In order to ensure the stability of the province’s health network and limit the transmission of the novel coronavirus, the Quebec government announced Tuesday the implementation of an “exception registry” for staff mobility.
Health Minister Christian Dubé said that the goal is to quantify and monitor the movements of health-care workers having close contact with patients.
The registry is expected to provide an overview of the stabilization of the health network’s workforce in living environments such as long-term care homes. It is specifically expected to keep track of staff movement between facilities where there are hot and cold COVID-19 zones.
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Dubé said the registry will ensure a manager will have responsibility over staff mobility and to ensure that all other solutions have been considered and that infection prevention and control standards are met.
Dubé believes that thanks to the data collected by the management of schedules, it will be possible to oversee the health-care network and to ensure a stable workforce amid the pandemic.
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The establishment of the registry is currently underway in public and private long-term care homes. It is set to be completed next month.
In Quebec, when a health-care employee has to move from a cold zone to a hot one, the authorization of the person in charge of infection prevention and control is necessary. For a reverse movement, from a hot zone to a cold zone, the authorization of the president and CEO of the establishment is required.