AIHA Voices Concerns About COVID-19 ETS
AIHA argued the ETS does not recognize that all healthcare workers are at risk of inhalation exposure given the strong possibility for pre- or asymptomatic transmission in healthcare settings. OSHA should consider the likelihood of aerosol inhalation, as well as droplet transmission of SARS-CoV-2, in its rulemaking, according to the group.
AHA Supports Mandatory Vaccinations for Healthcare Workers
The American Hospital Association is supporting mandatory COVID-19 vaccines for healthcare personnel. It is also offering hospitals and health systems public service announcements and other resource materials as a way to keep up the push to get more shots into arms in the face of the evolving novel coronavirus.
HHS Extends COVID-19 PHE Another 90 Days
The 90 days is up on October 18, but could be extended again. HHS has promised to give states at least 60-days notice before lifting the PHE, which allows among other things waivers or flexibility on certain CMS requirements for participating in Medicare.
Consensus Statement Sets 10 Leadership Imperatives for Recovery Phase of Pandemic
According to a novel model for the pandemic and other global crises, there are four progressive stages in a crisis: escalation, emergency, recovery, and resolution. The co-authors of the consensus statement say the pandemic has reached the recovery phase, which includes leadership challenges such as balancing competing priorities, maintaining staff engagement, and avoiding burnout.
Should OSHA’s New COVID-19 Protections Become Permanent? Comment Until August 20
OSHA announced on July 8 that it was extending the comment period until August 20 on the interim rule that creates a new Subpart U in the OSHA standards. The federal agency is asking, among other things, whether the emergency temporary requirements should become permanent.
Nurses Urge CDC to Reinstate Universal Masking
Noting that the “COVID-19 pandemic is far from over,” with most states seeing increasing cases, National Nurses United (NNU) sent a letter Monday to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) asking the agency to once again recommend that masks be worn in public to reduce the increasing spread of the virus.
Why Pandemic-Initiated Safety Protocols Are Here to Stay
Healthcare facilities were acutely aware of the need to consistently enforce protocols for verifying who was in a building at a given time. In response, mobile COVID-19 health screening apps became part of the procedure, integrating with credentialing kiosks to provide healthcare facilities with a consistent approach to creating safer spaces for patients, providers, visitors, and vendors.
Stroke Benchmarks During COVID: HFAP Releases Latest Report
HFAP, a brand of the Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC), issued its annual benchmarking report on stroke programs recently, which demonstrated COVID-19’s impact on these programs. HFAP collected data to help healthcare professionals expand their knowledge of the risks, triggers, and variations of stroke, with findings that took a year of pandemic challenges into account.
Mass Vaccine Rollout Showcases Healthcare Agility
A multitude of providers responded to the new challenges of the pandemic with incredible nimbleness and delivered an array of successful patient outcomes. From treating COVID-19 patients, to setting up testing sites, to rolling out vaccinations, many private and public health entities displayed an unprecedented ability to plan, react, and change over accelerated timelines.
Coronavirus Pandemic Discouraging Academic Medical Center Faculty, Study Finds
The recent research article, which was published by JAMA Network Open, features survey data collected from more than 1,000 medical, graduate, and health professional school faculty at the University of Texas Southwestern in Dallas. The survey was conducted in September 2020.