Covid-19 Update

At COPE Health Solutions, one of our highest priority is the safety of our COPE Health Scholars participants. We know there is a heightened awareness of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) and want to share what we are doing to mitigate risk and keep our program participants safe.

We have a leadership team in place that is monitoring the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), local Department of Health (DOH) and state DOH recommendations multiple times daily to make sure we stay on top of guidance. We are also working closely with the leadership team in place at each of the health system program sites.

We want to continue making sure we are taking the best steps to provide Scholar safety, while also working with our partners to be able to best support the staff and ultimately, the patients in need. Please note that the current situation with Covid-19 is consistently changing, therefore, policies and protocols will be updated quickly to match best practices. We ask our current Health Scholars to pay attention to email updates, visit COPE Connect for site specific details and check-in with COPE management to make sure you stay on top of any updates.

More specifically, our health system partners are implementing the following measures, among others, to mitigate viral spread:

• Screening those entering the facility for Covid-19 symptoms
• Requiring all patients, visitors, staff to wear face coverings once they arrive at a facility and throughout their time in the facility
• Promoting social distancing by limiting visitors to the facility to individuals who are crucial to a patient’s physical and emotional well-being
• Scheduling appointments in advance to reduce the number of patients in waiting rooms
• Increasing access to hand sanitizer
• When possible, optimizing ventilation systems to increase the rate at which air is cycled out of a facility
• When possible, providing universal Covid-19 testing for all patients admitted to the hospital
• When possible, cohorting Covid-19 patients in a separate unit, with restricted access

In addition to these precautions, we’ve already taken a number of steps in support of our program participants, with increased safety measures and operational changes:

• Shifting is voluntary at this time
• Scholars complete pre-shift questionnaire to screen for any symptoms
• All visitors, patients, staff and Scholars are screened prior to entering the facility
• Scholars are not permitted into any isolation rooms
• Scholars are required to wear a mask and face shield/goggles when arriving to their shift and throughout the entirety of their shift
• All departments and/or patient rooms identified as having Covid-19 patients or persons under investigation (PUIs) are restricted from Scholar interaction to maintain participant safety

While we understand this is a difficult time we are extremely grateful for our dedicated and supportive employees and health care partners who are ensuring a safe learning environment for all current and future Health Scholars. We are also thankful for our Scholars who are supporting patients and communities during this pandemic.

If you are interested in applying to the COPE Health Scholars program, we will continue to accept program applications. We appreciate you understanding that our standard enrollment, training and scope of practice may look different as we prioritize the activities that will provide the most support to patient care teams in this time of need and make sure we are reducing as many risks as possible for our Scholars.

Learn more about our commitment to ensuring public safety by reading this letter from our CEO and Vice President.