MASSACHUSETTS HOSPITALS STAND READY
All Massachusetts hospitals have
established policies for containing and treating contagious diseases and
for dealing with patient surges if the need arises. Hospitals are
dedicated to ensuring safe patient care and providing the men and women
who treat patients the safest possible environments to conduct their
work. MHA and its membership have been in regular contact with the
Massachusetts Department of Public Health and national health
organizations to ensure that the commonwealth is well-prepared to meet
the challenges presented by the COVID-19 novel coronavirus.
The Most Current Information
These state, federal, and global entities are continually updating their resources to provide the most current information on COVID-19.
The well-respected medical journal, The Lancet, has created a coronavirus research center that brings together content from across The Lancet’s many journals (for example, The Lancet Global Health, The Lancet Infectious Diseases, and The Lancet Respiratory Medicine) as it is published. The content on the website is free.
This 5-page list from the federal government details many links to federal agencies and their specific guidance related to COVID-19. It's a valuable resource.
Frequently Asked Questions About COVID-19
What is it? How does it spread? How do I protect myself? What about my pet and the novel coronavirus? Check here for answers to these and other common questions.
Federal Waivers
In certain circumstances, the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services using section 1135 of the Social Security Act can temporarily modify or waive certain Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, or HIPAA requirements, called 1135 waivers. Click here to view a list of waivers relating to the COVID-19 pandemic.
State Executive Orders
The Baker Administration under the emergency order issued on March 10 has used its authority to grant a series of emergency orders and guidance documents to ease restrictions on providers responding to the pandemic. Click here for a list of these orders.
Workforce
MHA’s Strategic Partner, Symmetry Workforce Solutions, is offering MHA members free access to a rapid response option for your supplemental staffing needs via their parent company, Aya Healthcare. Aya is proactively qualifying a workforce of nurses, respiratory therapists, and other staff that may be needed to respond rapidly to the situation. To date, more than 20 state hospital associations are participating and Aya has engaged more than 500,000 clinicians regarding interest and opportunities to serve across the U.S. For information, contact Diane Adams, RN, at diane.adams@symmetryworkforce.com or (609) 240-5006; Guy Evans, at guy.evans@symmetryworkforce.com or (732) 245-0212; or MHA’s Jim Vahey at jvahey@mhalink.org.
Caring for the Caregiver: COVID-19 Resources
MHA has assembled resources to support caregiver wellbeing during this challenging time. The list at the link here includes timely webinars, articles, toolkits and more with information on stress management, self-care, and caregiver support.
Provider Toolkits
This section contains operational resources for hospitals that are
updating their airborne isolation plans, personal protective equipment
inventory, among other best practices to employ during widespread
contagion events. The resources are from around the U.S.
Click here for
more resources