The Department of Health notified Heartland – Marietta, a not-for-profit, mission-focused skilled nursing and rehabilitation center, that we have confirmed positive cases of COVID-19. We know that the frail and elderly are especially susceptible to this virus. That’s why we are in close communication with our local health department, CDC and CMS to ensure we have the latest information and resources available.  The health and well-being of our patients and employees remain our top priorities.

We have taken significant precautions to minimize risk to patients and employees and have had systems and processes in place to help reduce the risks associated with the COVID-19 virus. We have precautionary measures designed to protect the safety and health of patients, employees and authorized visitors. We are:

  • Holding new admissions.
  • Taking regular symptom and temperature checks of all residents. We have reduced our temperature threshold to 99 degrees so we can address any change in condition rapidly.
  • Increased our sanitizing and cleaning processes.
  • Reviewing all inventory for personal protective equipment, such as masks and gowns, and educating staff on proper use and disposal.
  • Working with the Department of Health, CDC and the community to minimize any additional risk.
  • Keeping in contact with families.
  • Regular updates and in-servicing of our care team.

Our precaution measures include creating an Airborne Isolation Unit (CAIU) as part of our infection control and treatment plan. This means:

  • We will designate an isolation unit for patients who meet our isolation criteria.
  • The unit will have barriers installed to protect other residents and employees and keep higher-risk patients in a focused treatment area.
  • We will have personal protective equipment dedicated to this unit.
  • As much as possible, we will have dedicated staff on the unit in CDC-approved Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). This means respiratory masks, gowns, face shields or goggles and gloves,
  • Special cleaning, disposal, laundry and sanitizing measures will be enforced.

We are doing everything we can to minimize risks associated with COVID-19 in our facility. We are in very close communication with our medical director, clinical support team, and local and state health officials about the appropriate steps to serve the best interests of our patients, employees, and visitors. We are instructing our staff and patients to follow the recommended preventative actions. We appreciate the Department of Health’s support in identifying and addressing this issue as well. We continue to take every precaution to prevent the spread of the infection and keep families informed.
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