February 9, 2021
In today’s update, you will find important information, including:
- Today’s Live Audio Broadcast
- Vaccination Updates
- Vaccinations by the Numbers
- A Big Thank You to Dr. Sharff!
- Weekly Testing Turnaround Times
- KPNW COVID-19 Trends
Today’s Live Audio Broadcast | Get the Latest COVID-19 Updates
Join us today at 12:10 p.m. for a KPNW LIVE audio broadcast. The agenda will include:
- Situation Update for KPNW and States of OR and WA | Dr. Mary Giswold
- Vaccine Distribution Overview | Junior Lyman
- Vaccinating Seniors | Dr. Eric Warshaw
- Vaccinating Educators | Wendy Watson
- Clinical Vaccine Update | Dr. Katie Sharff
- Recap and Recognition | Wendy Watson
https://sparkstreetdigital.zoom.us/j/91660184663 (Audio only) Dial In: +1 669 900 9128 Webinar ID: 916 6018 4663. If you’re unable to join, a recording will be provided on Wednesday.
Vaccination Updates
- Setting Expectations for 80 and Older in Oregon: Many of us are getting questions from patients, members, and families regarding the next group eligible for the vaccine – 80 and older. Here is what we’re doing to help based, as always, on vaccine supply:
- Eligibility began February 8. Seniors in Group 2 (people 80 and older) are eligible to receive the vaccine. Most doses allocated this week for them (4,450) will be directed to the OHSU PDX drive-thru vaccine clinic. The Oregon Convention Center will also be an option; about 1,000 doses are allocated this week for seniors at the OCC.
- The Oregon Health Authority provide a new tool at covidvaccine.Oregon.gov called Get Vaccinated Oregon. This tool will allow people to determine if they are currently eligible for a vaccine and register to get email alerts or text notifications when they become eligible. Once users are eligible to be vaccinated, this tool will help them to find vaccine events in their area. Using this tool does not guarantee users a specific “spot in line.” This tool will be open to all Oregonians.
To find out if they are eligible and where they can get vaccinated, Oregonians should do one of the following:
- Visit covidvaccine.Oregon.gov
- Text ORCOVID to 898211
- Email ORCOVID@211info.org
- Call 211 or 1-866-698-6155
- (TTY: dial 711 or call 1-866-698-6155)
Watch: Our Public Relations team worked with KGW to help seniors understand what to expect when scheduling an appointment and waiting to get the vaccine. Click to watch the story.
- Second Dose Vaccine Appointments
- Patients who received a first dose COVID-19 vaccine from KP in the quad-county Portland area and have not received an email or text about how to schedule a second dose appointment, should call KP at 1-800-813-2000.
- The same provider (e.g., KP, Salem Health, Providence, etc.) needs to provide a patient both their first and second dose. Why? Public Health allocates second doses to the provider who distributed the first dose. That provider also maintains the health record.
- Salem Area Update: KPNW is partnering with county health departments to support vaccinating community members. Vaccine supply is limited. We are administering vaccinations to appointed community members within OHA guidelines at the North Lancaster medical office. All appointments are filled for this week.
- Transportation Assistance for Members: We recognize that suitable transportation access, a key social determinant of health, can be a challenge for many of our members, and some members have expressed concern with transportation to vaccination appointments. If you are working with a member who needs assistance with transportation, our Population Health teams are here to help!
For those in care delivery, please submit a “low complexity” IR Care Management referral in KPHC (job aid attached); for those outside of care delivery, the number to our Resource Access Center teams (bilingual flyer) can be provided to members.
Additional transportation assistance for the OCC COVID vaccination site and regional resources. Transportation-related attachments will be posted on the COVID-19-NW page this afternoon under ‘Members and Customers.’
Vaccinations by the Numbers
Check out the new design and information posted on the COVID-19 Quick Facts Dashboard. Below is a piece of the new dashboard tracking vaccination information.
A Big Thank You to Dr. Sharff!
Katie Sharff, MD, NWP infectious diseases physician and the COVID-19 vaccine lead, has been an incredible resource over the last months — both internally, within KP, and externally, in the broader community. Despite how busy she is, she is always game for sharing information and doing interviews (nearly 30 since May) — and she’s become a trusted source for local new sources reporting on COVID-19 and the vaccine. They keep coming back to request interviews because they know she’ll do a great job. Kudos, Katie!
Weekly Testing Turnaround Times
Average routine TAT for week of January 31 to February 6 was 17 hours. Member communications, including kp.org and call center scripts, will continue to inform members that TAT could be 48 to 72 hours so they can plan accordingly for travel.
KPNW COVID-19 Trends
From KPNW researchers, scientists, and physicians, presented February 5:
- OR/WA still in a good position with a decreasing outbreak.
- We are watching and tracking on the potential for all identified new variants so that we can take account of variants’ increased transmissibility and potential differences in morbidity and/or mortality.
- Longer term forecasts have much uncertainty due to new variants, slow roll-out of vaccines, fear/fatigue cycles, and potential re-opening of society, schools, economy.
- Internal hospital census (ADC) weekly average was down 20% from last week to this week (28 to 22). Census was 21 on February 3. Decline is slowing; last week’s rate drop was 24%. ADC forecast for this week is 16 by February 10 (w. error).
- ICU use rate is up slightly. Last week’s rate was 20%. Monthly averages were 22% in December and 13% in January. There were 4 patients in the ICU internally on February 3
- KPNW COVID+ weekly average of daily cases was down 12% from last week to this week (91 to 81). Forecast is 79 cases by February 10 (w. error). Decline is increasing; last week’s rate was 2%.
Words from Our Members
“Dr. Lin is engaged and compassionate. She was very kind and solved my problem quickly. The lobby was very attentive to COVID-19 safety protocols and my appointment was quick and easy to make. Thank you. This is how a hospital should work.”