Confluence Health announces updates to Employment Vaccination Policy

Confluence Health today announced an update to its employment vaccination policy. Starting March 1, 2023, Confluence Health will begin allowing staff who were unable to work onsite due to not having received the initial COVID-19 vaccination series to again work onsite at Confluence Health facilities after meeting certain requirements.

“This change in policy reflects our shift in status within the wider pandemic and the needs of our communities,” commented Dr. Jason Lake, chief medical officer of Confluence Health. “While vaccinations continue to be vital in our ability to address the needs of public health, the transition to a post-pandemic world allows us greater flexibility in requirements moving forward.”

Under previous policy, staff who had not received their initial COVID-19 vaccination series were not able to work onsite due to Washington State COVID-19 mandates and policy requirements from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Changes in requirements now allow for greater flexibility in policies and more accommodation options for exempted individuals.

The update to Confluence Health employment vaccination policy will allow staff who received a religious and/or medical accommodation and currently work remotely to come onsite for meetings and social events, and, where appropriate and where space is available, to return to onsite work.

Additionally, Confluence Health welcomes applications from prospective and former employees who may need religious and/or medical exemptions to apply for open positions. All standard vaccinations, including the COVID-19 initial series, are still required for employees unless they have an approved medical and/or religious exemption and appropriate accommodation can be made.

“We are pleased to be able to make these updates to our employment vaccination policies,” stated Dr. Andrew Jones, chief executive officer of Confluence Health. “As we make this important transition, we are thankful to our staff, providers, patients, and our wider communities for their continued efforts to support our work to promote public health.”

About Confluence Health: Confluence Health serves the largest geographic region of any healthcare system in Washington State, covering over 12,000 square miles of Okanogan, Grant, Douglas, and Chelan counties. Confluence is one of only two locally-lead healthcare systems in the state with the purpose of maintaining availability and access to high-quality, cost-effective healthcare services for North Central Washington. The Confluence Health Board of Directors provides governance for Confluence Health, the Clinic, Central Washington Hospital, and Wenatchee Valley Hospital, and includes nine community board members and six physician board members.