COVID-19, more commonly known as coronavirus, has become a greatly discussed topic within the past few weeks, and continues to cause much angst and concern.
In response, the Choctaw Regional Medical Center and the Choctaw Nursing and Rehabilitation Center are taking measures to help reassure residents that everything possible is being done to guard against the virus.
CRMC has established a COVID-19 Task Force that is led by Sid Hill and is comprised of a multidisciplinary team including medical staff members. Their efforts to date include ongoing emergency planning, ensuring they have the necessary supplies and equipment to care for their patients/ residents, and reinforcing appropriate infection prevention protocols, including:
• Developing screening processes for potential coronavirus patients,
• Hand hygiene and proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE),
• Proper environmental cleaning,
• Isolation procedures for patients who may have a respiratory infection,
• Visitor policies to prohibit people who may have a respiratory illness from visiting,
• Ongoing communication and coordination with the health department and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Screening Precautions
• CRMC is developing screening protocols for patients who enter the facilities and visitors who enter the nursing home. This is for the protection of the patients/ residents, the providers, and all our staff. Plans continue to be developed on procedures to isolate patients who potentially have respiratory illnesses who are seeking treatment.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
• Considering the potential need for increased usage of PPE by the staff, they have
inventoried supplies and placed control measures around the dispensing and utilization of the PPE. These measures have been put in place to ensure that stock remains at adequate levels throughout this time. There will be additional education provided to targeted departments regarding proper protocols for utilizing PPE.
Facility Access Control
• To further protect patients/residents, providers, and staff, they are working on an access control plan that will restrict access to facilities to a limited number of entrances.
The following changes will be implemented for a limited time in the coming days for precautionary measures:
• The hospital visitation will be limited from 8:00am to 6:00pm,
• The Choctaw Nursing & Rehabilitation Center has been placed under a ‘No Visitor In, No Resident Out’ policy until further notice.
• The Cafeteria will be closed to the public, but service will be available to staff.
• The primary entrance to the hospital will be at the front main location of the hospital and Emergency Department Entrance. The Cafeteria entrance will be closed.
• The Emergency Department entrance will not provide access to main hospital however, will remain open for Emergency Department patients 24 hours a day.
Communication
CRMC will continuously be working on communicating messages to the staff and the public with messages will be released at the appropriate times. The messages are intended to:
• Inform the public of patient screening procedures and access control plan.
• Encourage patients to use appropriate sites of care that best meet their healthcare needs.
• Discourage visitors with respiratory symptoms from coming to our facilities to visit our
patients and residents.
• Encourage any patient who meets the screening criteria for COVID-19—close contact
with a confirmed COVID-19 patient or a patient under investigation; recent history of travel from affected geographic areas; fever and signs/symptoms of respiratory illness— to call ahead before coming to one of our emergency department or clinics for further instructions.
CRMC CEO, Jamie Rodgers said that it is important that the public understands the measures being taken to protect them, the patients/residents, providers, and staff are in the best interest of everyone’s safety.
Holly Cornett, Nursing Home Director, said, “We appreciate the cooperation of the community because we know it’s hard on everybody.”
Total Cases: 12
