COVID-19 Toolkit
LHA Trust Funds has compiled a vast array of resources for healthcare organizations, patients, staff and families about the COVID-19 pandemic. As we go through the pandemic on a day by day basis, the following resources cover regulatory, infection control, environment of care, tele-health, liability, PPE, and other important guidelines on how to navigate the pandemic in the healthcare arena.
General/Administrative/Regulatory
The following section provides numerous resources related to general, administrative, and regulatory requirements related to Covid-19. Materials include articles, letters, memorandums, fact sheets, toolkits, documents, updates, and bulletins to address many issues in multiple facets of healthcare during this pandemic.
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HHS Makes COVID-19 Data Reporting a Medicare Condition of Participation
This article provides information on Covid-19 data reporting requirements as a Medicare Condition of Participation. Data reported to the Department of Health and Human Services includes many areas affected by Covid-19 and responsibility for reporting.
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ASPR TRACIE: COVID-19 Lessons Learned
COVID-19 lessons learned from an emergency and preparedness response standpoint. It focuses on patient surge, safety and staff health, operational considerations, telehealth, hot topic, and future concerns. Resources are available for further assistance.
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Joint Statement: Roadmap for Maintaining Essential Surgery during COVID-19 Pandemic
The American Hospital Association outlines guidance to maintain necessary surgery during the Covid-19 pandemic. A list of principles with considerations is discussed in this article. These principles were derived in response to the CDC, and many medical specialties continue to allow safe, quality patient care during this ongoing pandemic.
Clinical & Patient Care Resources
This section includes multiple resources providing guidance and up-to-date information from professional organizations such as ISDA, CDC, LDH, and many more.
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HHS COVID-19 Pandemic Response and Laboratory Data Reporting: CARES Act Section 18115
Laboratory data reporting response to Covid-19 is a guiding principle to obtain comprehensive and appropriate data. The following are included: Entities required to report, Methods for submission, Required data elements, Data reporting and transmission requirements, Laboratory data reporting and Electronic health record.
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COVID-19 Fact Sheets
This site offers multiple fact sheets on Covid-19 prevention, management of sick persons, pregnancy, and age-specific considerations.
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CDC: Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) Associated with Coronavirus Disease
An official CDC health advisory on emergency preparedness and the response to MISC – multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children. This document includes defines and provides recommendations on how to deal with this condition.
Personal Protective Equipment Resources
Personal protective equipment shortages are a significant concern for healthcare workers dealing with Covid-19. The following resources listed below are to assist in maintaining supply and sterilization while following the required guidelines.
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NIOSH PPE Tracker App
The CDC website shares NIOSH's personal protective tracker app. The app allows users to track inventory and consumption of stock. It provides a spreadsheet to review all applicable data.
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FDA Reissues Emergency Use Authorizations Revising Which Types of Respirators Can Be Decontaminated for Reuse
An FDA news release is discussing the emergency use authorization to decontaminate specific respirators. The article includes reissued emergency use for disposable facepiece respirators, air-purifying respirators, and banning decontamination of respirators manufactured in China.
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CDC Checklist for Healthcare Facilities: Strategies for Optimizing the Supply of N95 Respirators during the COVID-19 Response
CDC provides a checklist to assist healthcare facilities with prioritizing and implementing measures to maintain a supply of N95 masks. It suggests a review of practices and implementation change as needed to reduce exposure to healthcare workers.
Telehealth in the COVID-19 World
Telehealth services offer medical care for patients in the safety of their own homes. Expansion of telehealth services was identified with the onset of the Coronavirus. The following resources include steps, guides, a playbook, and many materials to help healthcare workers implement this service, provide answers to the challenges confronted, and see the benefits involved.
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AMA: Telehealth Implementation Playbook
A step by step approach to implementing telehealth. This playbook includes timelines, checklists, workflow charts, and multiple resources to institute telemedicine services.
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LHA Trust Funds-Telemedicine Consent Form
Patient consent for telemedicine is an important component of a telemedicine program as well as a requirement in the state of Louisiana. During this time of COVID-19 pandemic telemedicine use has escalated and many visits that would normally be done in person are being done via telemedicine. Consent revisions are recommended at this time to ensure that patients understand the current public health order to transition from in-person visits to telemedicine. This comprehensive patient consent includes language related to the emergency order to prevent transmission of COVID-19.
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CMS-General Provider Telehealth and Telemedicine Tool Kit
A toolkit for general providers includes policies, waivers, guides, technical assistance, articles, vendors, and resources.
Liability in the World of COVID-19
Personal liability is always a concern in today's world when caring for others. The following information reviews terms, requirements, and provisions for staff to maintain while performing within the appropriate scope of practice when faced with a pandemic.
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Use Of Nurse Practitioners In The Emergency Department During A Public Health Emergency
The Louisiana State Board of Nursing reviews advanced practice registered nurses' requirements in the emergency department during a pandemic. The terms set by the Louisiana Department of Health discuss out-of-state practice and duties performed within the emergency department.
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Coverage for Medical Volunteers
This article reviews the Louisiana statutes on limited liability during a state of a public health emergency. It also examines the Federal Cares Act and exceptions to the rule.
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Liability And Postponing Procedures
LHA Trust Funds provides information that discusses the liability associated with postponing procedures, exceptions to this notice, and how the importance of documentation to justify this decision.
Maintaining and Reopening Healthcare Services
Providing continued service to patients with the expectation of surges and concerns of ongoing safety is one of the challenges healthcare professionals encountered during this pandemic. The following materials provide guidance, toolkits, and action plans on how to overcome these obstacles.
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AMA: A Physicians Practice Guide To Reopening
A guide to allow physicians to continue office practice that provides tips on maintaining safety, implementing adjustments to support processes to provide care, screening patients and includes frequently asked questions.
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Joint Statement: Roadmap For Resuming Elective Surgery After COVID-19 Pandemic
AHA, AORN, ASA, and ACS released a Joint Statement addressing resumption of medical and surgical procedures. The article breaks down each required component, discusses why it is important and offers consideration for each.
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MGMA: COVID-19 Medical Practice Reopening Checklist
As healthcare in Louisiana slowly moves toward reopening, there are many things that need to be done in preparation. This checklist from MGMA is an excellent resource to help guide a physician’s office practice in preparing to reopen to serve the community.
Environmental Services Resources
Environmental services is an important role in dealing with COVID-19 since maintaining a clean environment is important to reduce the transmission of the virus. Guidelines are provided to assist healthcare organizations with their environmental services processes.
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Advisory: Novel Coronavirus EVS Advisory
The Association for the Health Care Environment provides an advisory on the COVID-19 virus and ways to minimize the spread of the virus.
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Strategies for Sharps Disposal Container Use During Supply Shortages
Due to the high rate of vaccine administrations across the U.S., there may be a shortage in the supply of FDA cleared sharps disposal containers. This resource provides tips on ways to minimize the potential shortage.
Healthcare Facility Services Resources
Healthcare facility services are an integral part of the patient care processes. Resources provide recommendations on patient flow, isolation processes and emergency management and security processes during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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ASHE COVID-19 Recovery Checklist
ASHE provides an assessment tool for specific issues occuring in the area of facilities management as it relates to COVID-19 processes. It assesses the immediate, short and long term issues including inspection and testing, sustainability and the new normal.
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ASHE Issues Recommendations on COVID-19 for Facilities Managers
ASHE provides recommendations for facility issues such as patient entrance and flow patterns, isolation processes, emergency management and security plans as we progress through the pandemic.
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CDC Guidelines for Environmental Infection Control in Health-Care Facilities
The CDC provides resources on airbone contaminants, ventilation specifications and air sampling.
Security and Safety During a Pandemic
COVID-19 has created chaos in the healthcare industry. The rapid spread of this deadly virus and a lack of resources compounded with the economic insecurity caused by stay-at-home orders has created fear throughout Louisiana communities. Healthcare security is of the utmost importance during times of uncertainty and fear.
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Webinar: Healthcare Security in a COVID-19 World
Healthcare security expert Bryan Warren examines COVID-19's impact on security issues in the healthcare industry. Discussion topics include the physicial and operational security needs of alternate care sites, proposals for additional security measures for patient care resources, and current indicators of security trends in healthcare facilities. Mr. Warren also explains how healthcare security teams are evolving to adapt to the newest risks.
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Presentation: Healthcare Security in a COVID-19 World
PowerPoint slides from the webinar Healthcare Security in a COVID-19 World featuring healthcare security expert Bryan Warren.
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COVID-19 Vaccine Storage Security Checklist
Healthcare security expert Bryan Warren provides a template vaccine storage security checklist for healthcare organizations to ensure the COVID-19 vaccines are maintained and administered in a secure environment.
Resources for Healthcare Workers
The healthcare provider is an important part of the COVID-19 pandemic. Without the healthcare workers, there would be no one to care for those exposed and diagnosed with COVID-19. Provided are resources to ensure the healthcare providers have what they need to do their job during the pandemic.
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FDA Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Resources for Health Professionals
The FDA provides healthcare providers with resources involving emergency use authorizations, personal protective equipment and medical products.
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The Joint Commission: Promoting Psychosocial Well-being of Health Care Staff During Crisis
Joint Commission provides strategies for the healthcare workers to maintain psychosocial well being, managing stress and strengthen their resilience during the pandemic.
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Contact Tracing: What You Need to Know
Contact tracing is an important tool to utilize to track and limit the spread of COVID-19. The resource describes the contract tracing process.
Workers' Compensation
COVID-19 in the arena of workers' compensation can differ in each state. Provided are resources to assist with the WC process when COVID-19 is part of the WC claim/issue.
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U.S.Department of Labor Coronavirus Resources
U.S. Department of Labor provides resources on how to keep the workplace safe during the pandemic.
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Workers’ Compensation Claims and COVID-19
LHA Trust Funds provides information regarding coverage of employees under the Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Act.
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OSHA Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19
OSHA provides guidance on preparing the workplace for COVID-19 that focuses on the outbreak affecting workplaces, reducing the risk to workers and job classifications.
COVID-19 Online Resources
In addition to the resources provided in the toolkit, there are many valuable online resources listed below.
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Center for Disease Control and Prevention-COVID-19 Resources
The CDC provides valuable COVID-19 resources for healthcare providers, patients and families
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Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center
Johns Hopkins provides valuable tracking and trending information regarding COVID-19 statistics.
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National Institute of Health COVID-19 Resources
The National Institute of Health provides valuable COVID-19 resources for healthcare providers, patients and families.
COVID-19 & Hospital Liability: Gross Negligence and Willful Misconduct
This webinar will discuss legislation enacted in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and address “Frequently Asked Questions” about these statutes. Attorneys Cullen J. Dupuy and Katherine M. Cook of Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, LLP discuss both the Louisiana Homeland Security and Emergency Assistance and Disaster Act and the Louisiana Health Emergency Posers Act and the impact these acts have on Healthcare Professionals and Facilities.
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COVID-19 and Hospital Liability: Gross Negligence and Willful Misconduct
This webinar will discuss legislation enacted in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and address “Frequently Asked Questions” about these statutes. Attorneys Cullen J. Dupuy and Katherine M. Cook of Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, LLP discuss both the Louisiana Homeland Security and Emergency Assistance and Disaster Act and the Louisiana Health Emergency Posers Act and the impact these acts have on Healthcare Professionals and Facilities.