Yes, masks are still required in most Asante buildings

With the mask mandate lifted in most places in Oregon, it can be easy to forget that health care facilities are required by law to maintain their masking requirement.

At Asante, masks must be worn in all buildings where patients are cared for, including Asante Outpatient Center in Grants Pass and meeting rooms in all hospitals — even if no patients are present.

Increasingly, unmasked staff members have been seen entering hospitals and outpatient care facilities and walking the hallways. This poses a challenge for staff members who must enforce Asante’s mask policy with resistant patients and visitors.

Asante relaxed some of the masking requirements in August in accordance with CDC guidelines. The only buildings where masks are not required are those where no patient care is provided. This includes the Smullin Education Center, the Human Resources building, the Contact Center, the Iverson building, the ATRMC and APP administration buildings, Finance and other buildings housing support staff.

Please do your part to uphold this important and legally mandated policy. Wear a source-control mask when entering any patient care building, including outpatient clinics. If you’re entering a clinical care area, change into a mask approved for clinical use before starting a patient care assignment. Clinically approved masks are available at the unit or clinic.