In this issue
Wishing
you a Happy Thanksgiving
The board and staff of MHA wish you and yours a very Happy
Thanksgiving. Special thanks to hospital staff who sacrifice time away from
their families to provide high quality care to patients 24 hours a day, 7 days
a week, 365 days a year. We are thankful for you. return to top
Ebola
preparedness efforts continue
MHA would like to recognize the commitment of Minnesota
hospitals to ensure the state stands ready should a case of Ebola develop in
the state. For months you have been training and drilling caregivers and staff
on how to deliver optimal care safely; communicating and coordinating efforts
with MDH, MHA and other health care providers; evaluating facilities for
appropriate isolation space; and ensuring that the necessary personal
protective equipment (PPE) and supplies are available. The state of readiness
in Minnesota is high thanks to your continued engagement.
Best practices for procuring PPE
Since the issuance of the updated Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) guidance on Oct. 20, there has been a sudden increase in
demand for PPE. On Nov. 20, CDC posted suggestions for how hospitals can find
supplies needed for training and use in evaluation and/or treatment of patients
with suspected or confirmed cases of Ebola. The recommendations can be found here. It’s important to remember that the PPE
needed to protect health care workers may not be the same in all settings of
care. CDC provides recommendations related to PAPRs and N95 in its recent guidance. A number of factors determine
the type of PPE needed as well as the appropriate sequence for donning and
doffing, including what you have available and have trained on, the types of
care that will be provided, patient status and the layout of your facility.
Once you have determined a set of PPE that provides adequate protection for
staff within the CDC recommendations, it’s very important to train staff and repeatedly
practice donning and doffing. CDC also recommended during its visit to
Minnesota that glow germ and mirrors could be very helpful in the donning and
doffing process. Please refer to the following guidance from CDC:
CDC also issued interim guidance for managers and workers
handling untreated sewage from individuals with Ebola. The guidance includes
recommendations for workers on the types of PPE to be used and proper hygiene
for safe handling of untreated sewage that may contain Ebola virus.
Your hospital infection preventionist may want to consider consulting with
peers in your region and APIC-MN regarding PPE equipment and donning/doffing
sequencing. Further questions can be directed to MDH at 651-201-5414. return to top
CMS
issues memo on Ebola-related EMTALA requirements
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently
issued a memo to state survey agencies outlining
requirements and implications of the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act
related to Ebola. The memo states every hospital or critical access hospital
emergency department should be able to screen for Ebola and immediately isolate
individuals who meet the criteria for potentially having Ebola. CMS states
emergency departments should contact their state or local public health
officials to determine if Ebola testing is needed; and when the decision to
test is made, the ED should provide treatment, using appropriate isolation
precautions until it is determined whether the individual does or does not have
Ebola. If an individual tests positive for Ebola, hospitals are expected to
comply with state or local public health guidance in determining whether they
have the capability to provide appropriate stabilizing treatment on site or
whether to initiate transfer. These requirements are aligned with the
preparations Minnesota’s hospitals have been working on to ensure any patient
in Minnesota can be properly identified, isolated and transferred to one of the
four hospitals designated for Ebola treatment. return to top
Protect
yourself and patients from flu; still time to participate in FluSafe
As hospitals across the state prepare to identify, isolate and
care for patients with Ebola it’s important to not forget to ensure our
hospitals are protected for influenza season. Influenza can be a serious
disease that can lead to hospitalization and sometimes even death. Anyone can
get very sick from the flu, including people who are otherwise healthy.
Unvaccinated health care workers are at risk for getting the flu from patients
and coworkers who are sick with the flu. And if a health care workers gets the
flu, he or she can spread it to others even if they don’t feel sick. Health
care worker vaccination helps protect yourself, your family at home, and your
patient.
The last day for new facilities to register for FluSafe is Monday, Dec. 1. FluSafe
is Minnesota's health care worker vaccination program for hospitals and nursing
homes. Go to Participate in FluSafe
for more information and to register. Facilities that completed the program
last season do not need to re-register this year. return to top
House
of Representatives announces committee chairs
The new House Republican leadership has announced the committee
chairs and structure for the 2015-16 legislative sessions. The committees are
the first step in the process for a bill to become law. Members of the
committees are traditionally named by mid-December. The committees and chairs
related to health care and funding are:
- Aging & Long-Term Care
Policy – Rep.
Joe Schomacker (R – Luverne)
- Health & Human Services
Finance – Rep. Matt Dean (R – Dellwood)
- Health & Human Services
Reform – Rep. Tara Mack (R – Apple Valley)
- Ways & Means – Rep. Jim
Knoblach (R – Saint Cloud)
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University
of Minnesota offers PPE and Ebola preparedness training
The University of Minnesota School of Public Health offers a ½
day personal protective equipment training course geared
toward hospital first receivers, nurses, ER personnel, facilities,
environmental services/housekeeping and safety/security personnel dealing with
biological hazards, including Ebola.
The four-hour course, which is offered onsite, includes an
extensive review of the incident command system, personal protective equipment,
donning/doffing, how to select the right PPE, decontamination, and emergency
response. All materials, equipment and a variety of CEU are
provided.
For more information, contact the University's Hazardous Materials training
program at 612-624-6023 or 612-626-0900. A video of hospital
decontamination course recent training is listed at www.hazmat.umn.edu under
Emergency Preparedness. Space is limited to 15 participants. return to top
MnTAP
launches new web resource for health care
The Minnesota Technical Assistance Program (MnTAP) recently
launched a new health care industry portal to connect industry with pollution
prevention and regulatory resources. The new information is navigable by topic
or type of facility. Topics include regulatory resources focused on waste, as
well as sustainability resources such as infection prevention, energy
efficiency, and waste reduction and recycling.
MnTAP provides resources to the health care industry to increase resource efficiency,
reduce waste, reduce costs and increase regulatory compliance. Visit MnTAP’s website to learn more.
MnTAP is also seeking project proposals from Minnesota businesses for its 2015
summer intern program. Organizations interested in reducing waste, conserving
water and improving energy efficiency are encouraged to apply for an intern by
Feb. 1, 2015. Proposed projects are evaluated for impact potential, project
scope and organization interest and commitment. Apply online. return to top
Forum
to discuss medical malpractice reform
The University of Minnesota is offering a free
event focused on medical malpractice reform. Prof. Michelle Mello from Stanford
Law School and Stanford Medical School will diagnose problems with the current
malpractice system and offer empirically-based solutions to create a new
paradigm of accountability for safe care.
The forum will take place Thursday, Dec. 4 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the
Johnson Great Room, McNamara Alumni Center at the University of Minnesota.
Learn more here. return to top