Week 53 Newsletter
04/06-04/12 Updates
Vaccine Information
Doctors and nurses are among the most trusted sources for vaccine information, according to a new survey, with 8 in 10 patients relying on their providers for information about vaccination.
Vaccine Information
(04/05/21) Why Doctors and Nurses Can Be Vital Vaccine Messengers
Doctors and nurses have proven to be the most trusted source of information for COVID-19 and the COVID-19 vaccination. A recent Kaiser Family Foundation and Washington Post survey of health care workers found that nearly 9 in 10 physicians and nurses with master’s degrees report being vaccinated or plan to receive the vaccine. KFF also found that 8 in 10 patients rely on their doctors and nurses to assist with the decision to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
(04/03/21) Health Care Providers Work to Ensure Everyone Gets Second COVID-19 Shot
Health care providers in Kern County, California are concerned as many patients are canceling their appointments to receive their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccination. The Kern County COVID-19 Task Force in collaboration with Dignity health is working to reduce vaccine hesitancy and ensure that residents are receiving their second COVID-19 vaccination.
Surge Capacity Issues
Even as vaccination rates are increasing across the US, Minnesota has announced substantial increases in hospitalizations for COVID-19, especially among younger adults in intensive care units.
Surge Capacity Issues
(04/05/21) Minnesota COVID-19 Hospitalizations Have Nearly Doubled Since Late February
Minnesota state health officials have released hospital capacity data which indicate that Minnesota hospitals are caring for nearly twice as many COVID-19 patients than they did in late February. These hospitals are seeing a rise in the number of younger adults being admitted to ICUs, as 82.5% of the state’s elderly population have received the COVID-19 vaccination.
Telehealth
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has expanded telehealth coverage for more providers in response to changes implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Telehealth
(04/02/21) CMS Expands Telehealth Coverage for Audiologists, Speech-language Pathologists
After failing to see an expanded role in initial COVID-19 telehealth expansion legislation, audiologists and speech-language pathologists are seeing expanded reimbursable services from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services provided through telehealth.
Long-term Care
Many long-term care facilities continue to struggle with high rates of vaccine hesitancy among their staff, leading to questions of whether to mandate vaccination or find better partners to improve vaccination rates.
Long-term Care
(04/05/21) Should Health Care Workers Be Required to Get Coronavirus Shots? Companies Grapple With Mandates
Silverado, a long-term care company with several locations across the country, is one of the first facilities to require their staff to at least be scheduled to receive a COVID-19 vaccination. Several health care companies are debating the need to mandate COVID-19 vaccinations among their workers. A recent poll conducted by Washington Post and Kaiser Family Foundation found that most health care workers would support such a mandate. However, those that did not plan on receiving a COVID-19 vaccination would rather leave their jobs than be forced to get vaccinated.
Health Workforce Safety
Emphasis continues to be placed on the safety of health care workers, especially regarding their mental health.
Health Workforce Safety
(04/05/21) COVID-19 One Year Later: The Pandemic’s Impact on Physician Mental Health
Medical Economics interviews a doctor who is an expert on physician mental health. He states that the pandemic has not only had a huge effect on patients, but also on physician mental health.
(03/29/21) Six Principles to Ensure Clinician Well-being: Lessons From COVID-19’s Darkest Days for a New Way of Working
This Health Affairs article examines 6 principles to ensure clinician well-being post the COVID-19 pandemic including: agility and responsiveness, a supportive culture, transparent communication, connection to meaningful work, supportive systems of working, and promotion of equity.
Maintaining the Educational Pipeline
A new research article discusses the dramatic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on medical students and residents in the US.
Maintaining the Educational Pipeline
(04/01/21) Immediate Consequences and Solutions Used to Maintain Medical Education During the COVID-19 Pandemic for Residents and Medical Students: A Restricted Review
This article discusses how medical education has been hugely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and how academic teaching has adapted to comply with social distancing measures.
State Workforce Strategies
An updated toolkit provides state-level guidance on vaccine eligibility to assist employers, health care systems, and long-term care facilities.
Virginia is making efforts to expand the workforce able to provide vaccinations through recent executive orders.
State Workforce Strategies
(04/05/21) Giving It Our Best Shot – Statewide Vaccination Plans (UPDATED)
This toolkit offers state-level guidance on eligibility for vaccine rollouts to assist employers, health care systems, and long-term care facilities. Although this list is not all-inclusive, it connects to resources specific to each state.
(04/03/21) New Way for Health Care Providers to Volunteer as COVID-19 Vaccinators
Virginia Governor has announced efforts to increase the vaccination workforce in Virginia and improve vaccine distribution. Recently signed legislation will expand which providers are eligible to provide vaccines, combining with recent executive orders to increase vaccination flexibility from providers.
