Which Kansas City hospitals have employee vaccine mandates against COVID-19?
After Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt and Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt sued the federal government, the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for hospital workers is no longer being enforced by law. A federal judge in St. Louis halted the mandate in both states, a week before the deadline for workers to get their first dose.
That leaves it up to the hospitals to decide if they want to enforce COVID-19 vaccine mandates. Dave Dillon, spokesman for the Missouri Hospital Association told the Star that most Missouri health care systems, with hospitals concentrated in urban and suburban areas, have already implemented their own mandates.
What hospitals are mandating vaccines for employees in the Kansas City area? The Star’s service team put together a list of where vaccines are and aren’t required.
Truman Medical Center/University Health
The hospital system has required its employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 since July. It gave approximately 5,000 employees until Sept. 20, when only 39 employees resigned.
Saint Luke’s Health System
They required their employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Oct. 30. When it was announced at the end of August, around 35% of its 12,000 employees were unvaccinated. It reached nearly 100% compliance, with the help of a new benefits package that gave employees a $2,000 bonus.
Children’s Mercy
They’re requiring employees to get vaccinated, and they have until Dec. 15 to receive both doses of Pfizer or Moderna or the single dose of Johnson and Johnson. Around 80% of their employees were vaccinated when this was announced on Sept. 16.
The University of Kansas Health System
Vaccines have been mandated for employees, volunteers, students, temporary workers and contractors at the University of Kansas Health System since early October. The deadline to receive them was Dec. 1.
“We know we are making the right decision for our organization, our employees, our patients, and physicians,” Tammy Peterman, president of the health system’s Kansas City division, said in a statement.
AdventHealth
The national network of healthcare buildings announced that it’s suspending its employee vaccine mandate following a federal court’s blocking of a vaccine mandate. The Shawnee Mission facility has close to 700 physicians and 3,300 associates. AdventHealth also has physician offices in Wyandotte and Johnson counties, and campuses in Lenexa, Shawnee Mission and south Overland Park.
If you’re seeking a vaccination or booster against COVID-19 in Kansas City, look here. If you’re looking for one for a child, look here.
We’ll update this story with new information as needed.
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