At Parkridge Health System, we remain diligent in our fight against COVID-19, and the health and safety of our patients, caregivers and communities is and will continue to be our top priority. As we continue to monitor the trajectory of this pandemic as well as state and federal policies, we have begun to thoughtfully re-introduce scheduled procedures and surgeries to ensure that those who have been waiting for important care have access to treatment. Many people in our community have medical needs unrelated to COVID-19 that should not be ignored.
Over the past few months, we have been and will continue to follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), maintaining and often exceeding their guidance. We are taking the following precautions to help ensure the safety of our patients and colleagues:
- Screening for all patients, visitors and staff before entering facilities
- Treating COVID-19 patients in isolated areas of the hospital separate from other patients in our care. Patients with scheduled procedures are assigned caregivers who are not caring for COVID-19 patients during their shift.
- Universal masking throughout the facility where all caregivers and visitors wear masks, which exceeds CDC guidelines.
- Heightened infection prevention policies are in place thru facility, including the frequent sanitation of high-touch surfaces.
We are in continuous communication with state and local health departments, and those surgeons who have direct responsibility for their patients. We continue to follow Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recommendations as they evolve, and our hospital will accommodate procedures that physicians determine to be appropriate within those recommendations