HEALTH CARE
UNPRECEDENTED TIMES,
EXCEPTIONAL CARE
MAY/JUNE 2020 | TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE 121
Our organization recognizes
the anxiety and uncertainty
happening in the world around
us and I wanted to let all of
you in the community know what we
are doing to respond to the COVID-19
public health emergency. Like all of you,
Empath Health has been dealing with
the barrage of information and trying to
manage all of the changes coming our
way during recent times.
First and foremost, the safety and wellbeing
of those we serve, our employees and
our volunteers are our main priority. As
soon as we learned of the first COVID-19
cases in Florida, we created a task force of
leadership across our organization that is
meeting multiple times a week, or more
often if necessary to discuss regulatory
and authoritative guidance; the needs of
our patients, employees and volunteers;
and how to best implement guidance on
mitigating the spread of this virus. Staying
focused on our mission while learning
to operate in this new environment is of
utmost importance to us.
We have asked those employees who
can to work remotely and are practicing
social distancing for those whose work
requires them to be onsite. We’ve been
screening and temperature-testing visitors
to our Suncoast Hospice care centers and
limiting visitors in our other facilities
where possible. Our Suncoast PACE adult
day center is currently closed, though we
continue to serve them in the ways we
can – including the use of socialization
kits with activities to keep them occupied
and feeling less isolated.
We have halted community-based
HIV testing but continue to test onsite as
needed. All events and in-person support
Rafael J. Sciullo
groups have been postponed or canceled
until further notice. For a list of events and
groups impacted by this, please visit our
website, EmpathHealth.org.
We’ve put in place a variety of measures
to ensure our staff has adequate personal
protective equipment and to maintain
our PPE supplies. We are adhering to all
CDC guidelines for patient, visitor and
employee protection; patient testing; and
patient isolation when necessary.
In addition to all the safety precautions
being utilized, we are taking advantage of
the technology at our disposal. We have
not replaced in-person patient visits with
technology; however, when appropriate,
we are conducting some services through
telephone and video chat. As you can
imagine, many people are not comfortable
having visitors in their homes right now,
or leaving their homes. In these cases, we
can use technology to check in on patients
and caregivers, conduct social work needs,
and provide spiritual care and community
counseling sessions.
Empath Health, along with other
healthcare providers, has been working
with our state and national associations to
ensure we are voicing our collective needs
in the field to the appropriate authorities; to
let them know of any difficulties we may be
experiencing getting in to see our patients
in long-term care facilities; and to get help
relaxing some of the restrictions that under
current circumstances may hinder our
ability to provide the best possible care
to our patients and families. We have seen
great success and progress in these areas
and are grateful to those association leaders
who are making our needs known and
coming up with innovative solutions for
healthcare providers.
This situation is changing rapidly but
our leadership team continues to monitor
it by the hour and is utilizing all available
resources to keep those we serve, and
our employees and volunteers, safe and
healthy. These are unprecedented times, but
delivering the same expert, compassionate
care we’ve been providing the community
for the past 43 years remains our top
priority. Please stay safe, be well and know
we have the best interests of our patients,
families, employees and the community
at heart.9
EDITOR’S NOTE: Rafael J. Sciullo is
president and CEO of Empath Health, a
nonprofit integrated network of care for
those affected by chronic or advanced illness.
For more information about services, call
(727) 467-7423 or visit EmpathHealth.org.
By Rafael J. Sciullo