October 21, 2020 @ 4:45 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, give an update for clinic and corporate line of business leaders.

This morning Olivia Lee, Manager, Legislative & Advocacy Affairs, also presented. 

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

We welcome your questions, suggestions and input. We do review each 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: If we are required to wear surgical masks at all times, can the company please make sure to provide Bacterial Filtration Efficiency (BFE) face masks? The corporate office is now providing masks that do not contain the BFE filtration.

From the COVID-19 Response Team
A: We will continue to monitor the quality of our personal protective equipment and supply sites with the best we have to offer. We will research the mask you are describing for further action.  
Where We Stand with the COVID-19 Tracker

California has moved away from the "watch list" system of tracking COVID-19 and is moving to a four-tier, color-coded classification system. Click on the map to see where Southern California and every county in California stands. 
Fight the Flu—Get Vaccinated!

Visit Town Square under Flu Season is Here! (top right news block) for all flu-related information, including dates, times, and locations for vaccinations. You still have time to be entered into the weekly raffle to win some great prizes—raffle ends October 31! We will continue to offer the flu vaccine until April 2021.

Reminders
  • Employees can attend any of the already scheduled flu vaccination dates without making an appointment.
  • If you cannot attend any of the already scheduled dates, please send a calendar invitation to [email protected]. Again, calendar invitations are required only to schedule a flu shot outside of the already scheduled dates/times.
  • If you receive the flu vaccine outside of AltaMed, please submit your proof to [email protected].

Congratulations to this week's flu raffle winners!
Influenza Surveillance Report

Click to view the weekly influenza surveillance report as provided by the CDC to follow how the flu is progressing.
Hand Hygiene and Other Safety Guidelines
 
This is another reminder for all of us to adhere to the safety guidelines below:
  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.
Human Resources Updates

Employee Resources
The Benefits Department has posted several resources for employees. Please refer to Town Square to access information on child care and other assistance programs. For information, please email the Benefits department or call (323) 720-5670, option 0.

Open Enrollment Coming Soon
Open Enrollment for AltaMed employees will take place November 2 - 20. Detailed information will be sent to all employees in the coming days. During this period, employees can make changes to their health coverage, including medical, dental, vision, life and more. Additionally, employees can add or drop coverage for an eligible dependent. Changes made during Open Enrollment are effective January 1, 2021.

Unidos Financial Coaching
Employees can receive free financial coaching through Unidos. To take advantage, please email LiveWell with your name, phone number, and employee ID number. A representative will contact you to start the coaching. If you have any questions, please contact Employee Wellness.
Stay Safe. Vote Early.

There are several ways to cast your ballot this year. Voting by mail is the easiest and safest method. However, in-person voting will also be available from late October through November 3. AltaMed will again be hosting several Flex Voting and Mobile Voting sites at our LA County clinics. For more information on voting, please click here.
 
  • Vote by mail: Remember to sign, date, and return your ballot as soon as you receive it. No postage is needed.
  • Drop off your ballot: Drop off your vote-by-mail ballot at an official drop-off location in the county in which you are registered. Remember to sign the back of your ballot envelope! You can find the closest ballot drop-off location here.
  • Track your ballot: You can track your ballot at WheresMyBallot.sos.ca.gov.
  • Vote in person: Vote safely at a voting location beginning in late October. You can register and vote the same day.
  • AltaMed will also be hosting Flex Voting and Mobile Voting sites.

For more information about voting in the November 3 General Election, to register to vote, or to check your voter status, visit AltaMed.org/vote.
Thank You LACMA and CMA

A special note of thanks to the Los Angeles County Medical Association and the California Medical Association for continuing their COVID-19 Rapid Response Initiative by donating much-needed Personal Protective Equipment to help AltaMed keep our physicians and staff safe as we serve the community. 
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.