June 29, 2021
In today’s update, you will find important information, including:
- Reopening Oregon on Wednesday
- 10 Days Remaining: Get Your First COVID-19 Vaccine Dose by July 9
- Here’s to the Heat Wave Rock Stars
- Philips Recall Update and FAQs
- Weekly Testing Turnaround Times
- Belonging at KP
Reopening Oregon on Wednesday
On Friday, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown announced that she will reopen the state once 70 percent of Oregonian adults get their first COVID-19 shot or tomorrow, Wednesday, June 30 – whichever comes first.
Masks are still mandatory in all KPNW buildings – hospitals, clinics, dental, and administrative offices. All other infection control and prevention measures remain in place for KPNW employees, and at all buildings, until further notice.
Currently, there are no significant changes to patient care because of the new guidance.
10 Days Remaining: Get Your First COVID-19 Vaccine Dose by July 9
Here is a snapshot of the most current vaccination data as of June 28. KPNW health plan and hospital employees have hit 78! How can we boost those numbers? Visit the COVID-19 Quick Facts Dashboard for up-to-date, key data on the virus and vaccines.
Here’s to the Heat Wave Rock Stars
Thank you to everyone who showed unwavering commitment to our members and patients (and one another) even as temps rose to triple digits this weekend and into this week!
- Thank you to staff in the ED and Urgent Care, who are handling a large volume of patients, including some with heat-related illnesses.
- Thank you to the Engineering teams for keeping our facilities cool and addressing heat and humidity levels in our operating rooms.
- And thank you to Kim Kingsley, a Sunnyside social worker, for hiring a vendor to bring in shaved-ice treats for the ED staff. (The vendor refused to take payment.) As Kristen Rachinski, ED nurse manager, said: “[Kim’s kindness is] appreciated more than words can express.”
Remember how to prevent, recognize, and treat heat-related illnesses.
Philips Recall Update
On June 14, Philips Respironics issued a recall of its sleep apnea and ventilator machines because of potential health risks. The recall has a major impact on KPNW, the only KP region to run its own sleep laboratory and durable medical equipment (DME) operation. The recall affects at least 45,000 KPNW patients, most using PAP or BiPAP breathing machines to treat obstructive sleep apnea at home. Please see the attached FAQs to help answer member questions.
Weekly Testing Turnaround Times
The average routine COVID-19 testing turnaround time (TAT) for the week of June 21 to June 27 is 17 hours. Member communications, including kp.org and call center scripts, inform members that TAT is usually within 24-48 hours so they can plan accordingly for travel.
Belonging at KP
Equity, inclusion, and diversity are inextricably linked to our mission and our history. We were proud to participate in this year’s virtual Portland Pride Parade and share our year-round commitment and promise to the LGBTQ+ community. All for love — and love for all. In case you missed the parade, check out this video of KPNW getting ready to participate.
And, our own Erin Waters, equity, inclusion, and diversity consultant, participated in a Portland Business Journal event to highlight the importance of diversity in the workplace. Read her interview in the PBJ.
Words from Our Members
“All the staff were great. I didn’t require a lot of care, but they were there when I needed anything. Because of COVID I was not allowed a visitor and it was very lonely, but the staff came by just to say “Hi!” Thank you!”