Remdesivir patients must be  Newly hospitalized patients whose most recent COVID-19 test is positive, with hypoxemia and no alternative explanation for hypoxemia  OR  Hospitalized COVID-19 patients with abrupt change in oxygen requirements, or new hypoxemia with no alternative explanation  Remdesivir will not be given to patients   With AST or ALT above 5x the upper limit of normal  With eGFR…

We have received feedback that many of our employees would prefer to use a wipe product for disinfecting surfaces and items.  You will start to see alcohol-based disinfecting wipes delivered to your area.   Below are some guidelines for these new wipes:  The alcohol-based disinfecting wipes are NOT to be used to clean visibly soiled areas.    For visibly soiled areas use the…

Effective Thursday, August 6 at 8 a.m.  Current patients and patients coming for an emergency department visit, hospitalization, outpatient procedure, or office visit will be permitted one (1) support person at a time. Continue to observe social distancing policies.  No visitors for patients suspected or diagnosed with COVID-19.  No NICU visitation for confirmed COVID-19 mothers…

In support of the state mask order issued July 23, 2020, we are requiring masks to be worn in all KHN facilities. This is considered a public health and safety issue and needs to be complied with when entering our buildings.  When a patient/visitor refuses to wear a mask within our facilities, the following guidelines are recommended: …

The Ohio Department of Health has published a Director’s Order for facial coverings.  Kettering Health Network is adopting this recommendation for our non-patient facing employees.    All non-patient facing employees must always wear facial coverings when:   A.) In any indoor network facility in accordance with the guidelines below:  •Mask use in personal office/cube space and conference rooms. The requirement for non-patient…

Per Governor DeWine’s travel advisory, Kettering Health Network employees and providers are strongly encouraged to utilize safe practices when traveling both in and out of the state of Ohio. The Ohio travel advisory states that residents should use caution when travelling to states with a 15% or higher positive test rate.     It is not necessarily where you go, rather, it is more…

Effective July 30, 2020, ALL SARS-COVID test results ordered on an ambulatory basis will be placed in the ordering providers (for those providers on EPIC) in basket as well as be resulted in the patient’s chart.  Any POSITIVE results will NOT be called to the ordering provider. This includes pre-procedural patients, pre-surgical and medical patients…

Kettering Health Network employees now have access to an interactive COVID-19 Self Checker. This interactive chatbot, which uses an algorithm developed by the CDC, is designed to provide information about COVID-related symptoms and help guide participants to appropriate medical care. In addition, the chatbot offers a list of the most common questions received by our…

Kettering Health Network is adopting the new CDC Recommendations to use a non-test based strategy to allow for the discontinuation of isolation and precautions for patients with COVID-19 infection in the hospital and outpatient settings: 1. For most people with COVID-19, isolation and precautions can generally be discontinued 10 days after symptoms onset and resolution…

Key Takeaways Increasing volumes at the Regional Lab are contributing to an increase in the time that results are available. KHN is transitioning COVID testing for patients who are having procedures at a KHN facility to a KHN lab. Please see below and the attached FAQs for more details. As you likely know, Kettering Health…