HERITAGE HALL IN BIG STONE GAP STATEMENT TO FAMILIES OF COVID-19 LIMITED EXPOSURE FROM THIRD PARTY PROVIDER

We Obtained this letter which was sent out to patients families from the parent company of Heritage Hall, 

Monday, March 23, 2020

​To Our Valued Residents and Family Members:
 
We want to inform you that we have just received news that a third-party contracted therapist, who had limited access to our Heritage Hall Big Stone Gap facility last week, has been diagnosed with COVID-19.
 
Per our existing protocols, all personnel entering any of our facilities have had their temperature checked upon both entry and exit to and from all of our buildings. This protocol has been in place since March 14, 2020. Accordingly, we are able to confirm that the party in question was last on site on Thursday March 19th, 2020. As of the time they left our facility at 5:51pm, they had a normal temperature and demonstrated no symptoms of illness. We are also able to confirm that, at this time, no American Healthcare residents, nor any employees, at any of our 18 facilities, have been diagnosed with COVID-19. As of this time, there are also no residents or employees showing any symptoms of this illness.
 
Resident safety is always our top priority. We are doing everything we can to ensure we stop the spread of COVID-19 within each of our residential care communities.

• We are coordinating closely with all state and local health officials to take every appropriate and available step to protect both our residents and our employees. 
• Effective immediately, we are monitoring all residents and staff with ever-more diligence. As an extra precaution, we have now implemented additional temperature checks and safety protocols, above and beyond health department requirements.
• We are also currently assessing all interaction records so that we can continue to closely monitor and limit further exposure with, or to, anyone who came in contact with the recently diagnosed party.
• We have already restricted all in-person social and family visitation and, unfortunately, it remains crucial that we continue to do so.

If you have a family member in our care, we encourage you to contact us for more specific updates on the status of your loved one.  As always, if circumstances change, and your loved one is suspected of having any illness, including Covid-19, we will contact you right away.
 
We understand that this recent development is worrisome, and that you are very likely concerned. Despite facility lockdowns, family member connections remain critically important to our residents. We are still unequivocally encouraging all family members to connect with their loved ones through Skype, Facebook Messenger, traditional phone calls, texting, and other social media formats.
 
In the meantime, we want you to know that we are taking every precaution to prevent the spread of infection and to keep you fully informed. Still, we know that you may have questions. Please contact me, or anyone on my leadership team accordingly.
 
Finally, it’s worth repeating that we need your help to contain this global pandemic. Please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website to keep up to date on how you can help prevent further spread in our communities.
We will continue to provide you with updates as they become available. 
 
Sincerely, 

Dustin Jackson
Licensed Nursing Home Administrator
Heritage Hall Big Stone Gap
276-523-3000

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