COVID-19 Professional Resources
WSMA professional resources to help Washington's physician community
respond to COVID-19. For questions on COVID-19 clinical issues not covered
here, contact your local public health officer. For information on
COVID-19 vaccines, visit our dedicated
COVID-19 Vaccines webpage.
Health Care Emergency Proclamations Scheduled to End
Emergency proclamations put in place early in the pandemic related to the
following subjects are scheduled to end on Oct. 27, 2022:
- Continuing education for health care professionals
- Certificate of need
- Long-term care facilities
- Restrictions on elective procedures
- Temporary practice permits
For details, see "Gov. Inslee Announces Termination of Emergency Proclamations Related to
Health Care" from the Aug. 12 WSMA Membership Memo. Physicians and practices are
advised to prepare now to transition as the end of these flexibilities
draws near.
COVID-19 Therapies
COVID-19 therapeutics, including monoclonal antibodies Sotrovimab,
Bebtelovimab, and Tixagevimab/Cilgavimab (Evusheld), and antiviral
medications Molnupiravir and Paxlovid, are available in Washington state
through allocations from the federal government. Currently all
therapeutics are being underutilized and there is an overstock of
Molnupiravir.
Crisis Standards of Care Triage Team Operational Guidebook
In the event of an overwhelming surge, after all mitigation strategies
have been exhausted, Washington state recognizes that crisis standards of
care include first and foremost the implementation of CSC triage teams.
The
Washington State Crisis Standards of Care Triage Team
OperationalGuidebook (October 2021)
contains the tools and information needed to implement CSC triage teams
within a health care facility or system.
Vaccine Mandate for Health Care Workers
The WSMA is helping physicians and practices across Washington implement
this new mandate, regardless of practice type. Working with the law firm
Montgomery Purdue PLLC, the WSMA has prepared guidance, including sample
clinic policy and exemption forms and an on-demand vaccine mandate webinar
Q&A. Visit
Implementing the COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate at Your Practice
for more information on these resources (sign-in required – to establish
an account with the WSMA, click on ‘sign in’ at the top of the page).
Masking and Visitation
Use of Ivermectin for Treatment of COVID-19
Ivermectin is not FDA-approved for treatment of COVID-19.
Other Professional Guidance
On-Demand COVID-19 Webinars
Visit the WSMA
On-Demand Webinars page
for archived presentations from our COVID-19 series featuring physician
experts on a variety of clinical topics. These on-demand sessions are for
WSMA members only.
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.
Post-COVID-19 Recovery Resources
Understanding of long-term effects of COVID-19 continues to evolve. The
Washington State Hospital Association features resources dedicated to
post-COVID-19 recovery, including professional resources, information for
your patients, links to online support groups, news stories, infographics,
and more. Visit the
WSHA Post-COVID Recovery Resources webpage.