Steps VCU Health Community Memorial Hospital has taken to protect the residents at the Hundley Center
April 03, 2020
On Friday, March 13, 2020 Centers for Medicaid Services (CMS) mandated that nursing homes restrict visitation to nursing homes across the country. On Saturday, March 14, 2020 the Hundley Center instituted complete visitor restrictions.
That order is still in effect and will remain in effect until CMS changes its restrictions.
- The Hundley Center has been closed to any visitor since March 14, 2020. Every person attempting to gain entry to the Hundley Center is turned away except for:
- A CMH employee who needs to work in the Hundley Center. Even then, that employee is screened for symptoms of COVID-19 and their temperature is taken and these employees are wearing masks and other appropriate personal protective equipment. The Hundley Center Staff has also been screened daily since March 14, 2020 at the beginning of every shift they work with the same process as above.
- Family members of a resident who is at end of life. Even those family members are required to go through the same screening as everyone else and are not admitted if exhibiting any symptoms.
- Vendors who are making deliveries. Those vendors must also pass the screening and they are not allowed in patient care areas.
What about COVID-19 patients who will be placed in the old hospital? Wouldn’t they be a greater risk to the residents at the Hundley Center?
No for the following reasons:
Any patients placed in the old hospital would not be able to enter the Hundley for the following reasons:
- The Hundley Center has been closed to any visitor since March 14, 2020. See the above mentioned visitor restrictions and other measures taken to protect residents of the Hundley Center.
- There was a wall built between the old hospital and the Hundley Center in 2017 just prior to the move to the new hospital. No one can walk straight from inside the old hospital into the Hundley Center through the breezeway as was the case prior to building the new hospital.
- The Hundley Center and the old CMH on Buena Vista Circle are on completely separate air handling equipment. No air from the old CMH gets mixed into the Hundley Center’s air supply.
