Quell worries about H1N1, other contagious illnesses
Quell worries about H1N1, other contagious illnesses
When you think of hospital staff on the "front lines" during a flu epidemic, emergency department and other clinical staff probably come to mind. Don't forget that patient access staff also are in close contact with patients, many of whom have contagious illnesses including H1N1.
"We have already had three people who have contracted it by admitting patients for swine flu," says Kevin McAndrews, system vice president of patient financial services for PeaceHealth in Bellevue, WA. "We have gone through all the hand-washing protocols, but there is no question that staff are worried about it. We need to have a greater emphasis on not having to sit down with the patient face to face, and using technology instead."
The department is trying to increase the use of bedside registration in order to limit contact with access staff, and is currently considering implementation of kiosks for registration. "We stopped short of having all the registrars wear masks. This is going to be a challenge for us," says McAndrews.
Connie Campbell, director of patient access at Mercy Medical Center in Oshkosh, WI, suggests inviting your infection control department to come down and talk to your staff about the precautions they can take. "Have them actively assist with making sure there are masks and gel at the main entrance desks," she says.
Also, review various scenarios during unit meetings, based on current guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Answer questions such as, 'If a patient has a mask on, can I still get sick? 'If I do get sick, how long do I stay home for?'" says Campbell. "For those interested, give them actual web sites so they can read the information for themselves."
[For more information, contact:
- Kevin McAndrews, System Vice President, Patient Financial Services, PeaceHealth, 123 International Way, Springfield, OR 97477. Phone: (541) 349-7653. Fax: (541) 984-4075. E-mail: [email protected].]
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