COVID-19 Clinical and Professional Resources

State Orders on Non-Urgent Procedures

• Governor's Proclamation 20-24.1 – Reducing Restrictions on, and Safe Expansion of, Non-Urgent Medical and Dental Procedures (May 18, 2020)
• WSMA overview – "Governor Issues New Proclamation on Non-Urgent Procedures" (May 18, 2020)

Proclamation guidance for medical practices

The WSMA has collaborated with the Washington State Medical Group Management Association to offer new guidance on the proclamation for medical practices. If you have questions on this new WSMA resource or what the proclamation means for you and your practice, contact the WSMA policy department at policy@wsma.org.

Health System Reactivation

COVID-19 Risk Assessment "Dial Dashboard" - A high-level overview, updated weekly, of the main data points discussed among state leaders and the level of risk experts perceive around the current numbers. This data informs decisions related to the governor's Safe Start reopening plan for the state.

Washington Healthcare Forum Recommendations for Health System Reactivation - Recommendations developed by the Washington Healthcare Forum, with input from the WSMA, delivered to Gov. Inslee and Washington's COVID-19 health systems response director V. Admiral Bono, MD. The recommendations outlines steps to increasing elective patient care in Washington in a manner that comprehensively addresses the foundational concerns of the March 19 gubernatorial proclamation on nonurgent procedures. The recommendations are for all hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, outpatient care facilities, and dental practices. (April 15, 2020)

Evaluation and Testing

• Washington State Department of Health: Health Care Provider Resources and Recommendations
• Center for Disease Control and Prevention: Information for Healthcare Professionals
• World Health Organization: Country & technical guidance - Coronavirus disease (COVID-19)

PPE/Workforce Protections

• PPE Connect - The Association of Washington Businesses offers this online portal to connect small businesses with Washington manufacturers of personal protective equipment. Also available is a business toolkit, with resources to help prepare physical spaces for reopening and assist in communicating new health and safety protocols. PPE Connect is free to use and available to all Washington businesses, including medical practices.
• Tracking and distribution of PPE in Washington state
• Visit the Washington State Department of Health's Health Care Provider Resources and Recommendations page (under Personal Protective Equipment) for guidance on:
• Personal Protective Equipment for Health Care Personnel and for Patients with Suspect or Confirmed COVID-19
• Washington State Prioritization Guidelines for Allocation of PPE
• Washington State PPE Conservation Strategies
• Strategies for Optimizing the Supply of PPE
• Reuse of PPE
• Consensus Recommendations for Personal Protective Equipment Use, Collection of Nasopharyngeal (NP) or Oropharyngeal (OP) Swabs, and Workplace Exposure - Recommendations from the Washington Healthcare Forum Work Group, made up of leading health care organizations in Washington state, including the WSMA

Infection Control Guidance

• Washington State Department of Health: Infection Prevention and PPE
• Washington State Department of Health: COVID-19 Infection Prevention for Outpatient Settings
• Center for Disease Control and Prevention: Interim U.S. Guidance for Risk Assessment and Public Health Management of Healthcare Personnel with Potential Exposure in a Healthcare Setting to Patients with Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)
• World Health Organization: Guidelines for Infection Prevention and Control During Health Care When a Novel Coronavirus (nCoV) Infection Is Suspected

Other Professional Guidance

• Reporting COVID-19 deaths: Washington State Department of Health: Preliminary guidance for reporting COVID-19 deaths
• HIPAA: U.S. Department of Health & Human Services: HIPAA Privacy and Novel Coronavirus
• HIPAA: U.S. Department of Health & Human Services: Notification of Enforcement Discretion for telehealth remote communications during the COVID-19 nationwide public health emergency
• Washington State Hospital Association: Hospital response to COVID-19
• American Medical Association: COVID-19 resource center for physicians
• COVID-19 and Chronic Pain Management handout

Continuing Medical Education on COVID-19

• The CDC holds regular Clinician Outreach and Communication Activity (COCA) Calls. More information. 
• Honoring Choices PNW is holding a series of free webinars on communication skills and tools that physicians, advanced practitioners, and other members of the health care team can use as you respond to the COVID-19 crisis. This activity has been approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Click here for session details and to register online.
• The WSMA hosts a bi-weekly call on Tuesdays at 5 p.m. for critical care physicians and advanced practitioners to discuss patient cases and develop recommendations for care. This activity has been approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. To join the calls, please email brendan@wsma.org with your name, credentials, specialty/title, and organization.
• The PNW Chapter of the Society of Hospital Medicine hosts a weekly webinar on Wednesdays at 5 p.m. intended for hospitalists to provide updates regarding COVID19 related illness, including diagnosis, treatment and other operational concerns. This activity has been approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. For more information, visit: https://www.hospitalmedicine.org/clinical-topics/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19-resources-for-hospitalists/media/
• The Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education has an extensive listing of online COVID-19 CME activities.

COVID-19 Communication Skill Building Tools and Training

VitalTalk crowdsourced the COVID-ready communication playbook, which provides practical advice on how to talk about difficult topics related to COVID-19.

Respecting Choices® is offering an open-source toolkit for those caring for high-risk COVID-19 patients. The toolkit includes guidance for conversations about treatment preferences before a medical crisis, as well as resources to support specific treatment decisions in high-risk individuals. Washington Health Care Authority certified Respecting Choices' patient decision aids on "Help with Breathing" and "CPR"; both of which are included in Respecting Choices' open-source toolkit, along with many other resources.

Honoring Choices® Pacific Northwest, jointly sponsored by the WSMA Foundation and the Washington State Hospital Association, has partnered with Respecting Choices to offer an online course to physicians and advanced practitioners in Washington state. Three-module online course are free of charge and will enhance your ability to effectively introduce and motivate patients to participate in basic advance care planning (ACP); guide and document basic ACP conversations with patients and families; and successfully integrate and bill for basic ACP in everyday practice. Get started at: wsma.org/BasicACPModules.

Caring for High-Risk COVID-19 Patients

Respecting Choices® has just announced it is offering an open-source toolkit for those caring for high-risk COVID-19 patients. These patients are feeling especially vulnerable, as are their loved ones. The toolkit includes guidance for conversations about treatment preferences before a medical crisis, as well as resources to support specific treatment decisions in high-risk individuals.

Washington Health Care Authority certified Respecting Choices' patient decision aids on "Help with Breathing" and "CPR"; both of which are included in Respecting Choices' open-source toolkit, along with many other resources.

Additionally, Honoring Choices^® Pacific Northwest, jointly sponsored by the WSMA Foundation and the Washington State Hospital Association, has partnered with Respecting Choices to offer an online course to physicians and advanced practitioners in Washington state. Through a grant from The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the online modules are free of charge for WSMA members and members of the Honoring Choices PNW initiative (use discount code: HCPNWPartner) until February 2021. Designed for physicians and advanced practitioners, the three-module online course will enhance your ability to effectively introduce and motivate patients to participate in basic advance care planning (ACP); guide and document basic ACP conversations with patients and families; and successfully integrate and bill for basic ACP in everyday practice. This activity has been approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Get started at: wsma.org/BasicACPModules.