Over the last two weeks, UW Medicine Employee Health (EH) and Infection Prevention & Control (IPC) teams on all campuses are reporting an increase in COVID-19 infections in patients and healthcare workers. These infections are the result of exposures in the community and linked to the rising number of people with COVID-19 in Washington state and increased mobility in most counties. With the increased number of infections, we are also seeing increasing numbers of exposures to staff, trainees, students and faculty. It is important for UW Medicine personnel to know about potential exposures and to be able to take the appropriate actions. At the same time, we have a workforce that moves between health systems, cities, counties and states, each of which may have different policies and procedures regarding COVID-19 infections and exposures. We are sending this communication to share with you updated information on exposure notification for UW Medicine staff, trainees, students and faculty.
All UW Medicine Personnel
- Our goal is to maintain the safest possible work environment for all personnel, patients, visitors and families.
- The purpose of the updated exposure policy is to reduce the risk of an exposed person coming to work with an asymptomatic infection or who may develop symptoms while at work.
- Please report all workplace and community exposures. Your local health department may contact you with recommendations following an exposure. UW Medicine requires that you follow those recommendations, including isolation and exposure, as they pertain to work.
- We strive to maintain the confidentiality of all personnel who are diagnosed with COVID-19 and do not disclose individual’s names unless there is a significant threat to another person’s health. If disclosure was needed, Employee Health/Infection Prevention and Control (EH/IPC) will make every effort to seek permission from the employee with COVID-19 first.
- Regardless of your location – Western Washington, Eastern Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, or Idaho – as a healthcare worker you are a role model for your community. Please wear a mask when outside of your home, a mask and eye protection while working with patients, wash your hands frequently and stay home with any concerning symptoms. This applies even if the area where you are located is in Phase 3 or 4. Act as if the whole Pacific Northwest is in Phase 1 and take the appropriate actions to keep yourself, your family, your friends, your patients and your community safe. Remember, wearing a mask protects both you and everyone around you.
UW Medicine Staff
- All staff must follow UW Medicine exposure policies and protocols.
- Each site’s IPC and EH teams monitor for COVID-19 infections and performs investigations when there is a potential exposure. This may take up to 24 hours following the exposure.
- Once that determination is made, the EH/IPC teams will contact affected employees with recommendations and the unit manager with a Situation/Background/Assessment/Recommendation (SBAR) document with those same recommendations. Managers should distribute this SBAR to their unit and report any potential additional impacted staff to EH/IPC.
- If you think you have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 and have not been contacted, please contact the Employee Health team at your facility.
UW Medicine Trainees (Residents and Fellows)
- Trainees working at UW Medicine sites must follow UW Medicine exposure policies and protocols.
- In the event of a COVID-19 exposure, the site’s EH/IPC teams will communicate with the affected trainee(s), the service attending, and the site training director. The site training director will be sent the same SBAR as described above and this should be shared with trainees who may have been working with the person with COVID-19 (patient, student or co-worker). The site training director should communicate with their GME leadership to coordinate coverage and/or need to make up educational time.
- Residents rotating at non-UW Medicine sites should follow the policies and protocols of that site and are expected to align with UW Medicine policies once they return to a UW Medicine site. If the trainee has concerns or questions about policies at non-UW Medicine sites, they can contact the EH units at either HMC or UWMC-ML. If there is a conflict between different sites’ policies, UW Medicine EH/IPC teams will contact the other site’s team to gather additional details.
UW School of Medicine Students
- Students working at UW Medicine sites must follow UW Medicine exposure policies and protocols.
- In the event of a COVID-19 exposure, the site’s EH/IPC teams will communicate with the affected student(s), the service attending, and the site student training director. The site student training director will be sent the same SBAR as described above and this should be shared with students who may have been working with the person with COVID-19 (patient, student or co-worker). The site director should communicate with their SOM leadership contact to coordinate coverage and/or need to make up educational time.
- In the event of a student exposure or infections, the site’s EH/IPC team will work with the SOM and UW Environmental Health & Services (which has responsibility for UW students) on contact tracing and other evaluations.
- Students working at non-UW Medicine sites should follow the policies and protocols of the site but are expected to align with UW Medicine policies once they return to a UW Medicine site. If the student has concerns or questions about policies at non-UW Medicine sites, they can contact the EH units at HMC or UWMC-ML and/or the SOM leadership contact. If there is a conflict between different sites’ policies, UW Medicine EH/IPC teams will contact the other site’s team to gather additional details.
UW Medicine Faculty
- Faculty members working at UW Medicine sites must follow UW Medicine exposure policies and protocols.
- In the event of a COVID-19 exposure, the site’s EH/IPC teams will communicate with the affected faculty member(s), the service chief, division head and/or chair. The faculty member will be sent the same SBAR as described above and this should be shared with trainees and students who may have been working with the person with COVID-19 (patient, student or co-worker).
- Faculty working at non-UW Medicine sites should follow the policies and protocols of the site but are expected to align with UW Medicine policies once they return to a UW Medicine site. If the faculty member has concerns or questions about policies at those other sites, they can contact the EH units at either HMC or UWMC-ML. If there is a conflict between different sites’ policies, UW Medicine EH/IPC teams will contact the other site’s team to gather additional details.
Please contact your local Employee Health/Infection Prevention & Control teams with any questions.
