Artis Senior Living partners with Johns Hopkins physicians for health/safety council for residents

July 16, 2020 - As part of its Advancing Safe Living initiative, Artis Senior Living announced the launch of the new Artis Safety Council in partnership with Johns Hopkins physicians and a cross-discipline group of Artis associates and healthcare leaders to focus on maximizing the safety and well-being of residents, associates and families.

For several weeks, the council has been actively strengthening the health and safety protocols for the current challenge of COVID-19. The council will be providing guidance in regard to the latest science of dealing with the new virus, along with proactively looking ahead at other potential community health issues that could arise, to have an industry-leading approach to safety and resident care.

The members of the Artis Safety Council include:

• Michele Bellantoni, MD, CMD, is an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She is the Certified Medical Director for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Medical Director of Johns Hopkins Bayview Specialty Hospital Programs, and serves as Vice President of the MMDA (Mid-Atlantic Medical Directors Association).

• Morgan Jane Katz, MD, MHS, is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and a member of the independent Coronavirus Commission for Safety and Quality in Nursing Homes that will be advising the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Her area of clinical expertise is infectious diseases. Her research interests lie in infection control and antibiotic stewardship in long-term care facilities.

• Ravi Passi, MD, FACP, CMD, an attending physician in partnership with Artis at Olney Assisted Living in Maryland, is Board-Certified in Internal Medicine and has been in practice in Montgomery County, Maryland, since 1985. He trained at DC General and Georgetown University Hospitals. He is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians and a Certified Medical Director for Long-Term Care. Dr. Passi is a highly active member of the board of the MMDA and is a member of the AMDA (The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine).

Core areas of focus for the Artis Safety Council initially include cleaning and sanitation protocols, use of personal protective equipment as effective tools against risk of infection or virus spread, and testing approaches to protect Artis residents, their families and staff. Beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, leadership from Artis and Johns Hopkins will continue working together on refining protocols and ongoing safety recommendations that can span to provide a safe and positive living environment for community residents.

As part of their commitment to the safety and health of its residents, Artis is adding staff to serve as Safety Officers who will ensure appropriate training for Artis associates across all locations, continual monitoring of safety protocols and ongoing enhancements as needed over time to ensure community safety.

"We are proud of this exciting partnership with a truly world-class organization like Johns Hopkins," said Donald E. Feltman, Artis Senior Living President and CEO. "Our commitment to our residents, their families and our staff is at the heart of what we do. Their safety today, and always, is a top priority."

Artis will be hosting virtual Town Halls for residents and their families, prospective Artis families and local physicians interested in our safety efforts in late July. For more information on our safety initiative, visit TheArtisWay.com/SafetyCouncil.

For information from Johns Hopkins Medicine about the coronavirus pandemic, visit hopkinsmedicine.org/coronavirus. For information on the coronavirus from throughout the Johns Hopkins enterprise, including the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and The Johns Hopkins University, visit coronavirus.jhu.edu.

About Artis Senior Living Artis Senior Living, a premier developer-owner-operator of assisted living residences, was formed by the Bainum family along with a group of seasoned professionals in the senior living industry.

Artis is committed to providing the finest level of care through a compassionate dedication to each resident's comfort and needs. Most of its residences are dedicated to caring for individuals who live with Alzheimer's disease and related memory disorders. For more about Artis, visit www.artisseniorliving.com.