Health Officials Worry Nation’s Not Ready for COVID-19 Vaccine
While one or more options could be available toward the end of this year or early next, the path to delivering vaccines to 330 million people remains unclear for the local health officials expected to carry out the work.
HIMSS Outlines Political Health IT Priorities and Progress on Regulatory and Congressional Issues
While the terms of the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services interoperability rulings were published informally on March 9, the official compliance date went into effect on May 1. Due to the pandemic, a period of enforcement discretion has extended several key compliance dates.
4 Recent Research Articles Examine N95 Respirator Mask Sterilization Methods
N95 respirator masks, which filter at least 95% of 0.3-μm particles, are the gold standard for protection against airborne pathogens such as the novel coronavirus. To conserve supplies of N95 respirator masks, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that the masks be used by healthcare workers at highest risk of contracting infection or experiencing complications of infection.
HHS Makes COVID-19 Data Reporting a Medicare CoP as of 9/2
The interim rule, which was pre-published for public inspection late Thursday, says the data must be reported daily as specified by HHS and points to a July FAQ for the current list of information sets that must be reported.
PSQH: The Podcast Episode 10 – Emergency Management and COVID-19
On episode 10 of PSQH: The Podcast, host Jay Kumar talks to Brad Gair, senior managing director, Witt O’Brien’s, about emergency management and lessons learned from COVID-19.
Been Through a Disaster? There is Help for Recovery
If you are affiliated with a state, tribal, territorial or local government operation, or are a non-profit providing critical healthcare services in a declared disaster area, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has a public assistance program ready to help.
Prognosis for Rural Hospitals Worsens With Pandemic
Eighteen rural hospitals closed last year and the first three months of 2020 were “really big months,” said Mark Holmes, director of the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Many of the losses are in Southern states like Florida and Texas. More than 170 rural hospitals have closed nationwide since 2005, according to data collected by the Sheps Center.
NSC Says COVID-19 May Become Third Leading Cause of Death in U.S.
The number of deaths from COVID-19 this year already has surpassed the number of preventable deaths in calendar year 2018. COVID-19 is a respiratory illness caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. COVID-19 currently is widespread in most U.S. communities and considered a workplace hazard.
Self-Assessment Tool Helps Physicians Make ‘Preemptive Strike on Burnout’
The Personal Health Inventory self-assessment for healthcare workers has been adapted from what clinicians are trained to do with patients who have chronic disease to have the patients focus on their self-care and lifestyle for the management of their chronic illnesses.
Coronavirus: There are Viable Alternatives to New N95 Masks, Research Shows
The new research, which was published by JAMA Internal Medicine, tested the fitted filtration efficiency of 29 fitted facemasks. The fitted facemasks included N95 respirator masks, surgical masks with ties, and procedure masks with ear loops.