December 22, 2020
In today’s update, you will find important information, including:
- 2020: A Note of Thanks and a Ray of Hope
- Join the RCC Live Audio Broadcast Today
- Hear the Magic of This Season with Some Holiday Safety Songs!
- Vaccine Update
- Extension of Policy to Waive Out-Of-Pocket Costs for Treatment of COVID-19
- Weekly KPNW COVID-19 Trends
2020: A Note of Thanks and a Ray of Hope
Watch now as Jeff Collins, Imelda Dacones, and John Snyder share a special end of year video message for us. They tell us that while the pandemic may have shaped our year — our people have defined it. That together, we have answered the call to act and think in new ways as we reimagine the way we deliver care and interact with our members — and each other — to deliver on our mission.
Live Audio Broadcast | Latest COVID-19 Updates from the KPNW Command Center
Join our next LIVE audio broadcast Tuesday, December 22, starting at 12:10 to 12:40 p.m.
Get the latest COVID-19 updates from the KPNW Regional Command Center:
- Vaccine – Latest Updates and Answers
- Self- Care and Resilience
If you have a question you’d like leaders to address, submit it here. For more information, review the audio broadcast flyer.
Hear the Magic of This Season with Some Holiday Safety Songs!
Some of your co-workers wanted to help us close out this tumultuous year with a smile that also underscores the important safety messages about mask-wearing, social distancing and staying home.
Hear and see the magic of their creativity by watching this video (password: kpnw2020) with a new rendition of a few songs that have been rewritten for this very special holiday season.
In the News: Frontline Staff First in Line to Receive COVID-19 Vaccinations
Kaiser Permanente experienced a historic morning last Friday as frontline workers in our hospitals began receiving COVID-19 vaccines. First in line were Dr. Derrik Lee, MD, a hospitalist at Sunnyside Medical Center, and Tovi Anderson, MD, a family medicine physician at West side Medical Center.
View News Coverage of Our Vaccination Efforts
Vaccine Update
When will I be able to get the vaccine? Vaccine will be available to everyone. When it comes to prioritizing who receives the COVID-19 vaccine, we are following the guidance of the Oregon Health Authority and Washington State Health Department. Hospital employees are prioritized over ambulatory in the initial group in alignment with guidelines from OHA. Please review, print, and post the flyer (attached) in employee-only areas. (This is not member-facing. Those materials are in development and will be available in the coming weeks. Please continue to direct KP members to kp.org/coronavirus for the latest updates.)
Soon, more details about KPNW’s vaccine delivery schedule will be available, enabling our KPNW Vaccine Implementation team to provide a more detailed plan, outlining expected timing for each department.
Review the latest answers to frequently asked questions about the vaccine.
Vaccine Available for All Scheduled Health Care Personnel
Governor Brown tweeted and some news outlets reported last week that the supply of Pfizer vaccine coming this week was smaller than she had been expecting. Those health care personnel already scheduled for vaccinations can be assured that there is vaccine available for them.
Will we have vaccine for second shots?
OHA has reassured our vaccine teams that we will not be provided with vaccine for first shots unless we will also have vaccine for second shots.
Management of Vaccinated Health Care Personnel
Please review this post vaccine workflow, specifically developed for health care personnel (HCP) recently vaccinated. This document provides guidance for the management of health care personnel who may have developed a local (mild, moderate, or severe) or systemic reaction, along with return to work guidelines.
Extension of Policy to Waive Out-Of-Pocket Costs for Treatment of COVID-19
Kaiser Permanente is extending its policy to waive member out-of-pocket costs for inpatient and outpatient services when treating COVID-19 through at least March 31, 2021, or as long as the ongoing national public health emergency lasts. Members who are diagnosed with COVID-19 will not have to pay co-pays or other cost-share related to their medical care and treatment of COVID-19, even if they must stay in the hospital.
Visit the COVID-19 InfoSource page to find more information about the policy update.
Weekly KPNW COVID-19 Trends
From KPNW researchers, scientists, and physicians, presented December 18:
- Anticipated surge timing: We anticipate another increase around the December holidays, with gatherings, travel and returning college students. We expect additional surges through late January (with higher hospitalization census possibly into mid-Feb. 2021).
- Internal hospital census for KPNW appears stable since last week, but the numbers do not account for Covid-19 patients in KP@Home program. The hospital census for Oregon has decreased; trends vary by region.
- Internal hospital census (ADC) weekly average was stable from last week to this week (50.0 to 50.3). ADC forecast for this week is 55 by Dec 24 (w. error). We forecast a slight increasing trend but that may increase more rapidly after the holidays.
- ICU use is up in December compared with November. As of December 17, ICU census was 28% of hospital census, compared with 9% in November.
- KPNW COVID+ cases weekly average was down 14% from last week (182) to this week (157). Forecast for this week is 163 cases by Dec 24 (w. error).
Words from Our Members
“I had heard stories about the long wait times when going to urgent. This was not true in my case. The check-in staff were very kind and concerned about my situation. The imaging tech went above and beyond to keep me comfortable during the X-ray. I appreciated how I was treated by all the staff considering the stress they are dealing with COVID-19. Thank you!”
Situation Update
Note: we are working to revise the situation table to ensure it captures the most relevant, timely information. Look for a refreshed format soon.
