Due to the rise in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in the region, Ballad Health has reinstituted its COVID-19 scorecard, to be distributed each Friday until further notice. NOTE: We have not included COVID-19 vaccine rates – both for the region and our hospitalized patients – because available data is incomplete. Booster shots, which have a significant influence on an individual’s likelihood of becoming seriously ill from COVID-19, are available at other providers and might not be reflected in Ballad Health records. Additionally, the number of boosters people should have will differ, depending on each person’s age and health factors, and will thus impact reporting.

We will be releasing an updated COVID-19 scorecard each Friday, until further notice.

TO: Ballad Health All FROM: Ballad Health Corporate Emergency Operations Center DATE: Tuesday, July 26, 2022 TITLE: Implementation of contingency staffing ACTION: Please post and cascade to all team members. Click here to view this memo as a PDF file. COVID-19 inpatient cases: 132 COVID-19 patients in ICU: 27 COVID-19 patients on ventilators: 10 Pediatric inpatients with COVID-19: 5 Due to an increase in community transmission of COVID-19, and to the ongoing clinical staffing resource limitations, Ballad Health will upgrade to contingency staffing for team members who test positive for COVID-19, effective Tuesday, July 26. Ballad Health continues to remain in contingency staffing for all team members who have a high-risk exposure. Contingency staffing is applied when increased clinical staffing needs are occurring or are expected due to quarantine measures. High-risk areas, such as cancer centers and oncology units will follow conventional guidelines when determining if COVID-exposed team members can return to work. Team members working with the…

TO: Ballad Health All FROM: Ballad Health Corporate Emergency Operations Center DATE: Monday, July 25, 2022 TITLE: Masking guidelines reminder and universal eye protection policy ACTION: Please cascade and share with team members. COVID-19 inpatient cases: 129 COVID-19 patients in ICU: 20 COVID-19 patients on ventilators: 7 Pediatric inpatients with COVID-19: 4 The memo will review the following items: Reminder of current masking guidelines Implementation of universal eye protection in all clinical roles Virtual meetings continue to be encouraged Click here to view this as a PDF file. With the summer rise in COVID-19 transmission in our region and in our hospitals, it is important for all team members to follow our Ballad Health masking guidelines, which were implemented in early April and remain in effect. While COVID-19 admissions are lower than the critical highs we experienced during last winter’s surge, the current BA.5 variant is a concern. The positivity rate for the region has increased to 25%, up…

TO: Ballad Health All FROM: Ballad Health Corporate Emergency Operations Center DATE: May 24, 2022 TITLE: Implementation of Contingency Staffing ACTION: Please post and cascade to all team members. Due to an increase in community transmission of COVID-19, and to the ongoing clinical staffing resource limitations, Ballad Health will upgrade to contingency staffing for team members who have high-risk exposures, effective Wednesday, May 25. Contingency staffing is applied when increased clinical staffing needs are occurring or are expected due to quarantine measures. High-risk areas, such as cancer centers and oncology units, Hospitots and the Niswonger Children’s Network, will follow conventional guidelines when determining if COVID-exposed team members can return to work. IMPORTANT NOTE: We are making a slight change in how we implement contingency staffing this time, in that team members exposed to COVID-19 will follow contingency guidelines, but team members who are positive for COVID-19 will continue to follow conventional staffing guidelines. Our systemwide COVID-19 inpatient census, which…

We’re adding a new feature to Ballad Teams called “COVID-19 Health Pass,” to be used by team members who’ve had a high-risk exposure to COVID-19 while at work. With the Health Pass tool, these team members will be able to actively monitor their symptoms to determine if they need to quarantine and, if so, when it’s safe to return to work. The process will be as follows: If Team Member Health or Infection Prevention learn of a team member’s high-risk exposure to COVID-19, they will contact the team member to inform them, and will provide instructions on how to use the COVID-19 Health Pass, which is accessible by smart phone, tablet, laptop or another web-accessible device. The team member can monitor and note symptoms while quarantining, using the Health Pass. Team Member Health and Infection Prevention will let the team member know when it is safe to return to work. Unless team members have had…

TO: Ballad Health All FROM: Ballad Health Corporate Emergency Operations Center DATE: April 6, 2022 TITLE: Transition to conventional staffing ACTION: Please cascade and share with team members. Due to the substantial decrease in COVID-19 cases in our region and our hospitals, Ballad Health will downgrade from contingency staffing to conventional staffing guidelines for COVID-19, effective Wednesday, April 6. Conventional staffing means team members or providers who test positive for COVID-19 will now isolate for seven days and may return to work on Day 8 with a negative COVID-19 test. If the test is positive, the team member will continue to isolate through Day 10 and return to work on Day 11. For those who have high-risk exposures, the infection preventionist will determine your vaccination status: Those who are up-to-date (fully vaccinated and a booster, if booster-eligible) will not be required to isolate. They should test on Day 1 and sometime between Days 5 and 7. Those who are not…

TO: Ballad Health All FROM: Ballad Health Corporate Emergency Operations Center DATE: April 1, 2022 TITLE: Updates on COVID-19 policies and guidelines as COVID-19 numbers decrease ACTION: Please cascade and share with team members. Due to COVID-19 cases in our region subsiding, and to the substantial decrease in our COVID-19 inpatient census, we are loosening some restrictions and closing down certain COVID-related programs. This memo covers the following topics: Team member masking guidelines, optional badge buddies Eye protection requirements Visitation restrictions updated Second booster shots Safe at Home program standing down Team member masking updates and optional badge buddies Masking is still required in all patient care areas. Masks will no longer be required for vaccinated team members in nonpatient-care areas. Unvaccinated team members in nonpatient-care areas are still required to wear a mask in order to comply with OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) and CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) guidelines. Unvaccinated team members may remove…

TO: Ballad Health All FROM: Ballad Health Corporate Emergency Operations Center DATE: March 25, 2022 TITLE: Updates on COVID-19 policies and guidelines as COVID numbers decrease ACTION: Please cascade and share with team members. Due to COVID-19 cases in our region subsiding, and to the substantial decrease in our COVID-19 inpatient census, we are loosening some restrictions and closing certain COVID-related programs. This memo covers the following topics: Hospital drive-thru testing sites and most BHMA Urgent Care drive-thru testing sites closing BHMA Urgent Care – Colonial Heights to reopen Helping Hands program standing down Hospitots masking policy Hospital drive-thru testing sites, most BHMA Urgent Care drive-thru testing sites to close; inside testing still offered Effective Friday, March 25, the remaining drive-thru COVID testing sites at Greeneville Community Hospital, Hawkins County Memorial Hospital, Sycamore Shoals Hospital and Unicoi County Hospital will be standing down services. Ballad Health Medical Associates (BHMA) will be standing down seven of its eight testing tent…

Ballad Health’s Overmountain Recovery sponsors a series on WCYB-TV called “Road to Recovery” that features short video reports about various health and addiction issues from our region. One of the latest topics is the impact of “long-haul” COVID-19 on patients in our area. Click these links to the short features on wcyb.com about long COVID, including interviews with long COVID patients and with Dr. Paul Jett of Ballad Health’s Center for Post-COVID Care: Teen dealing with COVID side effects one year after testing positive https://wcyb.com/features/road-to-recovery/road-to-recovery-teen-dealing-with-covid-side-effects-one-year-after-testing-positive Road to Recovery: The impacts of long-haul COVID on local patients https://wcyb.com/features/road-to-recovery/road-to-recovery-the-impacts-of-long-haul-covid-on-local-patients Road to Recovery: Ballad to open dedicated location for long COVID patients https://wcyb.com/features/road-to-recovery/road-to-recovery-ballad-to-open-dedicated-location-for-long-covid-patients