St. Luke and Affiliates Implement No Visitor Policy In Response To Coronavirus Threat

OSWEGO – Effective today, Friday March 13, St. Luke Health Services, Bishop’s Commons and St. Francis Commons will put into effect a No Visitor Policy across their healthcare campus that suspends all non-essential visitation.

St. Luke Health Services and affiliate organizations Bishop’s Commons and St. Francis Commons are actively engaged in implementing a respond to the developing threat posed by the respiratory illness coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Governor Andrew Cuomo has announced that only medically necessary visits will be allowed in nursing homes in New York State.

“Beginning today, no unnecessary visitors will be able to enter any of our three facilities, and those individuals that must enter, including our staff, must complete a health screening prior to moving through a facility,” said Chief Executive Office Terrence Gorman.

“We will make exceptions for those residents who are actively at end of life, provided family members complete our screening process,” Gorman said. “We know that this step may cause concern for many, but with an abundance of caution, we view this as a necessary measure to continue to protect our residents and staff. We are all working together to help minimize any disruptions in the lives of our residents that this may cause.”

All three facilities are setting-up online communication capacities so that families can tele-visit with their loved ones.

St. Luke, Bishop’s Commons and St. Francis Commons have been informing staff, residents and families of this new visitation policy, and are implementing protocols to ensure compliance.

Gorman acknowledged the seriousness with which they are monitoring and actively responding to this evolving threat, and are regularly in contact with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the New York State and Oswego County Health Departments.

“This is an evolving situation of unknown duration,” Gorman said. “We will keep our residents, families, staff and our community informed as new developments arise. I would direct anyone seeking updated information concerning our response activities to visit our website at www.stlukehs.com.”

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