Dear Patients, Families and Community:

In an effort to remain connected with you, I am providing you with this week’s update on the status of COVID-19 at Radford Health & Rehab Center.

COVID-19
As of the date of this letter, we continue to have no patients or employees that have tested positive for COVID-19. I am pleased to share this positive news with you.

Mitigation
One of the ways we are able to assess our readiness for COVID-19 is through input from the local Health Department and through our state survey process. Nursing facilities around the state are currently undergoing Focused COVID-19 Infection Control Surveys to determine whether facilities have implemented proper infection prevention and control practices to prevent the development and transmission of communicable diseases such as COVID-19. We have implemented best practices and are utilizing resources provided by CMS, the CDC, and VDH to ensure we are complying with these standards.

Testing
I mentioned last week that I have been in contact with the Virginia National Guard about scheduling point prevalence testing in our center. It has been recommended by the federal and state governments that all skilled nursing and long term care facilities conduct baseline testing for patients and staff. Point Prevalence Surveys (PPS) are conducted to identify the number of people with COVID-19 at a specific point in time and in the case of our center, testing would identify asymptomatic carriers. While a date for testing in our center has not yet been established, we will provide advance notification once the date is set.

PPE
Our PPE supply remains adequate and we have immediate access to additional stock should it needed in the event of an outbreak. Our staff have been fit tested for N95 respirators as part of our readiness efforts. We are confident that we have the PPE we need in order to safely care for patients.

Visitation
As we continue to await state guidance for re-opening long term care facilities, we know the first step toward re-introducing visitation into the center is through conducting PPS to assess whether COVID-19 is lying dormant in the center. We recognize that the anticipation of PPS may create additional stress and anxious feelings among patients, staff and family members. We will continue to offer video calls and phone updates on your loved one to keep you informed of any changes in condition or simply to allay your concerns. We are maintaining a positive atmosphere in the center by continuing to offer special events and outdoor activities to patients.

Communication
We have received positive feedback on the digital communication we have provided for the past several weeks. We welcome your feedback and recommendations for how we can improve communication for your family during this unprecedented time.

Thank You
We are grateful for the continued support of families and our community. When you next speak with a staff member, please consider taking a moment to join me in thanking them for the care they are providing during this pandemic. On behalf of the staff, we wish all fathers a happy and healthy Father’s Day.

As always, please feel free to reach out to me directly with concerns or questions.

Sincerely, 

Kemet Scott, LNHA
Administrator