COVID-19 Bulletin (No. 1 • March 18, 2020)
Message from Mr Gilles Lanteigne, President and Chief Executive Officer:
Hello,
The current pandemic situation has forced us to take unusual measures to protect our patients and staff. We are ready, but we need everyone’s full co-operation to be able to face all the challenges that COVID-19 will put on our path.
It is essential that we all work together to follow the instructions and measures that were announced by the health networks and Public Health. Every action counts and will have an impact on the capacity of the health care system to handle the needs created by this pandemic. Every action that you will make can potentially save a life.
The following measures have been implemented in our facilities. However, they will continue to evolve. We will inform you of any changes in due course.
Emergency measures
The virtual Emergency Operations Centre is in high alert, and local emergency coordination centres are in place in Moncton, Edmundston, Campbellton and Bathurst.
Visits
Patient visits are prohibited across all Network facilities, except for palliative care (or end of life) patients, pediatric patients and obstetrical patients. In these cases, only one immediate family member or designated care partner is allowed to visit.
Screening clinics
Six screening clinics are in operation. They are located at the Dr. Georges-L.-Dumont UHC, Stella-Maris-de-Kent Hopital, Edmundston Regional Hospital, Campbellton Regional Hospital, Chaleur Regional Hospital and Tracadie Hospital. Screening is done by appointment only following triage by Tele-Care 811 or by a family physician. Additional clinics could open as needed. A total of 19 screening tests were carried out in our clinics on March 17, 2020.
Patient services
Services deemed - will be suspended, such as elective surgical procedures, ambulatory clinics and imaging services. We ask patients who have a requisition for blood work to only come to the hospital if this is an emergency. Hospital admissions are strictly controlled, and efforts are being made to safely send patients back home or to a nursing home.
Monitoring of entrances
Patient and visitor access is monitored in all our facilities. Whenever possible, employees use different entrances than patients and visitors.
Preventing the spread of the virus
Hygiene and cleaning measures are strengthened in all our facilities. As preventive measures, self-serve stations (e.g. salad table) have been eliminated from our cafeterias in some areas, and the packaging of some products has been increased. The number of chairs has been reduced in some areas to promote social distancing.
Parking lots
Parking fees are temporarily abolished at Dr-Georges-L.-Dumont UHC, Tracadie Hospital, Enfant-Jésus RHSJ† Hospital and Chaleur Regional Hospital in order to limit the spread of the virus related to cash exchanges.
Training activities
For their own safety, all students, interns and externs have been removed from our facilities until March 29, 2020, except for students in the nursing preceptorship program, students in the master's nurse practitioner program and medical residents.
Volunteers
For their own safety, all volunteers must stay home and follow social distancing instructions. All volunteer-operated boutiques are temporarily closed.
Support services for the staff
Existing resources to support our staff dealing with stress or anxiety surrounding COVID-19 have been put forward, namely the Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP).
Travel of employees and physicians
Employees and physicians who returned from a trip abroad on March 13, 2020, or later, regardless of the country visited, must self-isolate for 14 days following their return and not physically come to work during that period. This measure follows a directive from Health Canada.
Physicians
All Network physicians have received directives as to the importance of immediately implementing virtual consultations (by phone or other technological means) with their patients and avoid crowding waiting rooms. They have also received directives on how to proceed with COVID-19 triage to direct eligible patients to a screening clinic, which will help free up 811 Tele-Care.
Equipment
The Network has a total of 71 operating ventilators, 10 ventilators in inventory at the Dr. Georges-L.-Dumont UHC, and has ordered 12 additional ventilators. Directives on the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) are strengthened and N95 mask fit testing for staff in critical sectors (emergency, intensive care, environmental services) has been accelerated.
Communications
A section dedicated to the COVID-19 coronavirus has been added to Vitalité Health Network’s website to inform the public on service reductions and the various measures to adopt to curb the spread of the virus. All the information about the signs and symptoms and steps to take in case of infection is also available on the web page.
