Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resources and Special Communications

In anticipation of the need to create more intensive care unit (ICU) beds during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) updated its statistics on critical care resources and put forward a strategy for augmenting staff.

As hospitals struggle to make do with a limited supply of face masks and other personal protective equipment (PPE), government and private entities are taking steps to address the problem.

Increase patient capacity across the country by making additional spaces for our patients via converting alternate care sites to patient space options.

Seattle’s University of Washington health system, UW Medicine, and its affiliates are sharing resources they developed as the first providers and administrators to encounter COVID-19 on U.S. soil.

Why are we holding this presentation? Three reasons:

The Senate 96-0 passed the

This policy brief is the collaborative effort of nursing leaders who propose and support academic-practice partnerships between health care facilities and pre-licensure registered nursing (RN) and practical/vocational nursing (PN/VN) programs across the country during the COVID-19 crisis. This is one potential model to consider. It is not mandated, rather an innovative approach to meeting academic and workforce needs.

We appreciate all of your efforts and encourage you to visit the websites of your local hospitals and health systems to determine what needs exist and how you can best support them. In the event that they are not needed, these masks can be used by you, your family and friends in your community. Our hope is that manufacturing companies across the company will step up to rapidly produce surgery-grade masks and face shields for health care workers.

AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack provides a statement on the Senate's coronavirus relief legislation.

A message from our Business Partners from the AHA.

The Senate today released updated legislation as part of a widespread stimulus package to respond to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many hospitals and health systems are expanding telehealth services. In addition, addressing mental health needs during this crisis is becoming increasingly important. In part one of this AHA Advancing Health podcast, Jay Bhatt, D.O., senior vice president and chief medical officer of the AHA, discusses the value of telehealth to address behavioral health issues and poses questions for leadership teams with Shantanu Agrawal, M.D., president and CEO of the National Quality Forum, and Arpan Waghray, M.D., executive medical director for behavioral medicine at Swedish Health Services in Seattle and chief medical officer at Well Being Trust. The AHA and NQF partnered to create Redesigning Care: A How-To Guide for Telebehavioral Health.

The AHA urges the Department of Health and Human Services to clarify its and the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act waivers issued under the public health and national emergency declarations. These declarations allow waivers consistent with section 1135 of the Social Security Act.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is implementing a simplified online Public Assistance program application process for eligible government entities and certain private non-profit organizations. To assist hospitals and health systems better understand the process for applying for PA funding, the AHA worked with Jones Day to produce this advisory with additional details.

Hospitals and health systems are rapidly expanding their digital platforms to address COVID-19. During a March 20 call with hospital executives from across the country, leaders from Providence St. Joseph Health System in Seattle shared the organization’s digital strategy in response to the influx of patients due to COVID-19.

VACCINE, HVAC/NEGATIVE PRESSURE, CONSTRUCTION, LIFE SAFETY/STAFF SAFETY, DISINFECTION, PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT, FILTRATION, & ALTERNATE CARE SITES.

Physicians, nurses and our entire medical community are urging all people to stay at home. We are honored to serve and put our lives on the front line to protect and save as many lives as possible. But we need your help.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) March 23

A succinct reference guide on how to deploy new PCs safely - developed by Mitch Parker, Chief Information Security Officer, Indiana University Health, in collaboration with John Riggi, AHA Senior Advisor for Cybersecurity and Risk. March 23, 2020