The deadline is fast approaching for all Greene County Medical Center staff to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

The hospital made the announcement in early September that by November 1st, all medical center staff had to be vaccinated. New CEO Chad Butterfield tells Raccoon Valley Radio as of this last Friday, 94-percent of staff had been vaccinated. He explains the hospital needed to take necessary steps to keep patients as safe as possible.

“We said, ‘Let’s put this marker in the ground, let’s get our folks vaccinated, and let’s make sure our patients feel comfortable to come to the medical center.’ That’s our ultimate goal. I don’t want someone staying at home that is in need of a mammogram, but they’re going to stay home because they’re worried about catching COVID. So rest assured, our staff are getting vaccinated.”   

Butterfield points out the federal government is requiring all medicare and medicaid healthcare and medical facilities to comply with the COVID-19 vaccine mandate. There are certain exceptions for staff to not be vaccinated, including religious and medical reasons and deferring the vaccine while a woman is pregnant. Butterfield notes less than ten staff have resigned, and he shares his thoughts on those individuals.

“I’ve tried to speak with as many of them as I can to let them know, ‘I wish you well, I wish you the best moving forward. If your situation changes in the future, come back, let us know.’ Many of these folks have been here for years. It’s heartbreaking for us to see them go. So if they’re situation changes, if the environment changes with regards to COVID vaccination requirements, reach out to us, let us know, our arms open and we’d love to have you back.”      

The vaccine requirement was announced prior to Butterfield taking over as CEO, but he supports the initiative and is confident they will hit their goal by the November 1st deadline.