Sending this at the request of Dr. Nathaniel Schlicher.  See below.  He would appreciate if you would participate in the  survey.  Thank you.  Laureen Tomich, RN CHI Post-Acute Services.

Dear Community Partners - 

As we wander further down this road of COVID and our stressed health system, one question that has come up is how are our mental health facility partners handling this and referrals from the ED?  Obviously the EDs are soon going to be exploding at the seams if we follow the trend.  We've heard varying things about wanting COVID screens on all patients, not taking anyone from a hospital with COVID, no symptomatic patients, etc.  It would be helpful if you could let us know what you are doing as a sort of inventory of practices.  To collect such here is a survey monkey:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3WKVXNT

As a practical primer, a few thoughts.  We cannot screen all patients for COVID.  There are not resources for this in the state or nation and the turnaround is still days.  We can screen symptomatic people who meet DOH criteria, but again holding them in a time of crisis is going to be problematic.  All facilities in the state are soon to have covid cases (if not already) so blocking as such will be impractical.

Thanks all for what your doing as we prepare for this increase in demand.  Happy to have a call together if folks feel like they need a chance to discuss.  Thanks, Nathan

Laureen Tomich, RN BSN

Program Manager Transitional Care

CHI Franciscan Post-Acute Services

1149 Market Street, Tacoma, WA 98402| MS 10-36

P 253-428-8559| I 152.8559

F 253-428-8558

laureentomich@chifranciscan.org

www.chifranciscan.org

www.NWhealthy.org