This week's Connection Newsletter features stories about the EUA for Abbott point-of-care test, digital resources related to COVID-19 vaccines and updates on the FY 2021 IPPS final rule webinar. Be sure to check out our upcoming events section.
FDA clarifies emergency authorization for Abbott point-of-care test
The Food and Drug Administration last week reissued its emergency use authorization (EUA) for the Abbott ID NOW COVID-19 test to indicate the product is intended for specimens collected “from individuals who are suspected of COVID-19 by their healthcare provider within the first seven days of the onset of symptoms.” The revised EUA also clarifies the test is authorized for emergency use by laboratories certified under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments which meet the requirements to perform high, moderate or waived complexity tests and that U.S. testing facilities must report all results to the appropriate public health authorities.
AHA launches COVID-19 vaccine webpage, digital resources
The American Hospital Association launched a new webpage this week containing AHA-developed tools, as well as resources from the federal government and other stakeholders related to a COVID-19 vaccine. The page will be updated regularly to keep you informed of important news related to vaccine development, distribution, utilization protocols and supply chain. AzHHA will continue to keep members informed of vaccine updates as more information becomes available.
Webinar: FFY 2021 IPPS final rule and analysis overview
AzHHA hospital members should have received the FFY 2021 Medicare Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) final rule analysis this week as part of AzHHA’s partnership with DataGen. As a follow-up to the IPPS final rule analysis, DataGen will be hosting a webinar to review the final rule. The webinar will be held on Wednesday, September 30 from 12-1 p.m. AzHHA hospital members who would like to register may email [email protected] to request the registration link.
Health Current virtual summit & trade show
Registration is now open for ACHIEVE 2020, the 13th Annual Health Current Virtual Summit & Trade Show, scheduled October 13 - 14. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year's summit will be virtual. The new conference format promises to deliver the same great information past attendees have grown accustomed to receiving. This year’s event features a variety of presentations on a range of topics, including a health information exchange (HIE) update on new technologies and services, the latest HIT legislative and legal updates, use cases by HIE participants and panel discussions on multiple topics, including Arizona’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Join the HIE community online – hospital and health plan leaders, health IT staff, providers, practice managers and vendors. To learn more and register, visit healthcurrent.org/summit.
Care transitions for COVID-19 patients
Through the Healing@Home Care Transitions Program, the Area Agency on Aging is providing COVID-19 discharged patients with comprehensive care when transitioning to their home environment.
Healing@Home will focus, for a period of 30 days from discharge date, on providing COVID-19 discharged patients with timely access to in-home social support services and psychosocial support services that are of greatest need including:
- Home-delivered meals
- Telephone reassurance calls
- Assistance with prescription pick-up or delivery
- Arrangement of follow up visits with primary care providers
- Reinforcement of discharge plan instructions
Eligibility is limited to individuals age 60 or older and those age 18-59 with disabilities who are discharged following a COVID-19 diagnosis. Read
Upcoming Events
October 2, 9 & 16 - Fall 2020 CSR education workshop
The Continuous Service Readiness (CSR) program will be hosting its fall 2020 education workshop virtually in a series of 2-hour webinars on October 2, 9, 16 and 22. To learn more or register download the 2020 CSR workshop brochure.
October 6 - ASU’s Palliative Care ECHO: Non-Pain Related Symptom Management
ASU College of Health Care Solutions wants to enhance provider capacity in the use of palliative care best practices to better diagnose, manage and provide quality care for patients with complex serious illness through its Palliative Care ECHO. Palliative Care ECHO is a virtual learning series held every other Tuesday through October 2021 to discuss emerging best-practices for patients with complex serious illness and engage in case-based learning with palliative care experts.
October 15 – Arizona Health Equity Conference
There is still time to register for this year’s Arizona Health Equity Conference. This year’s keynote Dr. Veenod L. Chulani, MD, MSED, FSAHM, CEDS, will address Racism and its Impact on Child and Adolescent Health: from Awareness to Action. The Arizona Health Equity Conference will bring together hundreds of individuals across the state to discuss, promote, and take action towards health equity. Whether you are a care provider, researcher, professor, community leader, social worker, community health worker, student or simply passionate about health equity, the Arizona Health Equity Conference is the event for you.
October 22, 1 p.m. – Introduction to POLST webinar
The one-hour introduction to POLST workshop equips healthcare professionals with knowledge and resources to begin using POLST, a “portable medical order,” in Arizona. The objectives are to describe what POLST is at the state and national level, explain why POLST is important, define the population for POLST, when to begin the conversation and who completes POLST, describe the process for completing, reviewing and updating POLST and learn the process of submitting healthcare planning documents to the Arizona Healthcare Directive Registry.
In Other News
COVID-19 science update
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Now you can go back to visiting patients at many Arizona hospitals
Arizona Republic
Supreme Court fight underscores campaign trail focus on health care
Roll Call