From: Harry Alberti, MD
Sent: Friday, January 18, 2013 8:41
AM
To: VVMC
Subject: Calling off due to Flu
Dear VVMC Employees,
Below are guidelines for calling off during flu season. These
were put together by Human Resources. They are based on
current policy, recommendations from the CDC, and on what other
hospitals across the nation are doing to help minimize the spread of the flu to
each other, the patients and their families.
Thank you all for taking these requirements very
seriously.
Here are the Guidelines:
Employees who develop a fever of 37.8°C or 100° F and/or
respiratory flu symptoms (cough, difficulty breathing, sore throat, body-aches,
extreme fatigue, headache, chills) will be instructed not to report to work, or
if at work will need to go home. Employees will notify their supervisor
and are encouraged to seek medical care immediately. Employees at high
risk for complications of influenza should be encouraged to seek medical care
promptly upon earliest development of symptoms. Employees with underlying
chronic conditions; chronic pulmonary (including asthma), cardiovascular
(except hypertension), renal hepatic, hematological (including sickle cell
disease), or metabolic disorders (including diabetes mellitus) and pregnancy
should seek medical care immediately upon earliest development of symptoms.
Employees who develop a fever can return to work when symptoms
have resolved without use of fever reducing medications and are symptom free
for 24 hours. If symptoms such as cough and sneezing are present,
employees should wear a facemask during patient care activities.
Employees who develop acute respiratory symptoms without fever may still have
influenza infection and should be wearing a mask.
Employees who have a confirmed case of the flu are
required to be away from work for a period of 7 days from time of
symptom onset or until all non-cough symptoms have resolved, whichever is
longer.
All employees are required to follow proper call-off
protocol. Any absence which occurs for an employee with influenza
or influenza like symptoms will not be counted against them for attendance.
Employees will be required to provide a physician note to their
supervisor. Employees will be paid in accordance to the HR Paid Time Off
and Short Term Disability policies (HR 7-1 and HR 7-2). Employees must
use 32 hours of Paid Time Off or unpaid time if PTO is unavailable prior to
accessing Short Term Disability (STD). Short Term Disability may be
accessed immediately with written physician confirmation of the
influenza. As a reminder STD is paid at 85% of base salary
Remember hand hygiene is key to preventing the spread and
acquiring the virus.
For more information please visit the CDC at www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/infectioncontrol
Thanks.
Harry
Always
think "Patient first"
Harry Alberti, MD, MBA
Chief Medical Officer/Vice President of Medical Affairs
Verde Valley Medical Center
(928) 639-6056
