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Policy Change Communications

One Message, Multiple Audiences


Audiences: employees, medical staff, patients, media, community
 

In early 2023, Boone County, Missouri met CDC guidelines for ending universal masking at healthcare facilities. Universal masking required everyone in hospital or clinic buildings to wear a mask at all times. 
 

Boone Health’s Infection Prevention team asked me to prepare communications about this policy change for internal and external audiences, including signage. 

Signage

Press Release

Boone Health Ends Universal Masking Requirement
Starting Tuesday, April 4, 2023, Boone Health will discontinue universal masking in its facilities. Masks will be optional for employees, providers, patients, and visitors unless requested by patients or required for infection prevention precautions.

Patients will be able to request that Boone Health staff wear masks while providing care, and masks will still be made available. Employees will continue to follow PPE requirements and other standard precautions.

“Promoting safety is Boone Health’s #1 priority. With Boone County now at its lowest level of community transmission of COVID-19 since Spring 2022, we have satisfied the CDC criteria to discontinue universal masking,” explains Robin Blount, MD, Boone Health Chief Medical Officer. 

Masks will still be required for patients who have symptoms of respiratory illness, recent exposure to a respiratory illness, or a positive COVID test in the last 10 days; and for people visiting patients who have a respiratory illness. 

Boone Health would like to thank everyone for keeping our patients and employees safe.

Staff Message

Masking Policy Changes on April 4
Starting Tuesday, April 4, Boone Health will discontinue universal masking in its facilities. Masks will be optional for employees, providers, patients, and visitors in common areas and patient care areas, unless requested by patients or required for standard or transmission-based precautions. 
 

  • Masks will still be available at hospital entrances.

  • Patients can ask Boone Health staff to wear masks. 

  • New door signs will be provided to indicate patients who request that staff wear masks when entering their room but are not on transmission-based precautions. 

  • Employees who provide direct patient care will continue to use PPE for standard precautions as needed.
     

Masks will still be required for

  • Patients with symptoms of respiratory illness while they are in common areas, such as waiting rooms

  • Patients who have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 10 days

  • Patients with recent exposure to respiratory illness

  • Patients on transmission-based precautions when leaving their room (excluding patients who are only on contact precautions)

  • Visitors of patients on these transmission-based precautions:

    • Droplet isolation

    • COVID isolation

    • TB isolation
       

Staff who are not fully vaccinated in compliance with the HR Employee Immunization and Screening policy. These employees are required to wear a medical-grade face mask in all patient care areas and common areas.

Why are we making this change? Boone County is now at its lowest level of community transmission of COVID-19 since Spring 2022 and trending downward. We have now met the CDC criteria to discontinue universal masking. 

Boone Health Infection Prevention would like to thank everyone for keeping our patients and employees safe.

Website Post

A Reason to Smile: Our New Mask Policy
Starting Tuesday, April 4, 2023, masks will be optional for patients, visitors, and employees in Boone Health facilities. 
If you are a patient, you can ask Boone Health staff to wear masks during your visit. Our employees will continue to use the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) needed for your care.
 
Masks are still required if you:

  • Have symptoms of respiratory illness

  • Have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 10 days

  • Have had a recent exposure to a person with a respiratory illness

  • Are visiting a patient who has a respiratory illness
     

With Boone County’s COVID-19 community transmission levels going down, Boone Health has met CDC requirements to end universal masking. We thank you all for your help in keeping our patients, employees, and community safe. 

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