New CDPH Testing and PPE Requirements for Unvaccinated Health Care Workers
On July 26, CDPH released a new state public health officer order that requires health care and congregate settings, including hospitals, to ensure that unvaccinated personnel undergo at least weekly COVID-19 testing and wear appropriate personal protective equipment.
California Supreme Court Issues Ruling on Missed Meal, Rest, and Recovery Period Compensation
A recent California Supreme Court decision on meal, rest, and recovery period violations could have major implications for many of the state’s employers — including hospitals.
BRN’s Nurse Practitioner Full Practice Authority Regulations Begin
Assembly Bill (AB) 890 (Wood, D-Santa Rosa), which was signed into law on Sept. 29, will authorize a nurse practitioner who meets certain requirements to practice without physician supervision. The new law will improve access to health care by allowing nurse practitioners greater freedom and flexibility to practice in communities with insufficient primary care services. Details about the changes that will be implemented with AB 890 are available here.
Two RFPs Issued for GME Programs
Mathematica, a policy research group working with the California Health Care Foundation, has issued two requests for proposal (RFP) on grants for graduate medical education (GME) programs in California.
CHA Urges Dept. of Education to Allow California and Texas Physicians to Receive Loan Forgiveness
CHA — along with the California Medical Association, Texas Medical Association, and Texas Hospital Association — has submitted a letter to Secretary Miguel Cardona urging the U.S. Department of Education to open a negotiated rulemaking process for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program. The purpose of the rulemaking process would be to correct the […]
CDPH Adopts CDC Recommendations on Fully Vaccinated Health Care Personnel Post-Travel
At CHA’s request, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has adopted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s travel guidance for health care personnel in hospitals and skilled-nursing facilities (SNFs).
Cal/OSHA Approves Emergency Regulation on PPE Consumption, Issues FAQs
On June 8, Cal/OSHA submitted emergency regulations to the Office of Administrative Law to define “normal consumption.” As currently drafted, the emergency regulation defines “normal consumption” as the average consumption of specified personal protective equipment (PPE) type and size over a two- year period, with a 200% cap. This approach raises significant concerns, as CHA believes that […]
CHA Issues Comment Letter on Cal/OSHA Emergency Regulations for PPE Consumption
CHA has submitted comments to the Office of Administrative Law (OAL) on Cal/OSHA’s June 8 emergency regulations pertaining to the stockpile of personal protective equipment (PPE), which define “normal consumption” as the average consumption of specified PPE type and size over a two-year period, with a 200% cap.
New COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard Issued by OSHSB
The Hospital Association of Southern California has released a COVID-19 Vaccination Communications Toolkit that contains customizable fliers, posters, and social media assets that hospitals can share via their own communications platforms.
Because undecided individuals tend to act when people they trust speak positively aboutCOVID-19 shots, health care professionals can play an important role in countering vaccine misinformation and complacency to get more Californians vaccinated.
Annual Increase in L.A.’s Minimum Wage Takes Effect July 1; Hospitals Need to Update Labor Law Posters
In 2016, the city of Los Angeles enacted an annual, phased-in minimum wage increase that was modeled after the state’s minimum wage law. The city’s minimum wage is separate and higher than the state minimum wage. On July 1, the minimum wage in the city of Los Angeles will increase to $15 per hour for employers with 26 or more employees.