Important update – De-isolation process for suspected COVID-19 patients

June 11, 2020

Dear Medical, Nursing and Midwifery Staff,

Thank you for your positive feedback as we continue to move towards a unit-led COVID-19 de-isolation process.

Last week we released two instructional videos to further support you and increase your familiarity with following the De-isolation Guideline.  All support resources, including these videos, the De-isolation Guideline and the EMR Quick Reference Guide are available on this site in Clinical Guidelines/COVID-19 Patient Management.

As we move to de-centralising the de-isolation process, we have commenced our targeted training with General Medicine so from Monday 15 June please continue to follow the De-isolation Guideline, then the steps below.

 

For suspected COVID-19 patients under consideration for de-isolation in the General Medicine Unit only 

  1. In hours (8am-4pm, Monday-Friday) please call Switchboard on 8345 6666 to contact the:

a. General Internal Medicine (GIM) Senior Medical Registrar at Sunshine Hospital for Sunshine-based GIM inpatients

b. General Internal Medicine (GIM) Senior Medical Registrar at Footscray Hospital for Footscray-based GIM inpatients

      2. For all other times, please follow the steps below

 

For all other suspected COVID-19 patients under consideration for de-isolation 

1.  In hours (8am – 4pm, Monday-Friday and 9.30am – 5.30pm Saturday-Sunday) please call the De-isolation HMO via Switchboard on 8345 6666

2. For all other times, if there is an urgent requirement, please contact the AHA via Switchboard for further guidance.

 

Before contacting the De-isolation HMO or GIM Senior Registrar it is essential that all medical staff continue to thoroughly check for Pathology results in the EMR, as some patients may be awaiting outstanding test results. For this reason, all staff are asked to please check both the results review and the orders page in the EMR.

 

In addition staff should be able to advise the De-isolation HMO or GIM Senior Registrar:

  1. Risk status of patient (High/Low)
  2. Day of illness that COVID-19 test(s) were taken
  3. Whether Aerosol Generating Procedures (AGP) are currently required

 

This memorandum has been sent to all medical, nursing and midwifery staff, and the senior leadership group. Please distribute to your teams if relevant.

Thank you for continuing to support the delivery of Best Care.

Paul Eleftheriou & Shane Crowe