CDC releases framework for providing non-COVID-19 clinical care during the pandemic

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released a framework for providing non-COVID-19 clinical care during the pandemic, based on the level of community transmission and potential for patient harm from deferring in-person care.

Among other considerations, CDC said health care systems should be prepared to rapidly detect and respond to an increase of COVID-19 cases in the community; provide care in the safest way possible; and consider that services may need to expand gradually. “Given the dynamic nature of the pandemic, considerations may change over time and vary by practice type and setting,” the agency notes.

The AHA, Association of periOperative Registered Nurses, American College of Surgeons and American Society of Anesthesiologists in April released a roadmap offering considerations for safely resuming elective surgery as the COVID-19 surge wanes in different parts of the country. Building on the April guidance, AHA, AORN and AdvaMed yesterday released clinically based guidance to support the safe reentry of medical device representatives into hospitals and other surgical facilities as they resume elective surgeries.