VP, SVP, EVP)
FROM: Ballad Health Corporate Emergency Operations Center
DATE: March 30, 2020
TITLE: Daily COVID-19 briefing – March 30, 2020
ACTION: Please post and cascade to all team members. This is a review of the major activities that occurred today related to the COVID-19 response.
Safer at Home public order goes into effect Tuesday; legal release available for Ballad Health team members and medical staffs
In response to rising coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) numbers, local governments have issued orders to direct all residents to remain at their places of residence unless they’re engaged in essential activities (such as going to grocery stores or pharmacies) or reporting for work at essential businesses – like Ballad Health.
Local law enforcement will conduct “spot checks” for compliance to this order. A legal release has been prepared for all Ballad Health team members and physicians, which should be produced (either physically or electronically) along with a Ballad Health badge. The “Work-Related Travel by Ballad Health Team Member” release is available for electronic download on Tuesday on the COVID-19 Intranet page. We recommend that you print a copy and place it in your vehicle or save a photo of it on your personal device.
Remain mindful of social media guidelines
As COVID-19 permeates many social media channels, it’s more crucial than ever to be certain that what you post accurately reflects the pandemic’s status, and Ballad Health’s response, to the public.
If you share information about COVID-19, please ensure it’s from a reputable source, such as the CDC, Ballad Health or the departments of health. Additionally, always be mindful of potential patient confidentiality regulations – no patient information may be shared or represented in any way without a signed consent form that you can obtain from the corporate marketing department.
We also encourage our team members to be proactive in containing misinformation. If you see posts that are inaccurate or potentially harmful, please report those posts for the sites’ review.
If you have any photos or stories that you would like to see shared onto Ballad Health’s social media presence, please email socialmedia@balladhealth.org. Please do not submit photos of team members donning PPE as a photo prop.
Happy Doctor’s Day!
To help slow the spread of COVID-19, Ballad Health did not host any celebration events for this year’s Doctor’s Day, but we encourage everyone to acknowledge how much our doctors mean to us as individuals and as part of the Ballad Health team – especially during this challenging time. Our doctors work on the front lines of this pandemic, which makes this year’s Doctor’s Day even more poignant.
Moments of light – the rehab team at Smyth County Community Hospital
As we fight the COVID-19 pandemic, Ballad Health team members are doing what they do best – caring for the minds, bodies and souls of the people in the Appalachian Highlands.
Even though the Wellness Center has closed for now, the rehabilitation and therapy team at Smyth County Community Hospital has developed a way to continue caring for patients. The team is using call-in/pick-up service and screening stations before each patient is brought back to their therapist. They have all worked together to juggle schedules for outpatient rehabilitation and therapy, while also providing top-notch care to hospital inpatients.
Great work by this team!
Do you have a story or team member you’d like to recognize? Let us know by sending an email to BalladHealthCorporateEOC@balladhealth.org.
Additional points to note
- Remain mindful of PPE policies. If you wear gloves, be sure to remove them between patients and perform hand hygiene with alcohol-based sanitizer or soap and water
- Please do not dispose of any reusable PPE. Many of these items can be sanitized, cleaned and reused. If you are unsure of what items may be disposed of, please contact your facility infection prevention team.
- Bed linens for confirmed for suspected COVID-19 patients are to be handled as they would for any other patients. No special care is needed.
- Beards, stubble and facial hair cause a common problem when using PPE face masks, as this can prevent the mask from being able to seal to the face and pass the fit test, therefore team members are required to be free of facial hair until the COVID-19 crisis has subsided.
- The next livestream COVID-19 press conference will be Tuesday, March 31, at 11:30 a.m. The update will air live on Ballad Health’s Facebook page, and the link will be made available in tomorrow’s email recap.
- The American Heart Association has approved an extension of the recognition of its Provider Card beyond its renewal date, for up to 60 days. To align with this recommendation, Ballad Health has made the decision to suspend all AHA courses for the next 60 days. Additionally, all childbirth preparation and breastfeeding courses offered to the community will no longer be provided in person.
- If a team member is experiencing any symptoms not attributed to diagnosed seasonal allergies – fever, cough, sore throat – do not come in to work. Contact your direct supervisor, and then Team Member Health. If a team member lives with someone who has tested positive for COVID19, they must quarantine, per health department recommendations. If a healthcare worker has been exposed to a positive COVID-19 patient at work, and they remain asymptomatic, infection prevention or the CEOC will review their epidemiologic risk factors.
- All COVID-19 updates and information will continue to be shared to balladhealth.org/COVID19.
Total positive COVID-19 case count:
- Tennessee – 1,834 total; 48 in Appalachian Highlands (per health department data)
- Carter – 1
- Cocke – 1
- Greene – 12
- Hamblen – 2
- Hawkins – 4
- Johnson – 2
- Sullivan – 11
- Unicoi – 1
- Washington – 14
- Virginia – 1,202; nine in Appalachian Highlands (per health department data)
- City of Bristol – 1
- Lee County – 2
- Smyth County – 1
- Tazewell County – 2
- Washington County – 2
- Wythe County – 1
In case you missed it, follow the links below to learn more…
