Baystate Medical Center (BMC) identified COVID-positive patients and employees on a Non-COVID clinical unit, with potential exposure during July 15 – July 23. All patients and visitors who had potential exposure have been contacted.
If you were a patient at Baystate Medical Center and have not been contacted by our staff, you were not determined to have been at risk of exposure.
This outbreak happened on one clinical unit at Baystate Medical Center between July 15 – July 23.
Based on a review by our hospital epidemiologists, we believe the group of cases on the unit resulted from several factors: travel to an area within the United States identified as a “hot spot” and staff who convened in a breakroom and removed their masks without observing proper social distancing protocols.
These simple lapses were able to happen in spite of our screening employees for fever and other symptoms before every shift, mandating mask usage and social distancing throughout the facility.
We have reached out to all patients who received care on the unit during the time period from July 15 to July 23 to be tested. We have conducted extensive contact tracing and testing of employees who were working on the unit as well as those who spent more than 15 minutes on the unit during this time period.
We have reinforced our policies and requirement for proper masking, except while eating – across the organization. Employees are also required to practice social distancing while masks are off while eating. Additionally, we are addressing and reconfiguring break areas for our employees to take breaks and have their meals, when mask removal is necessary.
We have instituted two new policies that our employees must comply with. While we had mandatory mask requirements at Baystate Health, we have now developed a policy focusing on proper wearing of face masks and social distancing requirements. Additionally, we introduced a new policy in alignment with Massachusetts travel restrictions.
We are committed to: frequent hand hygiene, physical/social distancing, proper wearing of facemasks, and staying home if symptomatic.
We recognize that this virus is highly contagious and that we must all remain vigilant.
Yes. This incident occurred from July 15 – 23; we have reached out to the individuals who were exposed during this time and have provided testing for them. COVID safety precautions remain in place. Additionally, we are requiring pre-procedure COVID testing for all patients who are coming in for surgery or procedures.
If you have not received a call from Baystate Health, you are not one of the people who need to get tested.
Please call your provider to discuss the most appropriate place for care.
Baystate Health offers testing for western Massachusetts residents with a referral from a provider or urgent care.
For a listing of alternate sites offering asymptomatic (no COVID-19 symptoms) testing in western Massachusetts, please visit BaystateHealth.org/Testing.
If you are interested in testing sites for the statewide Stop the Spread initiative, please visit Mass.Gov for more information.
If you have questions, we can be reached via email.