FOX Rehabilitation Official COVID-19 Statement

At FOX Rehabilitation the health and well-being of our colleagues, patients and business partners is our top priority. Our senior management team has been meeting regularly to address current concerns about the outbreak of the Coronavirus (COVID-19).

As key members of the healthcare community, we are some of the most important people in the nation at this time. Healthcare workers must be ready, willing and able to continue to treat their patients in the face of this adversity. We at FOX know that the services we provide help to create functional wellness, which in turn makes our patients happier, healthier and more able to fight off medical illness. We help older adults develop functional reserve that reduces falls and has proven to reduce hospitalizations. It could be said that the services we provide are more important now than ever. 

During this time of uncertainty, we are committed to being responsive to the needs of people we impact, most importantly the nearly 2000 FOX clinicians providing care to their patients throughout our 20-state footprint. We have already implemented several preventative measures throughout our practice including: 

• Restricting all non-essential business travel
• Procuring necessary technology and systems access for employees to work remotely and continue to do their jobs
• Instituting precautionary recommendations from CDC including:
  • Exercising universal precautions
  • Thoroughly disinfecting equipment between patients
  • Disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces within a patient’s home or gym within a Senior Living Community post each treatment episode
  • Washing hands thoroughly before and after every patient encounter or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available
  • Using Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) when needed
  • Avoiding touching eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands
  • Avoiding close contact with people who are sick
  • Staying home if you are sick
  • Covering coughs or sneezes with a tissue, then throwing the tissue in the trash followed by washing of the hands with soap and water or hand sanitizer
  • Screening patients for signs/symptoms of COVID-19
  • Self-screening
  • Reporting

We will continue to monitor this quickly–evolving situation and work in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Departments of Public Health to ensure the safety of our colleagues, patients, and business partners. 

For additional information about COVID-19, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at https://www.cdc.gov/ 

FOX RESPONDS: HELPING FLATTEN THE CURVE WITH HOUSE CALLS

This is undoubtedly an unprecedented period in the history of the nation, and certainly for all of us within the healthcare arena as we face the threat of coronavirus (COVID-19). As always, the health and well-being of our colleagues, patients, and partners is a top priority to all of us at our practice. We wanted to take the opportunity to inform you that FOX Rehabilitation as a practice is continuing to move forward treating older adult patients; and as of today, the CDC recognizes physical, occupational, and speech therapists as essential medical services that should, in fact, continue at this delicate time. Please feel free to share this update with your colleagues and community.

Public health experts urge Americans to stay away from one another, which could lead to social isolation, already a problem in our older adult population. Social distancing is the necessary recommendation to combat COVID-19, yet undoubtedly will have unfavorable effects on access to care and management of chronic conditions, along with the overall quality of life.

With no homebound status or face-to-face requirement in order to start or resume care, FOX’s Geriatric House CallsTM therapy model has an important role in controlling the spread of COVID-19 as well as assuring adverse outcomes to older patients are minimized.

• FOX physical, occupational, and speech therapists can prescribe skilled interventions within the home, supporting both the acute and chronic population with the highest need, preventing unnecessary appointments, emergency department visits, and hospitalizations.
• It is within the scope of practice for FOX clinicians to manage and monitor vitals and symptoms, based on the guidelines of the CDC and Federal Government.
• Recommendations on alterations, adjustments, or additions to the home environment that affect the layout and structure of the home, all while increasing safety—adequate food, paper goods, medical supplies, medication compliance, etc.
• Multidisciplinary, home-based therapy approach is effective in the identification of an older adult’s patterns of daily living, caregiver specific needs, interests, and values to determine the necessary interventions in order to remain active and involved.
• FOX clinicians are continually informed of all CDC and Federal recommendations and procedures, including universal precautions to prevent virus transmission—we are vigilantly following these protocols.

The situation across the nation is constantly evolving, future communications will as well. Thank you for your continued confidence in FOX in assisting in the care for your older adult population, especially under these critical conditions. Let’s continue to stand together as a community to support and uplift one another.

A Message to our FOX Patients

FOX Rehabilitation understands that you might have questions about coronavirus (COVID-19) and the precautions that we are taking to assure our patients and our staff remain safe. As always, the health and well-being of our colleagues and patients is the top priority for our practice.

We remain certain that our clinicians can safely continue to provide all of our patients with clinically excellent care that helps them be stronger and live better, longer. To ensure this, FOX is strictly following all local, state, and federal guidelines related to preventing the spread of coronavirus.

What to expect during FOX visits:

• Your FOX clinician will ask you some questions related to signs, symptoms, and potential exposure of coronavirus before each visit. They might call you ahead of your scheduled appointment to ask these questions or ask them when they arrive at your home. The questions are part of a screening tool used to protect each of our patients and clinicians.
  • If you or a family member/caregiver that you live with are not feeling well and are showing signs or symptoms of coronavirus, your FOX clinician will stop your treatment session and inform your physician of their findings.
  • If you or a family member/caregiver that you live with think you may have been exposed to coronavirus, your FOX clinician will stop your treatment session and inform your physician of their findings.
  • In either of the above cases, your FOX clinician may give you a mask to wear to protect others in your home from potentially also getting sick if you were to cough or sneeze.

• FOX clinicians will follow special precautions and use personal protective equipment, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This includes:
  • Washing hands with soap and water OR using hand sanitizer before and after each visit
  • Disinfecting therapy equipment between each patient use
  • Wearing gloves if coming in contact with soiled objects or surfaces

It is very important that health care workers only wear these items when medically necessary, in order to make sure there is an adequate supply and equipment does not go wasted.

In addition, our clinicians routinely perform self-screenings for signs and symptoms of coronavirus. Any clinician who shows signs or symptoms of coronavirus is not permitted to provide patient care until receiving medical clearance. We will continue to follow the above steps to ensure the health and safety of our patients while following our mission:

To rehabilitate lives by believing in the strength of people—empowering our people to facilitate and provide clinically excellent care to our patients, allowing them to achieve what they once thought impossible.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT FOX REHABILITATION AT 1.877.407.3422.

*Images and posts shared on FOX social media platforms and website do not necessarily reflect our current policy and procedures regarding personal protective equipment. FOX is strictly following all local, state, and federal guidelines related to preventing the spread of coronavirus.