March 25, 2021
In today’s update, you will find important information, including:
- Vaccine Audio Broadcast Recording and Summary
- Vaccine Update: Eligibility Expands
- Celebrating 100 Days of COVID-19 Vaccine
- Increasing Vaccine Confidence
- Coming Soon: COVID-19 Vaccinations in Our Clinics/MOBS
Vaccine Audio Broadcast Recording and Summary
Thank you to all who were able to join yesterday’s live audio broadcast. To get the latest projections on vaccine allocations, learn when to expect herd immunity in the Northwest, prepare for vaccinations in our clinics, and get vaccine updates:
- Listen to the audio recording (password: kpnw2021). Use the timestamps to listen to or review key information with your team. Topics discussed on March 23:
- Welcome and Community Update | Dr. Mary Giswold (00:00 – 02:20)
- Vaccine Surge Planning | Dr. Eric Warshaw andMichelle Teeples (02:21 – 17:09)
- Clinical Vaccine Updates | Dr. Katie Sharff (17:10 – 30:19)
- Clinical Trials Update | Dr. Steve Fortmann (30:20 – 33:31)
- Q&A | All (33:32 – 42:35)
- Close | Wendy Watson (42:36 – 44:27)
- Review a summary of the March 23 discussion.
Our next scheduled live audio broadcast is April 13.In the meantime, submit your questions to the COVID19NW@kp.org mailbox.
Vaccine Update: Eligibility Expands
Vaccine eligibility is expanding to new groups in Oregon and Washington. To learn the latest:
Oregon: Phase 1B, Group 6 Eligible no later than March 29, 2021. More info is available at Oregon Health Authority.
Washington: On March 31, individuals who meet the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) Phase 1B Tier 3 and Tier 4 eligibility criteria can be vaccinated along with individuals who meet Phase 1A and Phase 1B Tier 1 and Tier 2 criteria. See this timeline.
Celebrating 100 Days of COVID-19 Vaccine
On December 14, 2020, our nation received an injection of hope: The first vaccine doses were administered in the United States. Get the KP story and video on About KP: 100 days of life with COVID-19 vaccines.
If you want to share on social media, use these links:
Increasing Vaccine Confidence
To reach herd immunity, we can all do our part to address vaccine hesitancy and help instill confidence. Here’s how: lead with empathy, provide transparency, normalize questions, and deliver the key messages:
- Safe and effective vaccines are here. It’s OK if you still have questions.
- All of the COVID-19 vaccines are lifesaving, safe, and free to you.
- Vaccination is the last piece of protection we need to put the pandemic behind us.
Coming Soon: COVID-19 Vaccinations in Our Clinics/MOBs
We are preparing to vaccinate patients coming into our medical offices soon – dependent on vaccine allocation by the state and federal governments. In addition, 5 MOBs will be hubs for members and non-members who are a focus for targeted outreach: North Lancaster, Chase Gardens in Eugene, Rockwood, Mount Talbert, and Westside Medical Specialties.
You’ll soon receive Information to answer questions and help guide KP members and patients.
All RNs, MAs, and LPNs ought to complete online training to give shots.
Thank you to Ruthie Burrell, Jennifer Seely, Trevor Franklin, and all the building managers for getting this off the ground.
Timing of COVID-19 Vaccine in Relation to Other Vaccines
The CDC recommends that the COVID-19 vaccines should be routinely administered alone with a minimum interval of 14 days before or after administration with other vaccines. However, there are situations where a shorter interval may be needed. New guidance outlines timing of COVID-19 vaccines in relationship to other vaccines and discusses recommendations for the patient discharging from the hospital. NWP Administration of COVID-19 vaccine with other Vaccinations (3/18/21).
COVID-19 Vaccine Can Impact Screening Mammography
Following certain vaccines (including COVID-19), swelling of the lymph nodes under the arm may occur. This swelling is a sign the body is actively building up protection against infection as intended. Even though swollen lymph nodes may be a normal response after vaccination, it may also be a sign of other disease including cancer. If swollen lymph nodes are present during a mammogram, they often require additional imaging for evaluation.
Based on the above information, screening mammography is recommended before the first COVID-19 vaccination or 4-6 weeks after the second vaccination as applicable. It is important to note that this is a recommendation and not a requirement. Patients can decide to schedule their screening mammogram at any time.
An update to the scheduling questionnaire will be implemented to inform members at time of scheduling and reduce the potential for last-minute appointment cancellations. Kp.org has already been updated with this information. If you schedule mammograms on Epic, you will soon notice a new question within the scheduling questionnaire that will serve as a reminder to schedulers to inform the member of this information before the appointment is made.
KPNW Superhero Award Winners
Individual Award: Akiko Betcher, Community-Clinic Integrator
In response to the recent dramatic increase of acts of racism against Asians and Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders, Akiko Betcher has been a key member of a national Community Health team that partnered with the Kaiser Permanente Asian Pacific Islander Association to respond to a request from Greg Adams to take bold action.Read more.
Team Award: Logistics – Transportation, Distribution / Sterile Instrument Processing / Sunnyside Sterile Processing
It takes a village! During the mid-February winter storm, the Sunnyside Medical Center (SMC) Sterile Processing department could not use their sterilizers because the facility’s boilers and pumps were either down or at capacity supplying heat to the hospital. The Sunnyside Sterile Processing, Sterile Instrument Processing, and Logistics – Transportation, Distribution teams worked seamlessly together to ensure trays were sterilized and available. Read more.
The KPNW Superhero Award celebrates this excellence by recognizing the creative and collaborative ways your teammates support our company, our members, and community. Help spread the word! Post the KPNW Superhero Award flier in break rooms, and wherever teams gather for meetings / huddles and nominate your hero today!
New! Changes to Quick Facts
We’re enhancing Quick Facts to bring you the most up-to-date, key data. Some of the changes:
- Reporting on Johnson & Johnson single dose vaccinations.
- Transitioning from reporting dose 1 and dose 2 vaccination rates and counts to reporting prime and series complete vaccination rates and counts (Johnson & Johnson single dose vaccinations are accounted for under the series complete).
- Added capability to view vaccination rates jointly in aggregate by race/ethnicity AND age band. For example, you can now compare rates among racial/ethnic groups for all members 65 and over. Soon, you’ll also be able to drill down into the race/ethnicity aggregation.
Here is a snapshot of the most current vaccination data as of 3/24. For more information, visit the COVID-19 Quick Facts Dashboard or see the attached PDF.
