August 12, 2020 @ 3:45 p.m.
Every Wednesday, Dr. Sherrill Brown, Medical Director, Infection Prevention, Berenice Constant, VP, Government Relations, and Elizabeth Sepetjian, AVP, Talent Management (HR), give an update for clinic and corporate line of business leaders. You can read today's notes here. 
Sherrill Brown, MD
Berenice Constant
Liz Sepetjian
Questions & Communications

We welcome your questions, suggestions and input. We do review each submission and respond appropriately, so please continue to email us—click here. Know that this is a safe space and that most questions will be answered individually prior to being shared anonymously with staff.

We also encourage you to review communications, such as the Wednesday-only COVID-19 huddles and email alerts, COVID-19 resource and policy pages on Town Square, altamed.org/coronavirus, and any regular emails you receive.

FAQs posted below may not be comprehensive, so please check the FAQs in each weekly alert to be sure your questions have not already been answered.

Q & A of the Week

Q: Do call center employees have to wear their masks while at their desks talking to patients?

From the COVID-19 Response Team
A: Individuals need to wear a mask if they are not seated six or more feet from one another or if they are not in an enclosed walled cubicle or office.
We’re Here For You, Now More Than Ever

Laboratory and Testing Updates
  • Dr. Brown noted that we are working to finalize a new agreement with a laboratory to process tests faster (24-48 hours).

  • Regarding testing of patients, we need to focus on testing patients who are symptomatic or have had an exposure. Currently, we are not recommending that patients have routine weekly testing – we cannot continue to test individuals who do not have an indication for testing.

Following Safety Guidelines is Everyone's Responsibility
As essential workers, it is our personal responsibility to follow safety guidelines both at work and at home. It is also our responsibility to follow and reinforce this message and proactively remind each other to do the same. We have many communication channels in place for both employees and patients reminding us of these safety guidelines.

Note: We are finalizing our policies for wearing a mask at work. Once completed, we will share with employees so everyone will be aware of the policy and of any consequences for those who do not comply. Again, it is everyone's personal responsibility to follow safety guidelines both at work and at home.
Help Slow the Spread!

Wearing masks and following the safety protocols will help slow the spread:
  1. Wear your masks – Face masks are to be worn at all times over your nose and mouth (except when drinking or eating), and should be stored properly or discarded.
  2. Maintain hand hygiene – Staff should have easy access to hand sanitizer dispensers to clean hands frequently, and should wash hands for 20 seconds at a time.
  3. Practice physical distancing – Six feet apart from other individuals whether inside or outside.
  4. Wipe down any work surfaces you touch.
  5. Patient-facing staff, including front office, should wear a face shield or eye covering in addition to a face mask—avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
  6. Employees must wear appropriate PPE when on site.
Thank You for Doing Your Part!
(left) Guadalupe Rangel, Compliance Specialist, is doing her part by wearing her mask and maintaining the required physical distance while at work.

(below) Margery Cui and Joe Arguellas, from the Strategic Project Management Office, also wear their masks and maintain a physical distance at work.

Keep doing your part!
Child Care Resources List

We recognize there may be a need for child care resources for our working parents. Our Human Resources team has assembled a listing of more than a dozen child care services and providers that are available throughout Southern California, including Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, Orange, and Ventura counties. We encourage you to contact any of these resources for existing support services, including funded programs that may be available to you.

Please click here to access the list. It can also be accessed on Town Square.
Celebrating National Health Center Week

AltaMed is celebrating National Health Center Week (August 9-15) with activities to thank employees and continue to engage them in our critical work. Click here to view how you can participate:
  • Send a virtual Thank You card to your colleagues in recognition of their efforts
  • Complete the Census Focus starting on Wednesday, August 12
  • Register for the free virtual Citizenship Workshop on Saturday, August 15 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
AltaMed in the News

Dr. Sandra Pisano, Behavioral Health Medical Director, and Frances Chinchilla, Behavioral Health Clinical Supervisor, provided guidance and served as a resource for an audio documentary on how those who serve the immigrant community in Los Angeles cope with stress and handle their mental health. The documentary was prepared by reporter Paulina Velasco and can be heard in its entirety here.

This documentary is to be used as a tool for activists and other advocates to hold conversations about mental health among their organizations.
Please Note: If you are contacted by the media with questions about the coronavirus outbreak or for any other reason, please email Veronica Orozco, Sr. Manager, Public Relations. The Public Relations team monitors all media coverage of AltaMed (social and traditional platforms) to uphold our reputation. If you have questions and concerns regarding media coverage, please call Veronica at (323) 482-3073. If you'd like to read news releases from AltaMed, visit our external website, AltaMed.org under Newsroom.