CHRISTUS Health Statement on Johnson & Johnson Vaccine

CHRISTUS Health is fully aware that the CDC and FDA have recommended a short pause in administration of the Jannsen Johnson & Johnson vaccine out of an abundance of caution while they investigate six cases of blood clots in women between the ages of 18 and 48 who received the vaccine.

Although this side effect is believed to be extremely rare (six out of 6.8 million people in the U.S. who have received it), we fully support this cautious approach to ensuring the vaccinations we are administering to our neighbors and friends each and every day are fully safe and effective.

So CHRISTUS Health has immediately paused any administration of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine as we await further guidance. If it becomes necessary, we do have a number of other vaccinations (Moderna and Pfizer) that can be offered to those scheduled to get a Johnson & Johnson vaccine from a CHRISTUS provider. In addition, we recommend that anyone who received the vaccine in the last two weeks monitor their symptoms and notify their primary care provider immediately if they develop sudden onset severe headaches, abdominal pain, leg pain, shortness of breath within 3 weeks after vaccination.

We’re thankful for the opportunity to serve our communities by providing life-saving vaccinations against COVID-19 and to provide safe and effective care they need. We appreciate the cautious and thoughtful approach of the FDA and CDC in continuing to ensure these vaccinations are safe and trustworthy for all those we are privileged to serve, and we remain entirely committed to doing the same.

Universal Masking

Effective 5/4: To make sure we continue to follow the CDC's recommendation for Universal Masking; we are asking all patients, visitors and employees to wear a mask while visiting our facilities.

Homemade cloth masks are appropriate for visiting our clinics, you can follow instructions to make a safe mask here.

We are committed to ensuring that our clinics continue to be a safe place to receive care – we appreciate your continued support and understanding as we implement these guidelines.

CHRISTUS Shreveport-Bossier Health System to Resume Some Surgeries April 27

CHRISTUS Shreveport-Bossier Health System is preparing to begin phasing in a number of procedures and surgeries at all of its facilities on April 27, consistent with the provisions of the Governor John Bel-Edwards original order on April 20.

The revised guidance from the Louisiana Department of Health initially covers medical procedures and surgeries performed in order to treat an emergency medical condition, to avoid further harms from an underlying condition or disease, and for time sensitive conditions.

State officials have outlined the process will begin with allowing for procedures that have already been postponed for 30 days to be reassessed. If the physician approves and there is appropriate documentation in the patient’s medical record, the procedure should be allowed to proceed. As these procedures resume, state officials will monitor the situation closely, including for an increase in ICU patients and/or ventilator utilization.

“In many cases, the procedures and surgeries we that have been delayed or deferred are directly tied to a patient’s immediate quality of life,” said T. Steen Trawick, M.D., Chief Executive Officer, Chief Medical Officer, CHRISTUS Shreveport-Bossier Health System. “However, as we look into the future and the road ahead alongside our community, quite a few of these procedures will also help ensure patients live longer, healthier lives. Safely returning patients to our operating rooms, when medically necessary, as quickly as we can, is critical. But as with all surgeries and other procedures throughout the system, we must ensure our patients, Associates and physicians are safe. That is a foundational element of care at CHRISTUS Shreveport-Bossier Health System,” Dr. Trawick said.

Our facilities have secured the personal protective equipment (PPE) and excess capacity necessary to safely care for the full spectrum of medical conditions and patient needs that we have worked so hard to address in our communities for more than 150 years.

We are working with physicians at facilities in Shreveport, Bossier and Coushatta now to reschedule their patients for medical and surgical procedures they were forced to postpone due to the initial order. While we all understand the reason that these procedures had to be postponed, waiting has imposed a hardship on many of these patients, as many can no longer delay care for heart disease, cancer, pain, vision problems and other conditions. We are working to avoid a surge in illness and suffering as a result of deferred and delayed care.

Individuals are encouraged to discuss their individual cases with their physician directly to understand their upcoming procedures and surgeries.

CHRISTUS Shreveport-Bossier Health System practices infection prevention every day. In addition, the CHRISTUS is leading the Northern Louisiana community, and the country, by recently announcing the rolling out antibody testing for some patients, Associates and physicians in its ministries. This new screening tool allows the hospital to test these groups for antibodies related to the COVID-19 virus, helping it to identify how each patient should receive care and how to keep its caregivers safe.

Not only that, but CHRISTUS Shreveport-Bossier has been steadily working and planning to continue providing necessary, non-COVID care to keep people safe and healthy. To keep all who enter our facilities safe, CHRISTUS Shreveport-Bossier continues to have these following precautions in place:

• Limiting visitors;
• Screening everyone who comes through our doors;
• Isolating COVID-19 patients to one area of the facility;
• Temperature checks for all Associates;
• Requiring everyone on our campuses to wear masks;
• Using telemedicine to treat active COVID-19 patients, so their caregivers and support staff limit the number of times they enter their rooms.

This may be an unprecedented time, but we have experienced many of these since CHRISTUS was founded 154 years ago. In fact, the first three Sisters who started the CHRISTUS ministry in Galveston faced an epidemic of Yellow Fever within the first six months of opening the very first hospital. Epidemics and tragedies have been part of CHRISTUS’ history, and so too has the resolve, after each of those challenges, to move on in love and service to those in need.

“CHRISTUS Shreveport-Bossier Health System is answering the call to help our communities – today and tomorrow. In all that we do, we are devoted to keeping patients, their families, our caregivers and our Associates safe. And we are here when you need care. We are ready,” Dr. Trawick said.

April 14, 2020

CHRISTUS Health Offers ‘Game Changer’ Antibodies Test for COVID-19

CHRISTUS Health System is first in the communities it serves to offer new screening tool

CHRISTUS Health announced today it is now offering a new screening tool to some patients, as well as doctors, nurses and other CHRISTUS Associates on the frontlines to learn who has been infected with COVID-19—AND—who might now carry protective antibodies.

“CHRISTUS Health is a safe place to receive care, with high-reliability processes and procedures for infection prevention and mitigating the spread of illness,” explained Dr. Sam Bagchi, CHRISTUS Health’s EVP and Chief Clinical Officer. “Beginning today, we are adding the unprecedented additional layer of antibody screening to help survey for asymptomatic COVID-19 infections among patients and caregivers.”

For the last several weeks, the team has quickly assessed the test’s reliability and then deployed the kits to CHRISTUS hospitals and ambulatory sites across the United States and Latin America. The test produces results in approximately 10 minutes and has been validated internally for screening for COVID-19 infections.

“CHRISTUS is the first in our communities, and is leading the nation by using advanced COVID-19 antibody testing to screen people in our facilities to determine if they have had a COVID-19 infection in the past or have one now,” said Dave Benner, PharmD, MS, MHA, FACHE Vice President, Clinical Ancillary Services.

The country’s leading scientists believe antibody-based tests to be essential in the war against COVID-19.

“This would be a game-changer in restarting parts of the economy more quickly and safely,” Dr. Harvey Fineberg, a professor in the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, wrote in an April 1 editorial in the New England Journal of Medicine.

CHRISTUS will first begin using the test on Associates and caregivers on the frontlines. The rapid screening tool will also be used on hospitalized patients that the clinical team believes may have been infected with COVID-19 as well as patients who are scheduled for an urgent surgery.

“People should not put off urgent and emergent procedures, and should continue to seek the care they need. We know that, regardless of COVID-19, heart attacks and strokes have not stopped. We need to be able to treat people who urgently need to be in an operating room,” said Dr. Bagchi. “With the availability of an antibody test, we can test anyone who comes in for an urgent surgery. This will allow us to reliably know if a patient has COVID-19 before they start having symptoms or might normally be tested.”

This innovative screening solution is in an addition to the ongoing PCR tests many providers, including CHRISTUS, are able to perform. PCR is a laboratory technique known as polymerase chain reaction, and is the current FDA-approved test for diagnosing patients with COVID-19.

This is part of the work that CHRISTUS continues to do every day to keep its facilities safe from the spread of infection. To keep all who enter hospitals and clinics safe we have added the following precautions:

• Limiting visitors;
• Screening everyone who comes through our doors;
• Isolating COVID-19 patients to one area of the facility;
• Random temperature checks for Associates;
• Requiring all Associates and visitors to wear masks;
• Using telemedicine to treat active COVID-19 patients, so their caregivers and support staff limit the number of times they enter their rooms.
• Virtual medicine is now available in every one of the CHRISTUS ministries at christushealth.org/virtual-medicine

Universal Masking

The health and safety of our patients, visitors, Associates and our communities remain of utmost importance. Beginning Monday, April 6, patients and visitors will be required to bring their own mask to wear while in our hospitals or outpatient clinics. You can learn more about how to make your own cloth masks by visiting the CDC website. Our health professionals providing care for presumed COVID-19 or known COVID-19 patients are expected to wear N95 respirator masks. Hospitalized patients do not have to wear a mask while in their rooms.

March 24, 2020 - 10 a.m.

CHRISTUS-Shreveport Bossier Health System Updates Visitor Guidelines

Under the guidelines of the Louisiana Department of Health and Governor Bel-Edwards CHRISTUS Shreveport-Bossier Health System will be implementing updated guidelines for visitors and screening at our facilities.

Beginning March 24, no visitors will be allowed in our hospital facilities except those essential to patient care (with few exceptions, outlined below). Essential visitors are visitors that are required to accompany the patients for vital care or communication needs. Additionally, all persons entering CHRISTUS facilities will continue to be screened and receive a temperature check, and must enter through designated entrances.

• Adult Hospital & Outpatient Visitors: No visitors are permitted at this time
• Labor & Delivery Patients: One support person only (no changing out)
• NICU & Pediatric Patients: One parent or guardian may visit on any given day
• End of Life Care: Exception will be made by Nursing Administration for clergy and family on a case by case basis
• Patients Undergoing Outpatient Procedures or Testing with Sedation: No visitors. Patients can be dropped off at one of the two designated entrances. Patients will give contact information to hospital team of a support person to contact with patient status or that patient is ready for discharge.

CHRISTUS Highland Medical Center

As a reminder, all entrances to the hospital campus will be closed and locked. Any essential visitor and all employees and medical staff must access the building at these locations:

• Main Entrance (5 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday - Friday)
• West Wing (24/7)

To safely regulate access to patient care areas within our hospital as well as off-site patient care areas, visitor screening stations will be placed throughout the campuses. All persons, including visitors, patients, Associates and medical staff, entering the facility will undergo a mandatory temperature check. Depending on the screening outcome, appropriate protocols will be implemented.

In addition to these two external entrance visitor screening locations, the following locations at our patient care areas will also have a visitor screening station:

CHRISTUS Cancer Treatment Center

• Our CHRISTUS Cancer Treatment Centers are limiting visitors to essential caregivers. Visitor screening stations are set up at the main entrance during operational hours. The Cancer Center is not allowing visitors in chemotherapy or radiation areas at this time.

CHRISTUS Bossier Emergency Center

• The CHRISTUS Bossier Emergency Hospital is following the ER guidelines and is not allowing visitors at this time.

CHRISTUS Coushatta Health Center

• CHRISTUS Coushatta Health Center has two main entrances for patients and essential visitors.
• The main lobby entrance is open from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. with a visitor screening station. The Emergency Room is following the ER guidelines.
• CHRISTUS Coushatta outpatient locations will only have one entrance with a visitor screening station in place during operating hours. Those clinics include CHRISTUS Coushatta Dental Clinic and the CHRISTUS Coushatta Clinics in Boyce and Ringgold.

We want to be perfectly clear – CHRISTUS Shreveport-Bossier Health System remains a safe place for all to receive quality care. While COVID-19 is new, our processes and procedures in place for infection prevention and preventing the spread of illness are not. From physicians and nurses, quality and safety experts to those responsible for ordering supplies and keeping the hospital clean — all our Associates are involved in making sure we provide a safe environment for our patients and their families, our Associates and this community we serve.

March 16, 2020 - 11:50 a.m.

CHRISTUS Shreveport-Bossier Health System Updates Hospital Visitor Guidelines

The Louisiana Department of Health and Governor Bel-Edwards announced they will now require all licensed health care facilities in the state to restrict visitors to those deemed essential, vital or necessary for the care and well-being of our patients.

CHRISTUS Shreveport-Bossier Health System wants to assure the people of this community who trust in us for their health care that we are prepared and stand ready to care for our community. Because our goal is to ensure our hospital continues to be a safe place to receive care, we are following the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals guidelines and implementing temporary visitation restrictions. The goal of these updated visitor procedures is to limit the risk of exposure to our patients, visitors, Associates, physicians and volunteers.

Visitors will be guided to a designated entrance and restricted to one person per patient, with the following guideline:

• Isolation Patients: 1 Visitor
• Surgery Patients: 1 Visitor
• Same Day Procedure: 1 Visitor
• Critical Care: 1 Visitor
• Medical-Surgical Units: 1 Visitor
• Labor and Delivery: 1 Support + 1 Visitor
• Pediatrics: 1 Support + 1 Visitor
• NICU: Parents Only

To safely regulate access to patient care areas within our hospital as well as off-site patient care areas, visitor screening stations will be placed throughout the campuses. All visitors will be screened and receive a temperature check to make certain they do not fit a COVID-19 profile, based on CDC guideline. Depending on the screening outcome, appropriate protocols will be implemented.

CHRISTUS Highland Medical Center

All external entrances on the CHRISTUS Highland Medical Center campus will be locked weekdays, from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. and on the weekends from 6:00 p.m. Friday until 7:00 a.m. on Monday except the West Wing entrance and ER public entrance until further notice. The West Wing and ER public entrances will be open 24/7 daily but require all visitors screen before entering.

In addition to these two external entrance visitor screening locations, the following locations at our patient care areas will also have a visitor screening station:

• Main Hospital Lobby at Admitting
• 1st Floor at the Internal Patio Door / Inpatient Rooms
• 2nd Floor just past Hospital Administration / Nursing Services
• Volunteer Desk across from the Chapel/Radiology
• Day Surgery/Cath Entrance

CHRISTUS Cancer Treatment Center

Our CHRISTUS Cancer Treatment Centers are limiting visitors to essential caregivers. Visitor screening stations are set up at the main entrance during operational hours. The Cancer Center is not allowing visitors in chemotherapy or radiation areas at this time.

CHRISTUS Bossier Emergency Center

The CHRISTUS Bossier Emergency Hospital is following the ER guidelines and is not allowing visitors for inpatients at this time.

CHRISTUS Coushatta Health Center

CHRISTUS Coushatta Health Center has two main entrances for patients and essential visitors.

The main lobby entrance is open from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. with a visitor screening station. The Emergency Room is following the ER guidelines.

CHRISTUS Coushatta outpatient locations will only have one entrance with a visitor screening station in place during operating hours. Those clinics include CHRISTUS Coushatta Dental Clinic and the CHRISTUS Coushatta Clinics in Boyce and Ringgold.

We want to be perfectly clear – CHRISTUS Shreveport-Bossier Health System remains a safe place for all to receive quality care. While COVID-19 is new, our processes and procedures in place for infection prevention and preventing the spread of illness are not. From physicians and nurses, quality and safety experts to those responsible for ordering supplies and keeping the hospital clean — all our Associates are involved in making sure we provide a safe environment for our patients and their families, our Associates and this community we serve.

March 14, 2020

CHRISTUS Health Statement Regarding COVID-19

We continue to work in solidarity with our partners in the health care community, city and county leaders, and local health authorities to ensure our community is well prepared. Together, we stand united in our commitment to keep the people we serve safe.

At CHRISTUS, we remain vigilant in responding to this evolving situation, meeting throughout the day to ensure we are prepared to respond to present and potential future needs of our community. We continue to follow Centers for Disease Control guidelines for healthcare facilities located in areas, like ours, that are not experiencing community spread. We do have emergency preparedness plans in place and are fully prepared to execute as appropriate for our community circumstances.

CHRISTUS facilities remain a safe place for all to receive quality care. While COVID-19 is new, our processes and procedures in place for infection prevention and preventing the spread of illness are not. From physicians and nurses, quality and safety experts to those responsible for ordering supplies and keeping the hospital clean — all of our Associates are involved in making sure we provide a safe environment for our patients. Every single day.

March 12, 2020

With Governor Bel-Edwards’ declaration of a public health emergency in Louisiana, CHRISTUS Shreveport-Bossier Health System wants to assure the people of Shreveport-Bossier who trust in us for their health care, we are prepared and stand ready to care for our community. Alongside the North Louisiana health care community, we are united in our commitment to responding to the needs of all patients safely and effectively. 

Late on March 11, CHRISTUS Highland Medical Center in Shreveport received a presumptive positive result for a patient with COVID-19. Out of respect for our patient and in following HIPAA guidelines, we are limited in what we can share. We can say that we followed the CDC’s guidelines at all times, as well as the guidance we received from the Caddo Parish Health Department. We are firmly convinced that it was the diligence of our clinical caregivers and the excellent care they provided that helped identify this patient. Importantly, all CHRISTUS Associates utilized the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) and isolated this patient to protect our patients, Associates and community. Per CDC guidelines, the patient has been treated and released to home isolation.

We want to be perfectly clear – CHRISTUS Shreveport-Bossier remains a safe place for all to receive quality care. While COVID-19 is new, our processes and procedures in place for infection prevention and preventing the spread of illness are not. From physicians and nurses, quality and safety experts to those responsible for ordering supplies and keeping the hospital clean — all of our Associates are involved in making sure we provide a safe environment for our patients and their families, our Associates and this community we serve. 

We continue to follow the CDC’s guidelines for health care facilities, and our providers are working together non-stop and with authorities and our local health care community to prepare and respond when called upon. The CDC guidelines and our efforts are in place to ensure public health and to ensure our hospital is a safe place for all to receive care. 

Across CHRISTUS, we will continue our standard process of screening patients at our clinical points of access for relevant travel history, to assess for various evolving infectious disease risks, including this one. If a patient meets the CDC criteria, and is exhibiting symptoms consistent with the virus, we will isolate the patient in a private room and take proper respiratory precautions to safely assess and treat them without risk of transmission to other parts of the facility. We continue to remain vigilant in responding to this evolving situation, meeting daily to ensure we are prepared and continuing to follow CDC’s guidelines for patient isolation and cleaning.

We suggest that everyone follow the CDC guidelines regarding prevention and treatment of respiratory diseases such as COVID-19 and the flu. The best things anyone can do to prevent the spread of illness are:

1. wash your hands well before eating, drinking or touching your face 
2. get your annual flu shot and 
3. get a pneumonia shot if you have not already and are above the age of 65 or have diabetes or other illnesses that affect your heart or lungs.

In addition, we advise anyone who may be ill with fever and cough or shortness of breath and have had travel to any region that has known community spread of COVID-19, please contact your primary care provider before visiting their office so they can be sure to provide you with the best care possible while doing everything we can to keep our community healthy.

CHRISTUS Health Statement Regarding COVID-19

CHRISTUS values the importance of collaboration and coordinated action for the identification and care of those patients exhibiting signs of the COVID-19. Which is why we continue to follow CDC interim guidelines and work non-stop, in partnership with local, state and federal government authorities. We are fortunate to be part of a local health care community committed to responding to the needs of these patients in the safest manner necessary.

In the event that possible coronavirus patients need hospitalization after screening, we have identified a portion of our facility as the best place to allow us to isolate and safely care for any potential patients without risk of transmission to other parts of the facility.

At CHRISTUS, we have always screened patient to our clinical points of access for international travel, to assess for various evolving infectious disease risks, including this one.  If a patient meets the current CDC criteria, and is exhibiting symptoms consistent with the virus, we will isolate the patient in a private room and take proper respiratory precautions to safely assess and treat them 

If you are ill with fever and cough or shortness of breath and have had travel to any region that has known community spread of coronavirus, please contact your primary care provider before coming to the clinic so we can be sure to provide you with the best care possible while doing everything we can to keep our community healthy.

It’s still flu season. We continue to encourage all our patients and the community to practice good respiratory hygiene habits, like washing hands frequently and covering mouths while coughing especially during times like this where catching the flu is a far greater risk.
 

In summary, the best things you can do to prevent the spread of illness are:

1. Wash your hands well before eating, drinking, or touching your face
2. Get your annual flu shot and 
3. Get a pneumonia shot if you have not already and are above the age of 65 or have diabetes or other illnesses that affect your heart or lungs. 

CHRISTUS Health currently convenes daily, sometimes more, to check in on our emergency preparedness plans. We have had many hands on deck during this process. Nearly everyone — from physicians and nurses, quality and safety experts to those responsible for ordering supplies and keeping the hospital clean — is involved in making sure we can do best for our patients our Associates and this community we serve.

For the most up-to-date information regarding COVID-19 visit CDC.gov.