Supporting Physicians During the Pandemic

Below are resources for physicians who are supporting children, adults, or pets during this time. As the pandemic evolves, these challenges impact a larger number of  physicians and have also become more diverse. The needs of each parent/family are unique and there is no single best solution for all families.

Bright Horizons Back-Up Care 

Reserve back-up care from Bright Horizons.

Use the website or mobile app to make requests. Here’s how:

        Faculty

                https://clients.brighthorizons.com/stanfordu

                First time users -      Employer username: sucares      Password: Benefits4You

Note: In light of the Omicron surge, effective January 14, 2022, the number of Bright Horizons back-up care days has increased from 10 to 20 annual days for benefits-eligible SoM Clinical Faculty. These days can be used for in-home, center-based, or for out-of-network care ($100 reimbursement for finding your own care) through the end of 2022.

        Residents/Fellows

                https://clients.brighthorizons.com/SHC

                First time users -      Employer username: SHC      Password: backup1

Note: In light of the Omicron surge, effective January 14, 2022, the total number of Bright Horizons back-up care hours has increased from 80 to 160 annual hours. These hours can be used for in-home or center-based care through the end of 2022. Residents and Fellows may access the Bright Horizons Crisis Care benefit ($100 reimbursement for finding your own care) from January 14 - February 25, 2022.

When you enter your personal information, please ensure it matches what is on the School of Medicine directory (or SHC directory for residents/fellows), or you will not be recognized as an employee.

Additional Family Care Resources

        COVID-19 Family Resources 

        Cardinal at Work COVID-19 Child Care Options

Thank you for your continued patience and support through this challenging time. If you have any questions or feedback, please share your input through chiefwellnessofficer@stanford.edu.

Arranging Your Own in Home Care

Stanford University Child Care Resources webpage offers many creative ways to find in-home care including shared in-home care. Many of these resources are available to both faculty and residents and fellows.

Pre-Screened Caregivers through Sittercity

Sittercity continues to be an option for Stanford University, SHC, SCH benefit eligible employees. This includes free access to find and vet nannies and caregivers, unlimited free basic background checks, and motor vehicle record checks at a discount. 

You can access SitterCity directly at this link: 

Faculty: https://www.sittercity.com/stanfordu

Residents/Fellows: https://www.sittercity.com/SHC  

Your free membership with Sittercity ($150 value) provides you with access to a comprehensive online database, as well as online forums, tools, and resources that will help you find and choose caregivers that meet your preferences and needs for occasional and everyday child care, care for children with special needs, household help, and even pet care. The cost of care varies based on the care you request. In the 'Trust and Safety Center' on the Sittercity site, you can use a rate calculator to determine the appropriate pricing based on region, number of children and years of experience the caregiver has.  

Sittercity has a variety of filters to help match caregivers to your needs and preferences. You also have access to caregiver profiles, which may include pictures, references, and reviews from other care seekers and users on the site. In addition, you have the ability to run unlimited basic background checks and can run an up-to-date background check on any caregiver at any time, free of charge. If you’d like to run additional background checks, there are options available on the site at discounted pricing through your employer-sponsored benefit. You can also choose to run an enhanced background check for an additional fee (ranging from $20-$60).

As the pandemic evolves and more children are transitioning back to in-person learning, a hybrid of in-person, or continuing with fully remote learning.  Here are some tips and resources available to physicians at Stanford.

COVID-19 Family Resources:

• Infant & Toddler
• Preschool & PreK
• Early Elementary
• Teens

Other Resources

Many after-school care providers and private schools are extending their services to support full-day in person care and tutoring for distance learning. 

The Stanford Graduate School of Education has also created tips for supporting distance learning at home.

As the pandemic continues to evolve, the challenges physician parents encounter become more nuanced.  Some helpful resources can be found below:

• Support Resources for parents and caregivers (remote learning, supporting your child's emotional health, working from home with kids, finding connectiong during the pandemic, eldercare)
• Answers to vaccine questions for children

County testing programs

• San Mateo County offers testing for anyone who lives or works in San Mateo County regardless of symptoms. 
  • Cost: There is no cost, but if you have health insurance, it may be billed. 
  • Appointments: For scheduling details, visit https://www.smcgov.org/testing

• Santa Clara County  offers testing to residents per the County’s Testing Order. 
  • Cost: Testing is free regardless of immigration status, and no doctor’s note is needed. No up-front costs and no health insurance required. If you have health insurance, you will be asked to share that information.
  • Appointments: For scheduling details, visit www.sccfreetest.org; Pop-up testing sites are also available with no appointment needed for individuals who are asymptomatic.

California State Resources

The state of California has created a webpage with childcare resources for essential workers: https://covid19.ca.gov/childcare/

Visit MyChildCare.ca.gov to find available childcare in your area. This tool provides information on all licensed center-based and family child care homes, including both private-pay and subsidized childcare.

Stanford Faculty Disability and Family Leave Support

https://cardinalatwork.stanford.edu/benefits-rewards/contact-us/disability-family-leaves-support

https://med.stanford.edu/academicaffairs/faculty/faculty-leaves.html

Family Resources

The WorkLife Office has also created a family resource page and a child care options page to help you care for your loved ones in this time.

The Stanford Graduate School of Education has created a COVID-19 resource page for families and teachers here.

Stanford has contracted with several local hotels to provide access to discounted, self-pay lodging for those physicians who would like local accommodations. Temporary lodging discounts are available for Stanford Medicine Employees.

The two hotels listed below are offering a 20% discount on rooms and at the hotel restaurant (excluding alcohol and special occasion menus) as well as complimentary parking. Please use the dedicated link below to receive this discount:

Hyatt Centric Mountain View (Corporate Code: 38121)

Hilton Garden Inn Palo Alto (Corporate Code: 3277429)

University employees can book from a wide selection of discounted hotels through Stanford University's partnership with Egencia: https://stanfordtravel.stanford.edu/

Note: If you or your immediate household member have recently tested positive for COVID or if you have been exposed and are awaiting test results, please see “Care for COVID+ Physicians” below.

If you are looking for additional financial assistance for temporary living expenses, please see the “Qualified Disaster Relief Program” tab below.

Caring for your psychological and emotional well-being is vital as you care for others during this critical period. 

WellConnect - provides confidential mental health referral and consultation for School of Medicine faculty, residents, and clinical fellows.

Physician Resource Network (PRN) Support - provides our physicians and trainees with confidential, independent, legally-protected collegial support and resources for life’s inevitable clinical, professional and personal challenges.

Faculty Staff Help Center - provides counseling services, facilitated conversations, workshops, discussion groups, and more to benefits-eligible faculty and staff throughout the University and hospital systems. (This benefit inlcudes residents and fellows employeed by SHC.)

BeWell’s Guide to Self-Care: Coping with coronavirus - provides resources and links to help us take care of ourselves during the pandemic.

Stanford Medicine COVID-19 Support Series Webinars

The WellMD & WellPhD Center and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences launched this series to address concerns that may arise during the COVID-19 pandemic for physicians. Webinars are posted on the CME website, including the following three sessions:

Managing Anxiety Related to Taking Care of Patients during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Talking to Young People about COVID-19

Minimizing the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Sleep of Healthcare Providers and their Patients

In recent months, several physicians have inquired about legal assistance available to them. 

 If you enrolled in the MetLife Legal Benefit during Open Enrollment last fall, this would be a great time to connect with them.

If this isn’t an option for you or you have additional unmet needs, please contact chiefwellnessofficer@stanford.edu.

Flexible work has helped reduce spread of COVID-19 among our community, and many of us are learning to adapt to different ways of working. Here are tips and tricks to conducting remote work effectively.

Providing Effective Telehealth Care

Providing telehealth video consults in lieu of in-person visits can help limit the spread of COVID-19. See this quick start guide to providing effective care virtually.

How to request computers and IT equipment for remote work (LPCH-only)

If you are in need of IT devices as you work remotely, please complete one of the below forms after obtaining manager approval:

• Form to request a new computer/equipment for team members working from home

  Form to request to bring home your Stanford Children's office computer/equipment

   

Stanford University IT’s Resources for Telecommuting and Remote Work

Get Support from Technology and Digital Services 

Zoom Updates

Please contact the IS Service Desk, (650) 498-7500, with any questions or for additional information.

The safety of you and your family is important to us.  We are committed to protect you and your family during this crisis.

A PPE task force is continually assessing the risks for COVID-19 transmission as well as guidelines released by professional societies. View the latest guidelines for Stanford Health Care and Stanford Children's Health. Note that these guidelines will be updated regularly based on the most recent research and guidance available.

Employee Testing, Isolation Protocols, and Booster Information

Please visit this comprehensive webpage for Stanford Medicine testing, isolation, and booster updates: https://today.stanfordmedicine.org/member/page/9e423e32-7be6-4e9d-8a21-d8794026f84b 

Testing for Family Members (County Testing Programs)

• San Mateo County offers testing for anyone who lives or works in San Mateo County regardless of symptoms. 
  • Cost: There is no cost, but if you have health insurance, it may be billed. 
  • Appointments: For scheduling details, visit https://www.smcgov.org/testing

• Santa Clara County  offers testing to residents per the County’s Testing Order. 
  • Cost: Testing is free regardless of immigration status, and no doctor’s note is needed. No up-front costs and no health insurance required. If you have health insurance, you will be asked to share that information.
  • Appointments: For scheduling details, visit www.sccfreetest.org; Pop-up testing sites are also available with no appointment needed for individuals who are asymptomatic.

Ensuring care for physicians and medical students who test positive for COVID-19 is our utmost priority. If you are a current Stanford Medicine faculty physician, fellow, resident, or medical student AND you or a member of your immediate household have recently tested positive for COVID or if you have been exposed to COVID and are awaiting test results, please email us at stanfordwellmd@stanford.edu. You may be eligible for additional resources such as no-cost lodging and care coaching.

Our team will contact you and provide comprehensive support to address your concerns and basic needs. This support includes food, lodging, family care, emotional and psychological care. You will have access to a care coach who can help you navigate the available resources.

Caring for your psychological and emotional well-being is vital as you care for others during this critical period. 

WellConnect - provides confidential mental health referral and consultation for School of Medicine faculty, residents, and clinical fellows.

Physician Resource Network (PRN) Support - provides our physicians and trainees with confidential, independent, legally-protected collegial support and resources for life’s inevitable clinical, professional and personal challenges.

Faculty Staff Help Center - provides counseling services, facilitated conversations, workshops, discussion groups, and more to benefits-eligible faculty and staff throughout the University and hospital systems. (This benefit inlcudes residents and fellows employeed by SHC.)

BeWell’s Guide to Self-Care: Coping with coronavirus - provides resources and links to help us take care of ourselves during the pandemic.

• You must be released by Occupational Health Services COVID-19 support and follow the return-to-work instructions they give you. 

For more information about this process, view the Occupational Health Services COVID-19 Employee FAQ or call (650) 723-5922 -  SCH/LPCH or SHC

Everyday, global medical and scientific communities are learning more about COVID-19. See the resources below to access the latest research on this unprecedented pandemic along with practical techniques to cope with its impact.

WellMD COVID-19 Videos

Stanford Medicine Memos and Announcements

Stanford Medicine Town Halls

Stanford Medicine COVID-19 Site

COVID-19 Continuing Medical Education

Department of Medicine Grand Rounds Archives

Department of Pediatrics Grand Rounds Archives

• “Understanding and Addressing Sources of Anxiety Among Health Care Professionals During the COVID-19 Pandemic.” Published in JAMA on April 7, 2020. Authored by Tait Shanafelt, MD; Jonathan Ripp, MD, MPH; Mickey Trockel, MD, PhD.

• Current Stanford COVID-19 Research

CDC Information

Statewide Updates

Bay Area County-Level Public Health Updates 

• Alameda County

• Contra Costa County

• Marin County

• Napa County

• San Benito County

• San Francisco County

• San Mateo County

• Santa Clara County

• Solano County

• Sonoma County

Stanford Daily Visualized COVID-19 Cases in the Bay Area

• We are grateful to the generous donors who are providing essential support for physicians providing COVID-19 care. See below to learn about other ways the community is helping Stanford Medicine physicians.
• Ways to Help
• Support COVID-19 Clinical Care and Research
• Donate Blood
• Donate PPE and Supplies

We know it can be difficult to keep up with the latest updates and changes as we work together to fight COVID-19. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us with questions or to let us know what else we can do to help.

Contact Your Well-Being Director

Your department’s Well-Being Director is interested in your local concerns, everyday challenges, and opportunities to improve well-being within your department. Find and contact your Well-Being Director here.

Participate in Focus Groups

We are conducting regular listening sessions to understand physicians’ experience during the COVID-19 pandemic. Please contact the Chief Wellness Officer if you’d like to learn more.

Contact the Chief Wellness Officer