Busy Summer Semester: Week of July 17th, 2020

Students, Faculty, Residents, Staff, Alumni, Board Members and Friends,

Good morning. It’s been a relatively busy Summer Semester week at Salus. 

Donna Agnew, PA director, was interviewed by KYW News Radio about our new standardized patient/simulation lab we expect to open in October. The lab gives our students the opportunity to examine simulated patients in a realistic healthcare setting. To hear the interview,  please click here.

The Speech-Language Institute recently marked its fifth anniversary. Read more about it, and get some insight and reflections from chair and program director Robert Serianni, MS, CCC-SLP, FNAP at SalusUhealth.com/SLI-Fifth-Anniversary.

This month, our Alumni Association transitioned from outgoing president David Friess, OD ‘02, FAAO, to incoming president Amanda Marchegiani, AuD ‘10. I want to thank Dr. Friess for his outstanding contributions to our Alumni Association efforts during his tenure. Dr. Marchegiani has hit the ground running and her zeal for the University will build on the past leadership of the Association. Look for a story about Dr. Marchegiani’s goals for the Association on our website in the coming weeks.

Our BLVS department is working on a virtual Orientation and Mobility (O&M) training project for patients at the Feinbloom Vision Rehabilitation Center. The project serves two purposes: Providing direct experience for O&M interns whose internships (and graduations) were interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic; and also, continuity of service to patients already engaged in O&M prior to the shutdown, as well as offering the service to new patients. 

Many of you who are in the area have probably read about Governor Wolf’s most recent mandate addressing the increase in COVID-19 cases in the Commonwealth and around the country. While Pennsylvania’s cases are not increasing at a rate close to Florida, Arizona or Texas, the Secretary of Health, Dr. Rachel Levine, is trying to take a more proactive approach to the changing conditions of the pandemic than other states have done. None of the new mandates will affect the protocols already in place at Salus.  What they will do, though, is more stringently regulate bars, restaurants and indoor gatherings that are not directly associated with education. 

The new restrictions include:

• All indoor dining: Reduced to 25% capacity

• Bars: Open for sit-down meals at tables only, bar service prohibited

• Telework: Mandated (if possible)

• Gatherings: Less than 25 people indoors, and less than 250 people outdoors

There are no changes to gyms and fitness facilities, but they are directed to prioritize outdoor physical fitness activities. As I already mentioned, these new guidelines don’t directly affect operations at Salus, but as you go about your business off campus, you need to ensure you’re following them. While we are doing everything possible to keep everyone safe at Salus, we can’t control what people do when they’re off campus. That’s why it’s so very important that people follow CDC and Commonwealth guidelines at all times, because what you do off campus can have a direct effect on campus. So, please, always wear your face mask when you cannot socially distance when outdoors and always when indoors in public spaces, continue to wash your hands frequently and practice social distancing at all times. You don’t want to be the one who is responsible for spreading the virus. 

On Monday, I’m going to share our updated Salus Safety Strategy with all of you. The State Department of Education requires us to post this on our website which will also occur next week. You won’t find any significant changes from our current protocols other than the name. The protocols are all integrated into the Safety Strategy. You can always find the most up-to-date info on our website.

It looks like it’s going to be a nice, albeit hot, weekend. Please continue to practice all those new, good habits you’ve integrated into your daily routines such as wearing your face mask when around others, both indoors and outside, social distancing and frequent hand washing. Please be safe, be smart and remain SALUS STRONG!

Mike