To address a worldwide blood tube shortage, the following initiatives will be put in place: All outpatient areas will utilize gold-top tubes instead of light green. Extra tubes will not be drawn. Emergency Departments and inpatient draws will be modified to draw only one light green tube instead of two. Gold-top tubes will only be…

For severely immunocompromised patients or those on >6 LPM of O2, BiPAP, HHF, or a ventilator: 20 days from symptom onset or test date (whichever came first) For all others: 10 days from symptom onset or test date (whichever came first) The same criteria apply at admission as to whether or not a patient needs…

The following are acceptable methods for documenting COVID-19 for patients being treated with monoclonal antibody products in Kettering Health facilities:   A positive test result for SARS-CoV-2 in the EPIC chart within the last 10 days (results tab, scanned into the Media tab, or in Care Everywhere)  Provider documentation that the patient had a positive test result…

Patients require an order and appointment.  The order must include the following:  Patient’s Name Date of Birth Diagnosis Order number (98416), if sending a patient to the COVID drive-thru at Southview or Huber And it must be signed by the physician. Drive-thru hours   Southview  Monday: 9 a.m.–5 p.m.    Tuesday: 9 a.m. –5 p.m.    Wednesday: 7 a.m. –3 p.m.    Thursday: 7 a.m. –3…

To remain compliant with Health and Human Services, we must have proof of COVID infection in each patient’s medical record that is being treated as a COVID patient. We are experiencing patients presenting to the Emergency Departments with history of positive tests and symptoms consistent with infection that require admission. The infection preventionist at each campus reviews these charts for…

The CDC has updated guidance on the administration of other vaccines along with a dose of a COVID-19 vaccine: All routine and seasonal (flu) vaccinations can be administered simultaneously with a COVID-19 vaccine. A distant administration site is recommended. Routine and seasonal (flu) vaccines can be given at any time in a patient who has received…

Sulfur colloid, the drug used for Nuclear Medicine Gastric Empty Studies, is experiencing global shortage. We currently have supplies from local radiopharmacies to provide service Monday-Friday; there will be no weekend availability for nuclear medicine gastric empty studies. We expect this shortage to last until late November. Please place orders for NM Gastric Empty scans…

After the completion of a risk assessment, there are new guidelines that allow transportation of COVID-19 specimens through a tube system. A team has developed a defined process and a plan should there be contamination of the tube system. Effective, September 14, 2021, COVID-19 respiratory specimens can be transported through the tube system.  Each specimen…

The food service industry across the country continues to face staffing and supply shortages. Kettering Health Culinary and Nutrition Services has been heavily impacted by the current situation. As a result, we have had to make some adjustments to our services and operations at some of our medical center locations and will need to continue…