WHA and the Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative (RWHC) met with Wisconsin Division of Quality Assurance (DQA) staff this week to exchange information and share resources on various issues important to Wisconsin hospitals.
During the meeting, DQA discussed the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Interim Infection Prevention & Control Recommendations for Healthcare Personnel During the Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic, which CDC updated on Sept. 10, and related survey findings. In particular, DQA encourages hospitals to review the screening requirements for individuals entering hospitals and source control (personal protective equipment-PPE) capacity standards.
CDC is hosting a webinar on Sept. 17 in which the agency will review and answer questions on the updated guidance. Registration for the webinar is available
here.
DQA also provided two other documents hospitals might find useful:
OSHA Lessons Learned: Frequently Cited Standard Related to COVID-19 Inspections and the
DHS Medical Stockpile Access Policy and Request Form.
DQA recognized ongoing health care workforce challenges and highlighted the flexible training opportunities available for temporary nurse aides and emergency nurse aides during the pandemic and DQA’s work to approve emergency training sites. Information about these opportunities is available
here.
Related to the increasing number of hospital inpatients, DQA said hospitals again have been contacting the agency about expanding services and locations temporarily.
DQA Memo 20-001, which establishes the process for hospitals to expand their acute care inpatient services and locations temporarily during the pandemic, and
DQA Memo 20-002, which provides clarification and guidance to hospitals regarding the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issuance of blanket waivers of Medicare regulations under Section 1135 of the Social Security Act, have been updated and remain in effect.
DQA also provided helpful details concerning the hospital certificate of approval application process, survey activity and trends and DQA staffing.