For nearly three years, to protect our patients, team members and communities from potential exposure to COVID-19 when visiting our facilities, ThedaCare has implemented and adjusted several safety measures. Required masking by all team members, patients and visitors in any public setting on ThedaCare facilities was implemented.
ThedaCare is now in a position to discontinue mandatory masking at all sites beginning on April 24, 2023. For those who wish to continue masking, they would be welcome to do so. This decision was made following a thorough risk assessment performed by ThedaCare’s Infection Prevention Teams.
“ThedaCare has closely monitored and proactively adjusted our plans, following guidance from health organizations throughout the pandemic,” said Mark Cockley, MD, ThedaCare Chief Clinical Officer and President of the ThedaCare Health Network. “We will continue to monitor and adapt to guidelines as necessary to protect our patients, team members and visitors. As we mark this promising milestone, ThedaCare would like to thank patients, families and community members for their support throughout the pandemic.”
Masking would continued to be required during some situations, including:
- Patients, visitors and team members who may have respiratory illness, or symptoms similar to COVID-19 or influenza.
- Patients, visitors and team members who have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 in the last 10 days.
- Patients, visitors and team members who work or live in an area that is experiencing a COVID-19 outbreak.
- COVID-19 outbreak.
“We are encouraged by the low transmission levels in our communities that provide us with the opportunity to end universal, required masking at our facilities,” said Dr. Cockley. “While we understand COVID-19 will continue be a virus we must monitor, we are pleased to be able to return to pre-pandemic guidelines.”
The CDC says to support prevention for all COVID-19 Community Levels, people should:
- Stay up to date on vaccination, including recommended booster doses.
- Maintain ventilation improvements.
- Avoid contact with people who have suspected or confirmed COVID-19.
- Follow recommendations for isolation if you have suspected or confirmed COVID-19.
- Follow the recommendations for what to do if you are exposed to someone with COVID-19.
Caring for Our Communities
Over the last three years, nearly all community members have experienced so much change due to the pandemic. COVID-19 changed how people receive care, when and where care takes place, and what they expect from care partners. ThedaCare’s responsiveness to COVID-19 allowed care teams to make changes, ensuring safe access to the most important services, including testing, vaccinations and more.
ThedaCare leaders would like to extend their gratitude to the organization’s caregivers and team members for their unwavering commitment to patients, communities and each other during the pandemic.
“Through our team members’ determination, compassion, expertise and innovation, we can continue to live our mission to improve the health and well-being of our communities we serve,” said Dr. Cockley. “Through the most challenging of times, our teams stood true to our calling to do what it takes to care for our communities. We have come through so much, including battling a global pandemic, and have come through it together.”
Since December 24, 2020, ThedaCare has administered more than 150,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses and boosters to help protect patients, team members and communities. Since March of 2020, ThedaCare has also cared for and discharged nearly 4,000 COVID-19 patients from our hospitals following acute care. In addition, team members have continued to provide thousands of tests and treatment options for those with COVID.
“COVID is now a part of who we are,” said Dr. Cockley. “As we continue to move forward, we will learn from yesterday and prepare for tomorrow. We thank our communities for rebuilding and healing, so we may move forward, safely together.”
About ThedaCare
For more than 110 years, ThedaCare® has been committed to improving the health and well-being of the communities it serves in Northeast and Central Wisconsin. The organization delivers care to more than 650,000 residents in 17 counties and employs approximately 7,000 providers and team members. ThedaCare has 180 points of care, including eight hospitals. As an organization committed to being a leader in Population Health, team members are dedicated to empowering people to live their unique, best lives. ThedaCare also partners with communities to understand needs, finding solutions together, and encouraging health awareness and action. ThedaCare is the first in Wisconsin to be a Mayo Clinic Care Network Member, giving specialists the ability to consult with Mayo Clinic experts about a patient’s care. ThedaCare is proud to partner with Children’s Wisconsin and Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin health network to enhance convenient access to the most advanced levels of specialty care. ThedaCare is a not-for-profit health system with a level II trauma center, comprehensive cancer treatment, stroke and cardiac programs, as well as primary care.
For more information, visit thedacare.org or follow ThedaCare on social media. Members of the media should call Cassandra Wallace, Public and Media Relations Consultant at 920.442.0328 or the ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Neenah switchboard at 920.729.3100 and ask for the marketing person on call.
