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COVID-19 Update

Topic

COVID-19
Disease Management

Record COVID-19 Hospitalizations Impose Severe Constraints On Hospital Capacity

Statewide hospitalizations for suspected and confirmed COVID-19 patients have increased 137% since Oct. 1. As a result, the combination of hospital resources needed to care for COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients alike — space, staff and stuff — have become severely constrained throughout the state. On Nov. 21, Missouri hospitals reported that 83% of ICU beds in the state currently were in use, and 77% of inpatient beds were occupied. Missouri also is facing record levels of new COVID-19 cases, with nearly 25,000 positive test results last week alone. Hospitalizations lag newly confirmed cases, and historically, Missouri has experienced accelerated levels of spread following holidays. With only 17% of ICU beds and 23% of hospital beds available leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday, individual decisions on celebrating in a safe manner are critical in avoiding a collapse of our severely strained health care system.

Daily COVID-19 Hospitalization in Missouri by Region and Inpatient Bed Availability

Advocacy

Key State Leaders Engage With MHA Members On COVID-19

Staff Contact: Daniel Landon

Gov. Mike Parson’s Chief of Staff and other key members of the Parson administration participated in a conference call with the MHA membership on the state’s response to the COVID-19 emergency. This was the 22nd call with the MHA membership since the pandemic began. The calls provide an opportunity for an update on state activities and hospital issues, and for hospital executives to ask questions and make comments. Discussion topics included state and the private sector’s mutual engagement in public education campaigns to promote mask wearing and social distancing, implementation plans and timelines for COVID-19 vaccine distribution and administration to health care providers and other priority populations, the possible creation of an advisory group on emerging hospital needs, and state efforts to help secure more clinical staff. The conversation also addressed state distribution of COVID-19 rapid testing capacity to hospitals, as well as the potential for some type of state sanction of crisis standards of care.

Government Action

State Grants Additional Licensure Flexibility For Respiratory Therapists

Staff Contact: Jane Drummond or Sarah Willson

MHA recently requested the state grant full licensure reciprocity to respiratory therapists licensed in another state and forego the application process. The Missouri Board of Respiratory Care believes the current waiver of 20 CSR 2255-2.010 for application requirements for those licensed in other states to expedite the process is working, but agreed to a modification. Individuals still must apply, but the new process states that board staff will verify the applicant’s out-of-state license with the National Board for Respiratory Care directly from the NBRC (instead of requiring the applicant to request that information be sent to the board from NBRC) and waived the fingerprint requirement, allowing the fingerprinting and additional verifications to be collected at a later date. In addition, the board will place a memo on its website asking applicants to note the request is for emergency staffing purposes related to COVID-19.

Data & Analytics

DHSS Develops LTCF Dashboard To Support Care Transitions

Staff Contact: Sarah Willson or Kara Amann-Kale

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services worked with MHA, the Missouri Health Care Association and Leading Age Missouri to develop a communication tool depicting bed availability in long-term care facilities to improve efficiencies in identifying and placing patients in need of long-term and skilled nursing care. The department is asking facilities to voluntarily report their bed availability on a daily basis. Hospital staff can access the dashboard to obtain information on a statewide or regional level. The dashboard will be live Wednesday, Nov. 25. MHA developed FAQs for additional details.

Education

NETEC Hosts Monoclonal Antibody Therapy Webinar

Staff Contact: Keri Barclay

The National Emerging Special Pathogen Training and Education Center is hosting a webinar, “Monoclonal Antibody Therapeutics: How to Operationalize mAB Therapy at Your Facility,” at noon on Wednesday, Nov. 25. The webinar will focus on considerations of therapeutics available for emergency use authorization for mild to moderate COVID-19 cases, discuss recent criteria for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved investigational therapy in outpatient settings, and summarize how to operationalize the use of these therapeutics within organizations based upon case studies.

MHA Offers Webinar Recording On Peer Support

Staff Contact: Jill Williams

MHA hosted a webinar, “When Caring Hurts — Implementing a Peer Support Program for Second Victims,” on Nov. 17. The webinar recording now is available. The webinar highlights how Saint Luke’s Health System worked to establish a peer support program designed to respond to the emotional distress of the health care worker. SLHS shared their approach and implementation of the Peer Support Program.

CMS Releases Nursing Home COVID-19 Training

Staff Contact: Jill Williams

Through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Quality, Safety & Education Portal, COVID-19 training for front-line nursing home staff and management is available. The training includes five specific modules designed for front-line clinical staff and 10 designed for nursing home management. Instructions on how to access the trainings are available on the portal.

PR & Media Updates

Coalition For Healthy Missouri Communities Launches COVID-19 Public Awareness Campaign

Staff Contact: Mary Becker

Today, a statewide ad campaign about the importance of masking and social distancing began. It is designed to encourage Missourians to use the tools available to safeguard themselves, their families and Missouri communities from COVID-19.

The campaign includes two TV spots, two radio spots, and digital and social media branded under a broad-based Coalition for Healthy Missouri Communities. Assets are available for download and distribution on the coalition website at www.healthymocommunities.com.

Vaccine Updates

DHSS Provides Vaccine Update

Staff Contact: Meghan Henderson

MHA hosts a weekly call with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services Bureau of Immunizations to provide insight and answer questions from hospitals related to the developing vaccine implementation process. On today’s call, an updated FAQs document related to COVID-19 vaccine planning, storage and distribution was provided. This document continues to evolve as additional details are clarified and refinement occurs. This was the second weekly call in a series that is scheduled through December for ongoing information sharing. These conversations are an open forum to have questions answered and receive direct feedback to providers. The next scheduled weekly vaccine update call is at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 2.

Workforce

SCCM Recommends Tiered Staffing Model For COVID-19 Pandemic

Staff Contact: Jill Williams or Sarah Willson

The Society of Critical Care Medicine recommends a tiered staffing model for hospitals opening new ICUs in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The model has been adapted as an effective strategy to incorporate non-ICU-trained staff of all disciplines (physicians, nurses, advance practice providers and others) to greatly augment the trained and experienced ICU staff.

Fight Flu: Get Vaccinated Against Flu This Season.

COVID-19 Update | November 24, 2020