Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resources and Special Communications

Please contact your Republican senators today and ask them sign on to a “Dear Colleague” letter to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) expressing concerns that a Sept. 19 change in HHS’ COVID-19 Provider Relief Fund (PRF) reporting requirements will create uncertainty and financial hardship for hospitals, particularly those in rural areas.

Hospitals and health systems can expect sharp declines in commercially insured patients due to job losses in the pandemic economy, which likely will fuel a rise in Medicaid, exchange and uninsured patients. To a large extent, how effectively and aggressively provider organizations are able to manage in this new financial environment will determine their future success.

Want to know how long it will take to clear the backlog of postponed surgical procedures due to ordered shutdowns during the pandemic? A newly revised AHA resource, “COVID-19 Tools: Forecasting the Pandemic’s Spread and Planning for Recovery,” includes links to two new online calculators to do just that.

Lanc Co MyHome, a cross-sector coalition housed at Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health in Pennsylvania, brings together more than 200 partners to address housing challenges for vulnerable populations. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the coalition has developed several initiatives, including to help identify, treat and prevent the spread of COVID-19 among the most vulnerable individuals.

AHA comments on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ physician fee schedule proposed rule for calendar year 2021.

Joint AHA, AAMC Statement on NASEM Report on Equitable Allocation of a COVID-19 Vaccine.

AONL, in addition to the American College of Emergency Physicians and the American Nurses Association, is endorsing the Frontline Heroes Act, (H.R. 8441) which would provide survival benefits to the families of health care workers who die from COVID-19 and disability benefits to health care workers who are permanently disabled from coronavirus-related complications.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released data this week on the incidence of COVID-19 in children.

The experience of a 361-bed independent medical center using telemedicine and telemonitoring during the COVID-19 pandemic forms the core of an Oct. 7 webinar hosted by the American Hospital Association.

The challenge of communicating with patients on ventilators became widespread during the pandemic. Mary Beth Happ, PhD, RN, distinguished professor of nursing at Ohio State University, provided tips for communication with these patients in a recent article in Medpage Today.

An analysis of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data collected from mid-February to mid-July found nurses predominated among health care professionals (HCPs) who contracted COVID-19.

With the pandemic adding additional urgency to issues surrounding resource allocation, a 2020 report coauthored by Robyn Begley, DNP, RN, AONL CEO and senior vice president and chief nursing officer of the American Hospital Association, was especially timely.

Support from organizations and teams exceeded expectations for a majority of nurse leaders, according to a recent survey shedding light on their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today

Dr. Estes talks with Dr. David W. Zaas, CEO of MUSC Health - Charleston Division and Chief Clinical Officer for MUSC Health, to discuss COVID-19’s impact on health trends and services in South Carolina.

New definition will have adverse effect on hospitals, especially those serving rural and vulnerable communities

House Democrats last night unveiled a new version of the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act – a $2.2 trillion COVID-19 relief package. The House voted on the original HEROES Act in May, which included a number of provisions that would directly affect health care providers. A vote has not yet been scheduled in the House, but could come this week. The Senate is not expected to take action.

AHA and other organizations representing the nation’s clinicians, hospitals, health systems and experts in health informatics and health information management yesterday urged the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology to allow for at least one year of extended enforcement discretion for its information blocking rule.

This is a list of resources for AHA Members on the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic.