Keeping Our Galen Family—Patients and Staff — Safe

Keeping Our Galen Family — Patients and Staff — Safe

You are in safe hands at Galen. We are enforcing the following safety policies, procedures, and services as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to continue providing the best care while maintaining the safety and health of our patients and staff. If you or a loved one are experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms or have been exposed to the virus, please call Galen’s COVID-19 Hotline at (423) 618-9006 to be screened and tested.

Visiting Our Offices

Showing Symptoms — If you or your child starts to show symptoms of fever, cough, muscle aches, or fatigue, please call our COVID-19 Hotline at (423) 618-9006 for guidance. Do not come in person unless explicitly instructed to do so. We are committed to serving you, while also working to maintain the safety of others.

Anyone at our offices who we believe may have COVID-19 is separated and tested to ensure they do not potentially expose others.

Cleaning & Disinfecting — All offices have an established plan for thorough cleaning and disinfection prior to using spaces or facilities for patients with non-COVID-19 care needs. All surfaces and equipment are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected across all our offices. Our doctors, nurses, and medical staff sanitize/wash their hands before and after interacting with a patient.

Masks are required to be worn by staff and patients at ALL our offices.

Physical distancing rules will be adhered to by patients and staff, except during intervals of close contact required by providers to prepare the patient for a procedure or conduct a physical exam.

Patients will be asked to come alone or with only one essential family member/caregiver who will remain off premises or in a vehicle unless deemed essential to conducting the visit.
Patients may be asked to wait off premises or in a vehicle until they are called for their visit, when feasible.
Physical barriers (e.g. plexiglass partitions) are considered if appropriate physical distancing cannot be accomplished.

Signage at our sites notify patients to not enter building if they are presenting any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19.

Temperature Monitoring — Galen will be providing onsite forehead temperature measurement for all staff and patients using a non-contact infrared thermometer.

Alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol is always available at our offices.

Waiting room chairs in our lobbies have been redistributed for physical distancing and are cleaned frequently.

Exam Rooms — Our exam rooms are cleaned and disinfected before and after each patient.

Staff Policies

Remote Work — Staff that can work remotely will continue to do so until further notice. Staffing levels will remain adequate to cover a potential surge in COVID-19 cases.

Face Masks — All Galen staff are required to wear a face mask while inside of a Galen facility or office.

Hygiene — Doctors, nurses, and medical staff are required to sanitize/wash their hands before and after interacting with a patient.

Staff will be routinely screened for symptoms of COVID-19 and shall follow Galen’s current policy for exposure to or a positive test result for COVID-19.

If exposed to a positive COVID-19 tested individual,
- - When ALL individuals are wearing a mask, symptoms of staff will be monitored, and testing will be offered.
  - When one or more individuals are NOT wearing a mask and are further than 6 feet, symptoms will be monitored, and testing will be offered.
  - When one or more individuals are NOT wearing a mask and are within 6 feet, all staff will be required to be tested and then quarantine for 14 days. A negative COVID-19 test result is required after the 14 days of quarantine prior to returning to work.

If tested positive with COVID-19,
- - For staff with NO symptoms, isolation and precautions will be discontinued 10 days after first positive COVID-19 test is collected.
  - For staff experiencing symptoms, isolation is required for 10 days and they must be fever free without the use of fever reducing medications for at least 24 hours before returning to work.
  - Re-testing is not recommended after positive for 90 days therefore will NOT be required to return to work.

If family member in same household is tested positive with COVID-19,
- - Staff member will be required to quarantine immediately from notification of exposure or positive result.
  - In the case staff member CAN use separate living spaces e.g. bedroom, bathroom, etc., they will be required to test for COVID-19 and then quarantine for 14 days after last contact. A negative COVID-19 test result is required after the 14 days of quarantine prior to returning to work.
  - In the case staff member CAN NOT use separate living spaces e.g. bedroom, bathroom, etc., they will be required to test for COVID-19 and then quarantine while family member is present with COVID-19 symptoms plus an additional 14 days. A negative COVID-19 test result is required after the 14 days of quarantine prior to returning to work.

Staff who will be working in the “COVID-19 Care Zones” will be limited to only these areas and should not rotate into “Non-COVID-19 Care Zones”.

Virtual Telehealth Visits

Galen Medical Group is offering telehealth services in conjunction with in-person visits.

Our Galen Remote Access Care Services are available to current Galen patients who are seeking care from the convenience of their home.

Testing and Screening

Pre-visit Health Assessment — Galen will continue to conduct pre-visit health assessments by telephone to screen for symptoms related to COVID-19. Our team of providers has developed a procedure for COVID-19 testing in the Chattanooga area that starts with a simple phone call to our telehealth service, Galen Remote Access Care, at (423) 618-9006.

After your initial screening over the phone, you may undergo further examination by one of our providers via a telehealth appointment.

Testing Order — If your symptoms warrant COVID-19 testing, you will receive an order from a provider to participate in our drive-thru testing process.

Drive-thru Testing — We’ve gone to great lengths to develop a procedure that limits potential exposure to the virus by allowing you to remain in your vehicle during testing. An appointment for testing is required–to schedule, please call our COVID-19 Hotline at (423) 618-9006.

Anyone at our offices who we believe may have COVID-19 is separated and tested to ensure they do not potentially expose others.

Wearing Masks and Protective Equipment

Masks are required to be worn by staff and patients at all our offices.
Resources will be available to all our sites across phases of care, including PPE, healthy workforce, facilities, supplies, testing capacity, and post-acute care, without jeopardizing surge capacity of local facilities.
Our COVID‑19 response teams always wear personal protective equipment (PPE) including N95 respirators to prevent the spread of COVID‑19.
Every effort will be made to conserve personal protective equipment.

Wearing Masks and Protective Equipment

Physical Distancing, staying at least 6 feet apart, protects you and those around you.

Patient Areas — We have redesigned our patient areas to ensure physical distancing and minimize contact during check-in and check-out.

Visitors — No visitors are allowed, with a few exceptions.

Exam Rooms — We have minimized the number of staff members in exam rooms to those only essential to your care and continue to maintain at least 6 feet between one another as often as possible.