ADHS approves additional crisis standards of care guidance
The Arizona Department of Health Services on Friday convened the State Disaster Medical Advisory Committee to discuss two documents to further guide contingency and crisis standards of care: (1) Remdesivir Allocation Guidance and (2) Allocation of Scarce Resources in Acute Care Facilities. The department will post the final guidance documents here. For more information contact [email protected].
AzHHA convenes listening session with ADHS Friday, June 19
AzHHA members are welcome to join a listening session between hospital clinicians and the Arizona Department of Health Services staff this Friday, June 19. For more information, contact us at [email protected].
New platform launched to study COVID-19
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Center for Advancing Translational Science (NCATS) yesterday launched the National COVID Cohort Collaborative (N3C), a centralized and secure platform to store and study vast amounts of medical record data from people diagnosed with COVID-19 across the country. The goal of the initiative is to transform clinical information into knowledge needed to study COVID-19 and identify potentially effective treatments. More information on N3C can be found here.
EUA revoked for hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) yesterday revoked the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for hydroxychloroquine sulfate (HCQ) and chloroquine sulfate (CQ) as treatments for COVID-19 due to new evidence that demonstrates the treatments may not be effective and have other serious side effects.
In the accompanying frequently asked questions (FAQs) document, the FDA details the EUA remains authorized for continued emergency use to finish a patient’s treatment course, but the agency does not recommend using HCQ and CQ to treat hospitalized patients with COVID-19 outside of a clinical trial. Additionally, the FDA notes that HCQ and CQ distributed from the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) is no longer authorized for emergency use.
CDC revises testing guidance
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention over the weekend released an Overview of Testing for SARS-CoV-2, a compilation of recommendations for COVID-19 testing, including interim testing guidelines for nursing home residents, healthcare personnel and other critical infrastructure workers.
HHS outlines vaccine strategy
The Department of Health and Human Services today released a fact sheet about Operation Warp Speed, an initiative of the agency’s for developing, manufacturing, and distributing COVID-19 vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics by January 2021.
CARES Act; updated provider reporting FAQ
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently updated its FAQs on the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act emergency relief fund, with specific attention to provider reporting related to these funds.
Morning Scoop: Arizona hospitals on the frontline
Join us Thursday, June 18 from 8-9 a.m. to hear from ‘Hospitals on the frontline of the COVID-19 response.’ AzHHA is partnering with the Arizona Capitol Times to host an hour of meaningful dialogue with esteemed panelists:
- Ann-Marie Alameddin, AzHHA President and CEO
- Regina Cobb, DDS, Arizona State Representative
- Robert Trenschel, DO, MPH, Yuma Regional Medical Center President and CEO
- Michael D. White, MD MBA, Valleywise Health Executive Vice President / Chief Medical Officer
There is no cost to attend. Register via Zoom here.