This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
CDC Allocates $22 Billion in Funding to Support Expanded Testing, Vaccination Distribution
The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) has allocated $22 billion in funding for states, localities, and territories in response to the pandemic, as authorized by the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act. California will receive $1.696 billion for testing activities and $357 million for vaccine activities. The CDC will distribute funding by Jan. 19.
OSHPD Releases High Flow Medical Oxygen Best Practices Guide
On Jan. 8, the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD) released a guide titled Health Facility Medical Oxygen Systems Best Practices During Covid-19 Pandemic. It notes the demand on existing oxygen systems is being stressed during the pandemic due to patient treatment needs and provides best practices OSHPD has observed. The intended audience for the guide is hospital facility engineering and maintenance staff, and any other staff with authority over the use of the medical oxygen system.
FAQs Help Hospitals Prepare for Jan. 15 PPE Reporting Deadline
As reported previously, California’s general acute care hospital personal protective equipment (PPE) stockpile bill – Assembly Bill (AB) 2537 – requires hospitals to be prepared to report specified PPE data as of Jan. 15. CHA continues its discussions with the administration in an effort to obtain further guidance on many aspects of AB 2537. However, in the absence of guidance from Cal/OSHA, CHA developed and has updated frequently asked questions to assist hospitals with implementation. There remains much ambiguity with this law; CHA will continue to provide updates as they develop.
Web-Based Tool Shows Locations That Offer Monoclonal Antibody Therapeutics
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced it has a developed a web-based locator for COVID-19 outpatient treatment sites offering monoclonal antibody therapeutics. The COVID-19 therapeutics distribution page shows locations, including facility name and address, and which monoclonal antibody therapeutic has been delivered to the sites. Only facilities that are open to the general public are listed. The locator does not include facilities that receive the monoclonal antibody therapeutics for outpatient treatment of specific groups, such as for patients in long-term care facilities, skilled-nursing facilities, psychiatric facilities, or prisons.
CHA to Hold Series of Regional Calls With State Legislators
CHA has scheduled a series of regional briefings for legislators and their chiefs of staff on the COVID-19 crisis, to be held between Jan. 13 and Jan. 27. The briefings will include updates from CHA President & CEO Carmela Coyle and local hospital leaders sharing a ground-level of what’s happening in their communities. Topics to be covered are:
- Caseload (and projections for the coming weeks and months)
- Hospital capacity data
- Vaccine distribution
- Hospital financial position
- How legislators can use their voices to help the state get through the imminent danger of the next six weeks
Briefings will be held for the following regions: San Diego/Imperial /Orange Counties, Los Angeles/Los Angeles coastal suburbs, Riverside/San Bernardino Counties, Bay Area/Coastal, Central Valley, Northern California (including Sacramento).
CHA Webinar Will Detail New Data Reporting Requirements
To explain the new COVID-19 data reporting requirements that took effect Jan. 8 – including reporting ICU surge beds – CHA will hold a complimentary, members-only webinar Jan. 14 from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. (PT). The webinar will examine how to submit COVID-19 data accurately and avoid mistakes, address the new field that captures ICU surge bed data, share lessons learned from the reporting process, and discuss how to use the updated data dictionary and reporting guide. Experts from CHA and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) will be available to clarify definitions, offer insights, and confirm requirement effective dates. Participants are asked to register in advance.
CDPH Vaccination Program Office Hours: Jan. 15
CDPH will hold a COVID-19 Vaccination Office Hours call on Jan. 15 from 9 to 10 a.m. (PT). Use this link and the password “Immunize2021!” to participate.
Weekly DHCS Weekly Provider Call Covers Timely Behavioral Health Issues
The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) is hosting weekly calls on Wednesdays at 8 a.m. (PT) for mental health and substance use disorder treatment facilities and providers. The calls, which feature subject matter experts from CDPH and the California Department of Social Services, provide updates on emergency surge response, and answer questions about licensing and certification flexibilities, alternative sites, testing, vaccination, isolation and quarantine, and more. CHA participated in the Jan. 6 call with the California Health & Human Services Behavioral Health Secretary, DHCS, and the County Behavioral Health Directors Association; highlights from the call are available on the CHA website.
Next CDPH Call for Health Care Facilities: Jan. 19, 8-9 a.m. (PT)
Dial: (844) 721-7239
Passcode: 7993227
Surge-Related Data Resources
- State Resources: Monitor the regional stay-at-home order and ICU capacity by region or by county.
- CHA Resources: Hospitals can access county dashboards through the CHA COVID-19 Tracking Tool, which includes hospital-specific data on ICU capacity.