RWJUH COVID-19 Update: 3/15/2020

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RWJUH COVID-19 Update

March 15, 2020

RWJUH COVID Testing Guidelines

RWJUH is conducting a LIMITED number of COVID-19 tests in-house.

ALL REQUESTS FOR COVID-19 TESTING MUST GO THROUGH INFECTION PREVENTION .

The NEW phone number for testing approval is 732-675-1056 .

Outpatient testing remains extremely limited/unavailable, though commercial testing development is fluid.

Daily Memo From

RWJUH President & CEO John J. Gantner:

New Visitor Restrictions, Effective TOMORROW

TO: All Members of the RWJUH Family

FROM: John J. Gantner, President and CEO, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital

RE: RWJUH COVID-19 Update

Recognizing that the safety and well-being of our patients, visitors and staff is our top priority, please note that out of an abundance of caution no visitors will be allowed at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) beginning Monday, March 16th. This visitation policy change will remain in effect until further notice.

Exceptions may be made in certain circumstances:

Pediatric units (only ONE parent/guardian will be permitted)
Maternity and Labor & Delivery units (only ONE significant other/support person can visit)
Neonatal Intensive Care Units (TWO parents/support persons can visit)
Pediatric psychiatric patients (only ONE if/when a mutual agreement between the care team and the parents/guardian has been reached)

PLEASE NOTE: Extenuating circumstances (such as hospice) will also be considered based on the best interest and needs of the individual patient.

Emergency Department patients may be accompanied by ONE adult .

Outpatients may be accompanied by ONE adult (unless an aide or assistant is required).

Same Day Surgery or Ambulatory Procedures may be accompanied by ONE adult per visit.

**Individuals 18 years of age and under will not be permitted.

CLICK HERE for the full visitation policy.

At RWJUH, we take great pride in creating a warm and welcoming environment for our patients and visitors; therefore, this decision was not made lightly. Patient and staff safety is our main concern as we respond to the unprecedented challenge presented by coronavirus (COVID-19). Family members and friends are encouraged to use alternative ways to interact with their loved ones, including phone calls, Facetime, Skype and other means.

On behalf of our entire Leadership Team, thank you for your flexibility and your unwavering support as we respond to this challenge together.

In addition to the new visitor restrictions, you will begin to notice additional doors being locked/made swipe access only throughout the campus. This includes the entrances to the East Tower, and connections with other buildings on our campus.

In the interest of both patient safety and your own exposure risks, please be thoughtful about your movement within the hospital, especially transitioning from inpatient areas to outpatient and ambulatory spaces.

RWJUH COVID Situational Update

As of 12:00 PM, RWJUH had 6 COVID 19-positive patients in the hospital. Tests on additional patients and potential discharges of positive patients were pending. At least one COVID 19-positive inpatient has been discharged.

As of 1:00 PM, the NJ Dept. of Health is reporting 98 COVID 19-positive patients in the state. Of those, 12 positive patients are in Middlesex County, 12 are in Monmouth County, and 1 is in Somerset County. A total of 13 counties in NJ have at least 1 positive patient.

CLICK HERE for the NJ DOH's county-by-county tracking page.

Medical Staff Recommendation:

Elective Procedures

While RWJUH retains full procedural capabilities, Medical Staff leadership has issued a recommendation that all purely elective procedures be postponed .

It is at the clinician's discretion to determine what is purely elective. If your patient can not reasonably wait 2+ months for the procedure, you may choose to move forward. This is consistent with the most recent ACS guidelines .

Dr. Keith Lewis will be contacting all surgeons/proceduralists to review the necessity of cases scheduled in the ORs. We ask that you proactively review your caseload .

Additional Updates

Care of all COVID 19-positive inpatients will be transferred to a dedicated team of hospitalists. This will ensure the highest quality care for patients, while simultaneously reducing the risk of exposure for our clinicians. If you have any questions, please email Dr. Sheraz Siddiqui, Chief of Hospital Medicine, or Dr. James Salwitz, Medical Staff President.

Additionally, non-hospital medicine physicians are asked to consider transferring care of their admitted patients to hospitalist teams (community or faculty) to lower the risk of clinician exposure in the hospital.

RWJUH continues to prepare tents outside of the Emergency Department for use in screening patients arriving at our ED. These tents are being outfitted with telemedicine equipment to lower the risk of exposure to clinicians.

RWJUH also continues to monitor and source all necessary forms of PPE, including N95 masks, surgical masks, and gowns. CLICK HERE for the latest guidance on the use and availability of PPE at RWJUH.