About a month ago, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services rescinded a requirement to require health care workers to be vaccinated against the novel coronavirus, and although the final rule won’t be formally announced until around August 5, CMS has. announced. We have no intention of enforcing employee vaccination requirements before that date.
Kentucky Health News asked several large hospital systems in Kentucky to see if they had changed their policies and found that some had changed, while others had not. Some are considering making changes.
Maggie Rotker, director of public affairs at Norton Health Care, told the Louisville Courier-Journal in mid-June that the hospital system ended its COVID-19 vaccination policy for all employees, effective immediately.
Rotker said the latest information on vaccine mandates is in line with new regulations enacted by accrediting agencies DNV and CMS and their parent agency, the Ministry of Health and Human Services.
“While COVID-19 vaccination is no longer mandatory for employees, volunteers, vendors and contractors, we still recommend it to reduce risk and protect each other and our patients,” she told CJ. “This vaccine is also recommended for people at risk of complications from the virus.
Appalachian Regional Health Care, which has 14 hospitals in Kentucky and West Virginia, announced a policy change.
“As of July 3, the Appalachian Regional Health System does not require COVID-19 vaccinations for employees at our locations in eastern Kentucky or southern West Virginia.”
Although not required, vaccines are available to all employees who wish to be vaccinated,” said Melissa Cornett, ARH’s assistant vice president of corporate communications, in an email.
However, UK HealthCare and Baptist Health are still mandating Covid-19 vaccines.
Christie Willett, Executive Director of Public Affairs and Strategic Communications at the University of Kentucky, said in an email, “UK Healthcare is considering changes to federal requirements for the novel coronavirus vaccine and is currently assessing the impact on staff and considering next steps. have decided,” he said.
Baptist Health’s vice president of marketing, Rebecca Brown, said in an email. We are aware of federal government changes. Our clinician is still reviewing and working on her CMS reporting requirements. Make decisions about policy changes while addressing these requirements. “
CHI St. Joseph Health did not respond to a request regarding its COVID-19 vaccination policy.
