Staff Contact: Keri Barclay

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices originally planned to meet June 18 to discuss myocarditis in adolescent patients who received the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. The meeting was rescheduled due to the observation of the Juneteenth National Independence Day holiday and now will be included as part of the larger ACIP meeting being held Wednesday, June 23, to Friday, June 25. The meeting is open to the public and registration is not required.

Staff Contact: Carissa Van Hunnik or Jackie Gatz

Several Missouri hospitals are experiencing increases in COVID-19 hospitalizations as cases are rising in some regions of the state. To maintain statewide situational awareness of hospital bed availability and assist in the facilitation of patient transfer processes, a COVID-19 Bed Availability Query has been initiated in EMResource. A query reminder notification will be sent to hospital EMResource contacts each morning at 8 a.m. until further notice. The requested data is intended to provide a consistent source of information to Missouri hospitals seeking appropriate patient placement for both ICU and non-ICU patients.

Staff Contact: Sarah Willson or Jackie Gatz

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released revised guidance related to emergency preparedness testing and training for inpatient providers. CMS is extending the one-year testing exemption, which only applies to the next required full-scale exercise (not the exercise of choice), based on the facility’s 12-month exercise cycle and only if a facility currently still is operating under its activated emergency plan. The cycle is determined by the facility. The guidance is effective immediately.

Staff Contact: Jane Drummond or Sarah Willson

As case growth and hospitalizations increase in some regions of the state, hospitals should continue to use regulatory waivers, as necessary, to address patient surge. Waivers granted by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services authorizing hospitals to exceed licensed bed capacity and to use medical surgical beds for intensive care remain in effect. Many telemedicine waivers remain effective, as well. Hospitals should consult MHA’s waiver spreadsheet before implementing a waiver, as some agencies or boards have discontinued those previously granted during the pandemic.

Existing waivers are expected to remain in effect through the Tuesday, Aug. 31, expiration of the declared statewide emergency. MHA staff are working with state officials to continue waivers should additional patient surges persist beyond that date.

Staff Contact: Jane Drummond or Jackie Gatz

MHA activated statewide hospital mutual aid in March 2020 and it remains active today to support the COVID-19 response. Hospitals are reminded that mutual aid is one of many potential solutions for staffing shortages. As increased hospitalizations now are occurring regionally rather than statewide, mutual aid is a more viable option than in previous stages of response. Hospital mutual aid establishes a coordinated system through which hospitals in Missouri and several adjoining states can provide mutual aid to each other as necessary to support emergency medical care needs in a disaster.

Staff Contact: Jill Williams

A multilayered workforce plan enables hospitals to surge to inpatient capacity. MHA published a fact sheet to provide guidance and flexibility in designing the staffing plan hospitals deem most appropriate when needed.

Staff Contact: Stephen Njenga

The National Institute for Health Care Management Foundation released an infographic showing the disparities that impact the health of Native American, Black and Hispanic communities. The COVID-19 pandemic confirmed the long-standing social and economic inequities facing communities of color and the impact these challenges have on health outcomes. The infographic explores lessons learned and outlines key solutions to address the identified issues.