Dear Sava Team Members, Patients, Residents, Partners and Families,
I want to take this opportunity to share what the management team is doing to support the Sava centers and their patients, residents, employees, visitors, and vendors through this very difficult period. We know that the past couple of weeks, especially the most recent, have been scary, intense, frustrating, and full of twists and turns. Especially with the 24-hour news cycle and various changing and sometimes conflicting announcements from federal, state and local governmental authorities. Additionally, I want to provide you with an update regarding the steps we are taking to protect our residents, patients, teams, visitors and vendors from the spread of the Coronavirus, also known as COVID-19. Taking care of our patients, residents and teams is our highest priority during this challenging time.
Yes, the news regarding the Coronavirus is all-encompassing, but we are striving to be as prepared as possible during this challenging time. Our center teams are devoted to their residents, patients, and teams, all of whom have taken measured steps to protect the health and safety of all individuals that they, and we, have the privilege to serve. I want to thank each of them for their hard work and passion.
We are actively monitoring guidance from the CDC, CMS, local health departments, the American Health Care Association and the Society for Post-Acute and Long Term Care Medicine, as well as other agencies and experts in the field of respiratory illness. Our centers are following their infection prevention protocols just as they always do, and divisional clinicians have visited our centers to double and triple check that centers adhere to these protocols. We have provided education and tools to our center teams, and we have conducted, and will continue to conduct, multiple virtual and in-person meetings with the centers to make sure we are answering questions in real time, ensuring that they are up to date on any new directives from governmental authorities, and providing any support that they may require, such as obtaining supplies and assisting with staffing needs.
As you all know, the residents and patients that we serve are the most at-risk for severe complications related to COVID-19. Based on recommended enhanced safety protocols, and at the direction from federal and state governmental authorities, we have transitioned to a “reverse isolation” policy at this time. While not ideal, this reverse isolation policy is necessary in order to protect the frail and elderly.
On March 13, the Center for Medicare Studies issued a policy (which we had already implemented), effectively limiting center access to essential personnel, with minor exceptions deemed medically necessary. We are screening all team members prior to each shift and all essential vendors, suppliers, and health care professionals prior to entry into our centers.
We and our centers are working on a plan to enable our residents and patients to continue to communicate with families and friends during this time. We are attempting to make services available, such as Zoom, Skype, FaceTime, etc., to help facilitate important communications between loved ones.
Additionally, we are talking with our suppliers, durable medical equipment providers, and pharmacy representatives to ensure we have the necessary resources to continue to provide care in a safe manner.
While there is a lot going on, I am comforted in knowing that we are ready to meet the challenges this virus presents.
To our Center Teams, I want to thank you sincerely for your continued support during this situation. We appreciate all you do every day for our residents and patients.
Sincerely,
Jerry Roles
CEO, SavaSeniorCare Administrative Services, LLC