Newswise – DETROIT – A study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine by researchers at the Henry Ford Health System has found that Henry Ford’s early implementation of a universal mascara policy in pandemics was strongly linked COVID-19 by reducing the risk of health care workers at Henry Ford receiving COVID-19.
Through a retrospective study of an internal hospital quality metric analysis database unrelated to electronic medical records, researchers found a correlation between the implementation of Henry Ford’s universal mask policy and a significant reduction in the rate at whether its Healthcare staff tested positive for SARS -CoV-2. As COVID-19 diagnoses and hospitals across the State of Michigan continued to rise at the end of March 2020, cases among Henry Ford health care workers began to fall. By the time the first peak in COVID-19 cases occurred in the general population, the rate of cases among Henry Ford’s health care workers was already declining.
“This research confirms that wearing a mask is effective in reducing the risk of receiving COVID-19 and confirmed our early decision to implement the universal mascara policy, not not only to protect members of our team, but also to ensure that they are able to care for members of the community who have contracted COVID-19, ”they said. Steven Kalkanis, MD, Head of Henry Ford Medical Group. “At Henry Ford Health System, the universal mask policy introduced on 26 March 2020 ensured that all employees, both clinical and non-clinical, received surgical masks or procedures -work and order that employees wear a mask at work while also following all other personal protective equipment requirements. We hope that the findings of this study will continue to encourage members of the community to wear a mask in line with the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. ”
Healthcare workers have a triple risk of reporting a positive test for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, compared to the general population, according to a study published in Lancet Public Health. As of March 22, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported more than 450,000 SARS-CoV-2 infections among health care workers in the U.S. since the outbreak began, and nearly 1,500 COVID-19-related deaths among health care workers.
From March 12 to August 10, 2020, 19.2% of health care workers owned Henry Ford as a model for COVID-19 and underwent SARS-CoV-2 testing. By March 28-30 – the only change point in the data when the rate of new cases began to decline – the numbers of health care workers being tested with a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result doubled each 4.5 – 7.5 days. After March 30, the numbers of probationary health care workers decreased with a good result by half every 10.5 – 13.5 days.
“This effort would not have been possible without the leadership of our executive team, including our president and CEO Wright Lassiter, III, Dr Steven Kalkanis, Dr Adnan Munkarah’s chief clinical officer, and the chief executive operations officer Bob Riney, ”he said Dee Dee Wang, MD, Director of Structural Heart Imaging at Henry Ford Hospital and lead investigator of the study. “At a time when there was little information about the novel coronavirus, this campaign helped to keep our healthcare workers safe. I would also like to thank Dr. Betty Chu, our chief clinical officer and chief quality officer; Dr William O’Neill, director of our Center for Structural Heart Disease; Dr. Geehan Suleyman, medical director of Disease Control; Dr. Marcus Zervos, head of the Infectious Diseases department; and so many others who were heavily involved in the creation and implementation of our universal mascara policy. ”
With the advent of COVID-variants in the community, even with COVID-19 vaccines now being rolled out, health care workers and members of the community should remain vigilant and continue to wear a mask in line with CDC recommendations.
Henry Ford provides online experience and oversees vaccine administration, medical care and work at the large Ford Field vaccine site. Vaccines are administered at Ford Field as well as a regular Michigan state vaccine dose. Key facts to know:
###
About Henry Ford’s health system
Founded in 1915 by Henry Ford himself, the Henry Ford Health System is a non-profit integrated health system committed to improving people’s lives through excellence in the science and art of health care and healing. The Henry Ford Health System comprises the Henry Ford Medical Group, with more than 1,900 physicians and researchers working in more than 50 specialties in locations throughout southeast and central Michigan. Intensive care hospitals include Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, MI and Henry Ford Allegiance Health in Jackson, MI – both Magnet® hospitals; Henry Ford Macomb Hospital; Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital; and Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital.
The largest of these is Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, a quadriceps care research and teaching hospital and a Level 1 Trauma Center recognized for clinical excellence in cardiology, cardiovascular surgery, neurology, neurosurgery, and trans- multi-organ invitations. The health system also provides comprehensive, best-in-class care for cancer at the Brigitte Harris Cancer Pavilion, and orthopedics and sports medicine at the William Clay Ford Center for Athletic Medicine – both in Detroit.
As one of the nation’s leading academic medical centers, the Henry Ford Health System annually trains more than 3,000 medical students, residents and relatives in more than 50 accredited programs, and has accounted for nearly 40% of train state doctors. Our commitment to education and research is supported by nearly $ 100 million in annual grants from the National Institutes of Health and other public and private foundations.
Henry Ford’s non-profit health plan, Health Alliance Plan (HAP), provides health coverage for more than 540,000 people
The Henry Ford Health System employs more than 33,000 people, including more than 1,600 physicians, more than 6,600 nurses and 5,000 allied health professionals.