Physician-in-Chief's Message
March 23, 2020
Dear Colleagues,

Thank you for your hard work consolidating clinics as well as learning how to conduct video and phone visits.

Many of you are dividing into a team system as we prepare for an increase in patients and families who present with symptoms that may indicate the need to rule out coronavirus.
The teamwork and “can do” approach has been incredible. Thank you!
UNC COVID Updates
Tuesday’s Noon Webinar
Clinical providers, please make every effort to watch the webinar on Tuesday at noon, “The Impact of COVID-19 in Children." Pediatric Infectious Disease physician, Tom Belhorn, MD, will review what we know about COVID-19 in Children and we will also review UNC Children’s response to this pandemic.
Physician-APP Response Team
... March 23 One Voice COVID update from ID-IP
  • See the attached for important updated information for clinical providers.
Employee Action
Stay home if you are sick, if tested for COVID-19, or if in close contact (i.e., household contact) with anyone tested for COVID-19; Also notify Occupational Health’s 24/7 COVID-19 Hotline!
With community spread of COVID-19 now occurring in North Carolina, we must practice social distancing (by avoiding crowds and staying 6 feet away from others) whenever possible at work and at home. We must also hold each other accountable. Wash your hands frequently and properly. And do not come to work if you are sic k!
 
More specifically:
  • If you have a fever greater or equal to 100.0 F or a cough or shortness of breath, do not go to work. If at work, go home and call Occupational Health’s COVID-19 Hotline at 984-215-5668. This hotline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Employees should not call HealthLink. If it is a medical emergency, go to the Emergency Room or call 911.
  • If you are tested for COVID-19, or have close contact (ex. live in a household with someone who is COVID-19 positive or who has been tested for COVID-19), you must not go to work and should call the Occupational Health COVID-19 Hotline at 984-215-5668.  
  • If an employee has a low, medium or high risk exposure to COVID-19 at work, Infection Prevention and Occupational Health will be in contact with further instructions. 
  • If an employee returns from international travel or a cruise, they must call the Occupational Health COVID-19 hotline at 984-215-5668 prior to returning to work.
Inpatient Care
  • No new pediatric COVID + or r/o patients admitted overnight.
  • COVID provider call today to discuss teams and schedule
  • Inpatient visitor restrictions are challenging and we are working through to make the best decisions for our patients and families. Updates to follow as they develop. Please continue to inform us of concerns as they arise.
  • Thanks again for all everyone is doing. Remember, if you do not have clinical responsibilities, STAY HOME!
New Pediatric RDC
  • Starting on Tuesday, March 24th, UNC Health will be opening a pediatric specific respiratory diagnostic center (RDC).
  • Address is 1515 SW Cary Parkway and the hours are 8a to 5pm Mon to Fri, and 8a to 12p on Saturday mornings.
  • Patients can be referred by sending a message to the RDC scheduling pool (like when we sent patients to RDC from our clinics) or by having the family call the COVID Helpline 888-850-2684.
Ambulatory Care
  • New guidelines for testing at the RDC (with more strict criteria) were rolled out this AM (see updated testing guidelines.)
  • Reminders are given to not promise testing to patients referred to the RDC. There is a significant push to change actual patient visits to virtual visits (e.g. telephone, video, e-consults).
  • Clinic consolidation is being urged, and plans underway regarding temporary transition of some UNCH Subspecialty clinics to Blue Ridge.
  • The new visitation policy is in effect for both in-patient and out-patient areas.
  • Issues and policies regarding testing, PPE, patient flow, et al. are in constant review.
  • Many thanks are extended to those working on optimizing outpatient care during this time!
Emergency Department
  • There an updated ED Tent Tele-Triage Pathway reflecting the new virtual workflow below.
  • Tipsheets are attached below. Tip Sheets have been developed by our Epic colleagues in just 48 hours.
  • This was trialed Sunday with success.
  • PED attendings will be serving as a final safety net for pediatric patients being triaged away from the ED. This was a feature of the pathway that we lobbied for based on our ED walkthrough last week.
A Bit of Good News!
Virtual dance marathon got some news coverage! Please watch this great video highlighting the UNC virtual dance marathon! They raised > 250,000 dollars for Children’s. 
These students are amazing!
For any concerns or comments related to COVID-19, please email Bays Coppedge ( Bays.Seagroves@unchealth.unc.edu)
 
Thank you for all that you are doing!
Gratefully!

Stephanie
Cell: 919-417-3130