November 25, 2020 @ 4:00 p.m.
Every Wednesday, Dr. Sherrill Brown, Medical Director, Infection Prevention; Berenice Constant, Vice President, Government Affairs and Civic Engagement; and Steven Satzger, Director, Learning and Training, update our clinic and corporate line of business leaders.

This morning Olivia Lee, Manager, Legislative and Advocacy Affairs, presented on behalf of Government Affairs.  

You can listen to today's recording here.
Sherrill Brown, MD
Berenice Constant
Steven Satzger
Questions & Communications

We welcome your questions, suggestions and input. We do review each question 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.

How to Stay Informed
  • Wednesday morning COVID-19 huddles
  • Wednesday afternoon COVID-19 Alerts emailed to all employees
  • COVID-19 resource and policy pages on Town Square
  • altamed.org/coronavirus
  • Periodic emails, as needed

FAQs
  • Click here to read the weekly FAQs
  • Refer to the weekly FAQs in earlier editions of the COVID-19 Alert to see if your questions have already been answered
Q & A of the Week

Q: For the holidays, can we hold potlucks in the clinics?
 
From the COVID-19 Response Team
A: For any potlucks, please practice safety measures – hand hygiene before coming in to eat and after eating; eating alone in your car with windows down; preferably sitting outdoors to eat; wearing masks at all times when not eating or drinking; physical distancing at all times; using disposable utensils; and avoiding shared serving utensils.
Volunteers Needed to Help with COVID-19 Surge Response

In order to meet the needs of our patients during the surge in COVID-19 cases, a survey will be going out on Monday to a limited number of staff who may be interested in volunteering for assignments in the clinics or Patient Service Center. This would be in lieu of their current work.

Please speak with your direct supervisor first if you are interested in volunteering. The resources you provide will enable us to serve more patients at a time when they need us most. If you have questions about these assignments, please review the FAQ or contact [email protected].  
COVID-19 Updates
 
Travel During the Holidays
Please refer to the November 20 memo sent by Veronica Gomez, Vice President, Human Resources, regarding the holiday travel advisory. Please contact Employee Health with any questions or concerns.
 
COVID-19 Surge Planning Task Force
AltaMed's leadership team meets regularly to assess patient demand and staffing needs in response to the COVID-19 surge. We have developed an AltaMed-specific Tiered Surge Response System (Levels 0, 1, 2, 3) that is guided by national, state and local protocols. We are taking specific actions to respond to surge needs, particularly prioritizing the safety of our providers, clinical teams, staff and patients. Currently, we are at Tier 1, addressing our current and anticipated staffing needs to meet the increase in patient visits for testing and calls to our Patient Service Center. Contact Employee Health regarding updated quarantine guidelines, when to return to work, or when to stay home if you are feeling sick or have been exposed to COVID-19.

New Stay at Home Requirements for Counties in the Purple Tier
COVID-19 is increasing at alarming rates in California. As of November 21, it is required that all non-essential work and activities stop between 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. in counties in the purple tier, including Orange and Los Angeles counties. This order remains in effect until 5:00 a.m. on December 21.

Separately, beginning at 10:00 p.m. tonight, all eateries in Los Angeles County will only be able to offer take-out, drive-thru and delivery services. The outdoor dining ban will last for a period of at least three weeks. The city of Pasadena, which has its own health department and can issue different health orders than Los Angeles County, will allow outdoor dining to continue. The city will also closely monitor any changes in COVID-19 cases. Orange County has not implemented a ban on outdoor dining.

COVID-19 Tracker
Click here to see where California stands. Currently, all of Southern California has moved to the purple tier, described as widespread.
Flu Vaccines Still Available to Employees


Influenza Surveillance Report
Click the weekly influenza surveillance report as provided by the CDC to follow how the flu is progressing throughout the country.
Staying Safe During the Holidays

Please visit altamed.org to learn how to stay safe during the Thanksgiving holiday.
 
  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. Patients need to wear masks at all times in examination rooms as well.
  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 if no plexiglass barrier is used, 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.
Postponed: December Grand Rounds
 
The AltaMed Institute for Health Equity Tuesday, December 1 Grand Rounds featuring California Surgeon General Dr. Nadine Burke Harris has been postponed and will be rescheduled for early next year.
Thank You for All You Do
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.