News

Our Incident Command Team plans for all levels of both anticipated and unanticipated events year-round. We are committed to preparedness and will continue to do the following:

• The Health System is dedicated to real time monitoring of the CDC website (gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov) to ensure all new information is available to staff.
• The Health System’s Incident Command and Clinical Teams hold regular meetings to ensure preparedness, following daily advisement of the CDC.
• The Health System holds daily safety huddles to ensure appropriate communication across all departments.
• The Health System increased supplies of critical items and established conservation measures to ensure appropriate PPE level availability.
• The Health System prepared a contingency budget in anticipation of a local outbreak and/or pandemic.
• The Health System established environmental controls in the ER waiting room that will separate patients who present with respiratory symptoms from those who do not.
• The Health System provided refresher training to clinical staff on PPE and donning and doffing (putting on and taking off) of gowns, gloves and facemasks (PAPRs).
• The Health System established additional cleaning protocols and purchased additional equipment to track germs.
• The Health System cafeteria is currently closed to the public, until further notice.
• The Health System fitness center is currently closed, until further notice.
• The Health System gift shop is currently closed, until further notice.
• The Health System front driveway and entrance on Pine Street is currently closed, until further notice.
• The Health System entrances are currently through Same Day Surgery (Monday – Friday 6:00 am – 5:00 pm) and the Emergency Department (24/7), accessible via Stewart Street, until further notice.
• On the weekends (Saturday and Sunday), the Health System entrance will be through the Emergency Department only.
• As mandated by the Louisiana Department of Health, the Health System has prohibited all non-essential visitors for 30 days.
• The Health System will screen all patients, family members and essential visitors upon entry.
• The Health System will allow one designated family member/visitor per patient, for Pediatric, Labor and Delivery and Hospice patients ONLY, in a 24-hour calendar day, provided that person meets all screening requirements. The designated visitor will not be allowed to leave the building once admitted for the day. If the designated visitor leaves for any reason, re-entry will not be allowed for that day. The Health System will restrict all other patient visitors to zero, with the exception of end of life care.
• Visitors for patients at end-of-life will be determined by the medical/nursing staff.
• Visitors not in the building by 9pm will not be allowed entrance.
• As mandated by the Louisiana Department of Health, the Health System will postpone all medical and surgical procedures for a period of thirty days (March 19- April 21), which, in the opinion of the Physician can be safely delayed.
• The Health System will postpone outpatient physical therapy and radiology appointments/tests for a period of thirty days (March 19-April 21) which, in the opinion of the Physician can be safely delayed. The Health System will continue to process all out-patient labs.
• Once Health System employees enter the building for work, they must stay in the building for their entire shift, (unless work duties require otherwise).
• The Health System will not allow food deliveries to employees or patients.
• The Health System strongly encourages no visitation at all if possible. Please consider the use of phone calls, face time, etc. to replace face-to-face visitation (Exceptions made based on end-of-life care as determined by medical and nursing staff).

Updated 3-20-2020