As the nation grapples with the 2019 novel coronavirus that leads to COVID-19, clinicians and others in facilities—many in areas becoming overwhelmed by the number of patients with COVID-19 experiencing extreme problems breathing—have discussed whether to implement blanket “Do Not Resuscitate” orders for COVID patients, according to news reports.

The swine flu pandemic hit the United States in 2009 and 2010, with about 12,500 deaths and an estimated 60.8 million cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. During the 2014–2016 Ebola outbreak, 11 people were treated for the viral disease in the United States, with two deaths.

Almost overnight, telehealth providers reported an upswing in demand as key barriers to widespread telehealth usage vanished, including consumer awareness and physician and consumer acceptance. To quell the spread of disease and direct patients to the most appropriate setting, the CMS changed access requirements and reimbursement restrictions, and many other payers have followed suit.

Nearly all hospitals would lose an average of $2,800 per COVID-19 patient case if reimbursement rates aren’t raised, according to Strata, with some losing between $8,000 to $10,000 per case.
The study concluded that without a 35% reimbursement rate hike, many hospitals will exhaust cash flows within 60 to 90 days.

To address the anticipated shortage of ICU staff during the COVID-19 pandemic, SCCM is proposing that U.S. hospitals adopt a tiered staffing model that integrates experience ICU personnel with reassigned hospital staff members. The integrated ICU personnel would be used to staff non-traditional ICUs created in repurposed hospital spaces such as post-anesthesia care units.

Concern about the spread of COVID-19 has resulted in a high demand for both surgical masks and N95 respirators. Decreases in exports from countries such as China, India, and Taiwan, along with increased worldwide demand due to the outbreak, has resulted in an increased volume of orders and challenges in meeting demands, PPE manufacturers have reported.

The guidelines also address dental procedures, warning that they use PPE and “have one of the highest risks of transmission due to the close proximity of the healthcare provider to the patient.” CMS recommends that all non-essential dental exams and procedures be postponed until further notice.”

There are two primary public health responses to the COVID-19 pandemic: mitigation and suppression, the report says. Mitigation seeks to slow down the spread of the novel coronavirus. Suppression seeks to reverse epidemic growth.

The moves were made in response to a CMS announcement on March 5 that it was suspending survey activities except for certain cases, including immediate jeopardy complaints, allegations of abuse and neglect, and infection control concerns, including facilities with potential COVID-19 or other respiratory illnesses.

Researchers from National Institutes of Health (NIH), CDC, UCLA, and Princeton University analyzed the aerosol and surface stability of SARS-CoV-2 and compared it with SARS-CoV-1, the most closely related coronavirus. The study looked at 10 experimental conditions involving the two viruses in five environmental conditions: Aerosols, plastic, stainless steel, copper, and cardboard.