Riverside Senior Advantage
The Senior Advantage Department is very beneficial because we assist with choosing Medicare options as this tends to be a very confusing time for individuals that are given an overabundance of information. We can simplify this time for them.
As you, your family, or your friends approach Medicare age, you can utilize our free services to learn your options. Please inform your family and friends of our approaching Open Enrollment, October 15th – December 7th to review their current Medicare plans.
COVID Vaccine Policy Update
COVID-19 Vaccination Policy Update: Frequently Asked Questions
What is being announced?
Based on the latest scientific data and research, recommendations by the CDC and guidance from our own team of experts, we have updated our COVID-19 vaccine requirements to allow employees in both patient-facing and non-patient facing roles to apply for and receive an approved medical or strongly held belief exemption. Previously, we were only allowing such exemptions for non-patient facing employees.
Why is this change being made now?
Over the past few months, we have been encouraged by a continued decline in the severity of COVID-19-related symptoms, hospitalizations and death, and we are hopeful that future variants will have even less impact on our daily lives. Our decision reflects the level of risk associated with current variants and our confidence in our ability to ease precautions while continuing to provide the highest quality of care and safest environment possible to everyone we serve. This decision was made based on the latest scientific data and research, recommendations by the CDC and guidance from our own team of experts.
Does this mean that COVID-19 vaccines are no longer required for employees?
No. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) continues to require health care workers to receive the COVID-19 vaccine or an approved medical or strongly held belief exemption. We will continue to comply with this requirement.
Why did Riverside initially not allow employees in patient-facing roles to get a strongly held belief exemption?
Given the high number of hospitalizations and deaths that were associated with early COVID-19 variants, we continue to believe that requiring our employees, especially those in patient-facing roles, to receive the COVID-19 vaccine allowed us to provide the highest quality of care and safest environment possible at a critical time in the pandemic.
What safety protocols will unvaccinated employees be required to follow?
Employees who receive an approved medical or strongly held belief exemption will be required to follow all state and federal regulations, including wearing a surgical mask while on Riverside Healthcare grounds. For testing protocols, please see the Riverside policy as requirements may change based on transmission rates.
Will employees who left because of the vaccine requirement be eligible for rehire?
Yes. We understood that this was a difficult decision for some of our employees, even those who chose to comply. We left the door open for our former colleagues to return if they met job qualifications and complied with our current policies. Any qualified applicant who complies with our policies, including our updated COVID-19 vaccine requirement is eligible for employment at Riverside.
Does leadership have any concerns about rehiring employees who made the decision to leave Riverside in response to its COVID-19 vaccine requirement?
No. This was a painful time for both those who made the decision to leave and those who continued working at Riverside. As the transition was made, we maintained a respectful and collegial environment, and we are confident we will continue to do so as we welcome back former colleagues who qualify for an open position and comply with our current policies.
Was this decision made to resolve litigation Riverside is facing regarding the COVID-19 vaccine mandate?
No. While we cannot discuss matters related to ongoing litigation, we can say that this decision was made based solely on the latest scientific data and research, recommendations by the CDC and guidance from our own team of experts.
Does Riverside Healthcare plan to contact former employees who left due to vaccine requirement to notify them of this change?
No. However, we look forward to welcoming any qualified applicant who will comply with our current policies, including our requirement to be vaccinated for COVID-19 or receive an approved medical or strongly held belief exemption.
Will Riverside revise its vaccine policy again in the future?
Riverside Healthcare will continue to monitor COVID-19 cases and trends. If a future COVID-19 variant appears to result in more serious illness or a higher number of hospitalizations and deaths, we may need to revise our COVID-19 vaccine policy accordingly.
A PDF version of the FAQs can be found here.
We are ONE Riverside and now offer ONE billing statement!
We are pleased to announce a change to Riverside Healthcare’s patient billing. With this change, we are combining our professional billing and hospital billing into one simple monthly payment plan or wage deduction. Did you know that any Riverside employee with a .5 FTE or higher is eligible to request to have their payment automatically deducted from your bi-weekly paycheck and applied to your balance due? If you are currently on a wage deduction for your hospital billing and your physician billing balances, they will now be automatically combined into one bi-weekly deduction.
On the new consolidated billing statement, we will bill you for both Riverside Medical Group providers, and Riverside Medical Center balances on the same billing statement. You will receive one bill and make one payment for both balances. All payments received are first applied to the oldest balance and dispersed to hospital and professional charges. If you currently have a wage deduction for either your hospital or professional bill today, you will see it on your paycheck stub as one deduction instead of two. Keep in mind with the new consolidation, we can only have a wage deduction or payment plan per guarantor. Just as before, balances are not automatically added to your wage deduction, and if new balances are incurred, you must contact Patient Financial Services to have them added. If you have any questions regarding your existing wage deduction or would like to set up a wage deduction, please call our Customer Service team at 815-935-7539 Monday-Friday from 8:30 AM-5 PM.
Take Time for Self-Care with the P.A.C.E. Yourself Practice
- Permission: While healthcare providers are consistently advocating that their patients take time out to prioritize their health and well-being, we aren’t so good at doing the same for ourselves. What would granting yourself permission look, sound and feel like? Consciously granting yourself permission to care for yourself in this way sets an intention to do so.
- Awareness and Anchor: Next, bring your awareness to your present moment experience. Notice any areas of tension or tightness in the body. If any unpleasant emotions arise as you are doing this, I invite you to anchor in the breath, breathing fully and deeply as you stay with your experience.
- Compassion: Now that you are aware of your present physical and mental state, consider turning toward yourself with kindness. What might you do in this moment to offer yourself kindness, just as you would offer to a friend or colleague who has been working tirelessly as a healthcare professional navigating a pandemic?
- Envision: When you feel ready to, consider yourself stepping into the next moment and all future moments with a sense of well-being, seeing and feeling yourself having energy and vitality, stay with your exploration for as long as you can and notice if there are any shifts in your mental and/or physical state.
Well In Mind is here for you. Call 815-933-2240 to schedule an appointment or to ask about your EAP benefits.
New OLIE Course – Mental Health Awareness
Riverside’s Behavioral Medicine Department sponsored an online training on Mental Health Awareness presented by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (course overview below).
They have now made available a video of this course is via OLIE to view on demand. To view, log into OLIE and search under; NAMI. It will be the first course that appears in your search results, and the name is: National Alliance of Mental Illness Webinar – Mental Health Awareness (course code CLNBEH314).
The first step to supporting your own and others’ mental health is awareness. This training will provide a foundation of knowledge on mental health & wellness. We will share resources, dive deep into the definition of wellness, learn how to recognize when someone is struggling, and identify ways to be supportive. Attendees will also leave the session with wellness strategies to better manage stress and engage in self-care.
Lastly, to reduce the stigma around mental health, a NAMI Chicago Ambassador will share their story of hope and recovery.
Note: This video is two hours in length but does allow you to stop and start as needed to view it. It may be slow to load based on your Internet connection due to the file size.
