News

MIT Makes Disposible Face Shields Available

April 15, 2020 — AHCA reports that the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has designed and licensed a manufacturer to produce disposable face shields in high volume. These face shields do not replace the need for face masks such as N95s but do offer splash protection and can extend the useful life of N95 respirators and surgical masks.  ... Read More

CMS Holds “Office Hours” on COVID-19 Conference Call on Tuesdays and Thursdays

April 8, 2020 — CMS has launched a conference call series called Office Hours on Tuesdays and Thursday from 5-6 pm. This is an opportunity  for hospitals, health systems, and providers to ask questions of agency officials regarding CMS’s temporary actions that empower local hospitals and healthcare systems to:  Increase Hospital Capacity – CMS Hospitals Without Walls;  Rapidly Expand... Read More

CMS Issues New Wave of Infection Control Guidance

April 8, 2020 — The  Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued a series of updated guidance documents focused on infection control to prevent the spread of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) in a variety of inpatient and outpatient care settings. The guidance, based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines, will help ensure infection... Read More

Skilled Nursing News: Using PPE According to CMS Guidelines Could Cost Nursing Homes $10K a Day — Ore More

April 8, 2020 — “Updated guidelines on the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) are causing major headaches for health care providers across the continuum, as both acute and post-acute care settings grapple with supply shortages and a surge in cases of COVID-19. Those headaches include grappling with significant shortages of equipment in the face of the highly contagious... Read More

DEMA Announces Alternate Care Site for Kent and Sussex Counties

April 7, 2020 — The Delaware Emergency Management Agency (DEMA) and the State Health Operations Center (SHOC) are announcing today the plan for an additional alternate care site (ACS) to support Kent and Sussex Counties.  This plan is to accommodate overflow patients from Delaware hospital systems as they begin to experience a surge in patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19). ... Read More

CMS Open Door Forum to Address Telehealth on April 8

April 7, 2020 — The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid is inviting the healthcare community to a special Open Door Forum conference call on Wednesday, April 8 at 1:30 pm. The call will address CMS’ actions to increase access to telehealth in Medicare during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency. The call will begin promptly at 1:30 PM. Participants are... Read More

CMS COVID-19 Emergency Declaration Blanket Waivers for Health Care Providers

April 7, 2020 — In response to the COVID-19 national emergency, CMS released  26-page list of blanket waivers it has issued for hospitals, psychiatric hospitals, critical access hospitals, cancer centers, long-term care hospitals, and long-term care providers, among others.  Specifically for long-term care and SNFs are the following:  Waiving the requirement for a 3-day prior hospitalization for coverage of... Read More

DCHFA-Hosted Zoom Call Resource Update

April 7, 2020 — Last night, DHCFA hosted a Zoom conference call for LTC Medical Directors and Administrators on COVID-19 issues. Speakers included Corinna Getchell from the Delaware Division of Health Care Quality; Dr. Susan Levy and Dr. Karen McGhee, who serve as Medical Directors for LTC providers; Dr. John Loome and Dr. Gary Bernett, both SVP Medical Affairs... Read More

DEMA and SHOC Announce Hospital Overflow Sites in NCC, Downstate to Follow Later in Week

April 6, 2020 — The Delaware Emergency Management Agency (DEMA) and the State Health Operations Center (SHOC) are announcing today the designation of alternative care sites (ACS) in New Castle County to accommodate overflow patients from Delaware hospital systems as they begin to experience a surge in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Sites for the southern part of... Read More

Spur Impact Exec Outlines the CARES and What It Means for DE Nonprofits

April 3, 2020 — The Paycheck Protection Program, Emergency Economic Injury Disaster Loans, and Tax Provisions are parts of federal government’s CARES Act in response to the coronavirus pandemic that are relevant to Delaware nonprofits, according to Charlie Vincent, Executive Director of Spur Impact. Vincent provided a bullet-pointed summary of these provisions as well as analysis on the Delaware... Read More