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Last week, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) released guidance for health care facilities on surge responses due to respiratory syncytial virus and other respiratory viruses.
All Facilities Letter (AFL) 22-23 from CDPH outlined the temporary waivers that are currently in place for facilities. Specifically, the space waiver provides hospitals the ability to reconfigure space and adjust the classification of beds without requesting individual waivers or program flexibility.
HCAI issued a separate reminder to facilities that most emergency work does not require a building permit from HCAI. However, hospitals shall notify the HCAI compliance officer assigned to their facility with any temporary changes.
In addition, AFL 22-23 outlined the program flexibility process for hospitals that require flexibility from other licensing regulations not currently covered by blanket waivers and provided guidance that health care facilities could consider given the increased cases due to various respiratory viruses.
CHA, along with the California Children’s Hospital Association, continues to engage with state leaders on the impacts of the current surge and planning for increased hospital admissions through the winter.
