We recognise the importance of healthcare professionals taking every measure to help protect the health and well being of our clients and themselves in light of the continuing spread of COVID-19.
And we support the expert medical advice that everyone aged six months and over should be vaccinated against influenza this year, and every year, to protect themselves and the community.
Empower Healthcare is acutely aware that from 1 May 2020, all aged care workers and visitors must have been vaccinated against seasonal influenza to enter an aged care facility.
So, in alignment with the decisions made by the National Cabinet, we have updated our Influenza Vaccination Policy mandating all Empower Healthcare employees visiting clients in residential aged care facilities and in the community, to have up-to-date (i.e. 2020) vaccinations against influenza by 24 April 2020.
Employees will be required to provide evidence of this vaccination to Empower Healthcare by Friday 24th April 2020, in the form of:
Statement or record from a health practitioner
Immunisation history statement available from Medicare online or the Express Plus Medicare Mobile app
And we will provide all clients with clinician certification by Thursday 30th April 2020.
An email with our updated Influenza Vaccination Policy has been sent to all clients. If you would like a copy, please call the national office on 03 9583 1364.…
TeleTherapy service model is now available for Empower Healthcare clients.
This additional service delivery option underpins today’s confirmation that ALL allied health services are considered an ‘essential service’ by the Australian Minister for Health and the Federal Minister for Health, The Hon Greg Hunt.
Empower’s TeleTherapy service will help our community stay healthy and independent during this situation, it also will reduce isolation and offer the ability for those most at risk to stay safe whilst remaining connected to their valued services.
All our services will continue to be provided in person where possible. Empower Healthcare is taking the risks associated with COVID-19 seriously and have introduced many precautionary measures to protect consumers and our team during Home Care & NDIS visits, including Pre-Screening all Home Care & NDIS clients prior to visits.
In addition, our new TeleTherapy service is available immediately for the following services:
Occupational Therapy
Physiotherapy
Osteopathy
Dietetics
In our TeleTherapy model, clients can choose between; using their own device – smartphone, tablet, PC, and we will supply an email with a single link to start a video call.
For those clients that do not own a device, or find it hard to use technology, Empower will supply a sanitised device on the day of treatment.
Our TeleTherapy service is perfect for people that are self-isolating, are unable to have face to face appointments due to their health or feel uncomfortable with a face to face appointment.
Call us on 039583 1364 for more information and pricing on our TeleTherapy service option.
“Our promise: We respond faster. Whether it’s our short waiting lists, same day reporting or simple referral process, you can rest assured that your client is in the best hands.”
We have listened to our clients and they don’t have the time to micro-manage their portfolio. They want to partner with someone that is reliable and dependable with transparent pricing structures.
Adam Gilroy Smith, CEO reveals, “Empower has grown by 100% over the past year based on our service model across Home Care, NDIS and Residential Aged Care. By listening to our clients and the challenges they face, we adapt, stay well positioned and respond fast to deliver exceptional care. The launch of our new service model is another example of Empower Healthcare’s ability to be agile in a rapidly changing environment.”
How To Get Clients Started With Our TeleTherapy services
Existing clients – Call 03 9583 1364 to discuss.
New referrals – Simply click below to complete our referral form.
Click here for the article by Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) that confirmed the status of allied health professionals as an ‘essential service’.…
Empower Healthcare has been on the front-foot since the early COVID-19 developments and have created a detailed Business Continuity and Operational Plan.
How has Empower Healthcare Been Preparing?
We are committed to the safety of our clients, consumers and team members and our Operational Plan details the increased measures we have taken across our organisation and those we plan to take should the Pandemic progress. This plan was shared electronically with our clients yesterday. Please contact national office on 03 9583 1364 if you would like a copy of this communication.
We will be in regular communication with you all throughout this crisis, at this point we would like to communicate the following key advice:
Currently there are no cases of COVID-19 within the Empower Healthcare team
All Empower staff have undertaken a refresher course on Hand Hygiene and Infection Control in response to COVID-19
Our teams are being provided with additional PPE to further minimise risk
We have issued our internal COVID-19 policy which ensures that any at-risk staff do not attend and will require medical clearance prior to returning to work
Will all of Empower’s Services Be Maintained?
Yes. As healthcare providers, we recognise that we provide an invaluable service to Residential Aged Care, Home Care and NDIS clients, and as such, have taken the following additional measures to ensure clients, consumers and team members health and safety comes first.
Residential Aged Care:
Some of our clients have asked us how we will ensure that we provide our full service throughout the outbreak process. We’d like to reassure you that at Empower Healthcare, we have taken several measures to ensure that we maintain a healthy and viable workforce across all of our client’s facilities. In addition, we have moved to increase our workforce including adding to our casual bank.
In some cases our clients have moved to voluntary lockdown. In these cases, we’d like to reassure you that as an essential part of the operation, Empower will continue to provide services in conjunction with providers.
Home Care/ NDIS:
Currently the advice is to maintain Home Care Services as these offer key supports to the community, including physical support and vital access to equipment.
As we are all aware, the people we all work with are some of the most vulnerable with a higher risk of infection and will continue to require our services in order to stay safe and healthy at home. Therefore, we are taking every possible precaution to ensure that we can continue to provide our services to them safely.
How are employees managing infection control and consumer safety?
Empower Healthcare are undertaking the following precautions:
Education on Infection control and hand hygiene is offered to all consumers as part of our service
Pre-screening of all clients prior to visit – currently undertaken by clinicians prior to entering house. Should the pandemic progress to the next phase, pre-screening will be undertaken each day for all visits by our Head Office team.
A Home Care specific education module on precautions around COVID-19 has been provided to all staff
Strict Infection Control and PPE measures such as; WHO 5 moments of hand hygiene and sneeze/cough hygiene, use of gloves, as well as thorough and regular cleaning of equipment before and after each treatment.
Additional Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) packs have been prepared for clinicians which contains examination gloves, hand sanitiser, soap dispenser paper towel and bars of soap.
If a customer is feeling sick?
It is very important that Empower Healthcare is informed if a customer becomes unwell, particularly if they have been receiving support services during the 14-day period before becoming unwell. This is especially important if you have symptoms include a fever, cough, sore throat or tiredness.
If you develop symptoms including a fever and cough you should isolate yourself immediately and urgently seek medical attention. It is very important that you do not continue with Empower Healthcare’s services while you are unwell.
What will happen if a customer or staff member has COVID-19?
Staff
In line with government guidelines, employees will not attend work and will alert management as soon as possible if they meet any of the following criteria:
Within the last 14 days, travelled to/from China, Iran, South Korea, Italy or any other country with heightened travel advisories in place in relation to COVID-19
Have been in contact with anyone who has travelled overseas in the past 14 days
Are experiencing a fever or any respiratory illness;
Have tested positive for COVID-19; or
Have been instructed to self-isolate by a public health official
If Empower Healthcare becomes aware of a team member positively confirmed with COVID-19. National office will then notify the relevant healthcare organisations, clinical care managers, case managers, consumers, carers and other team members that may have been in contact.
In regard to Home Care Services, all future treatments will be re-allocated and case managers, consumers & carers will be notified.
Empower Staff members will not return until they have a medical clearance.
Customer
If a customer has contracted COVID-19 and we have been notified by the healthcare organisation, management will ask for any clinician that has been in contact with that consumer in the last 14 days, to go into self-isolation.
Customers who have contracted COVID-19 will not be able to return to receiving Empower Healthcare services until they have a medical clearance.
Current Business Operational Status
As part of our Operational Plan, Empower Healthcare’s national office will now be reduced to a skeleton team, with the other team members continuing to work from home. As the pandemic progresses, all national office members will follow suit.
Our service platform utilises cloud-based technology platforms, so we can easily continue business from any location.
All contact points stay the same. You can contact the Home Care Services Support Team on 03 9583 1364 or via email, info@empowerhealthcare.com.au.
Contact Points
If you need more information or have a specific question, you can contact:
Here’s a quick video we have taken today that we encourage to share with your colleagues.
As you know infection control is vital across all areas of care, particularly in light of the risk of further outbreaks of COVID-19 in Australia.
Correct hand hygiene techniques are a key component of infection control. In the video Donna and Leah cover how to properly wash and sanitise your hands. This is a timely reminder and relevant for everyone, from care workers in aged care and home care, to family members, friends and co-workers.
This refresher video demonstrates the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) hand washing and hand rubbing process as well as discussing the 5 moments when health-care workers should perform hand hygiene.
At Empower, all staff are required to undertake the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care’s Hand Hygiene training module, once completed the module provides certification. The link to the module is below if you would like to share it across your team.
