May 25, 2021
In today’s update, you will find important information, including:
- A Return to Normalcy and Safety: Why I Got the Vaccine
- Join Today’s Live Audio Broadcast
- Changes in Symptom Screening, Greeter Program Start May 27
- Now Available: Digital, Printable COVID-19 Vaccine Cards
- Avoiding COVID-19 Vaccine Errors
- Homebound Vaccination Program Reaches Goal, Closes Soon
- Same Day/Next Day Pharmacy Delivery Service
A Return to Normalcy and Safety: Why I Got the Vaccine
The opportunity to protect his multigenerational family and colleagues was at the forefront of Terry Dang’s decision to get vaccinated.
“I felt it was my responsibility to take every precaution to protect my family,” Terry said. “I would not be able to live with myself if something were to happen to them, knowing that I had an opportunity to prevent them from getting sick or dying.” Read more here.
Join Today’s Live Audio Broadcast
Tune in today for our LIVE audio broadcast, starting at 12:10 p.m. Topics on the agenda include:
- Welcome & Community Update | Dr. Mary Giswold
- KP Vaccine Update | Dr. Eric Warshaw
- Clinical Vaccine Update | Dr. Katie Sharff
- Mental Health |Dr. Han Liang
- Closing Comments | Wendy Watson
https://sparkstreetdigital.zoom.us/j/91660184663 (Audio only)
Dial In: +1 669 900 9128 Webinar ID: 916 6018 4663
Or iPhone one-tap: +16699009128,,91660184663#
Changes in Symptom Screening, Greeter Program Start May 27
CDC and state health department guidance continues to evolve as our country recovers from the pandemic. Starting May 27, we are implementing the following changes at all medical and dental offices:
- Active temperature checks will no longer be taken at medical and dental office entrances for patients and visitors.
- Patients will be encouraged to take their temperature at home prior to coming in for visits via kp.org and text message reminders.
- Active temperature checks will continue to be taken at entrances to hospitals and ambulatory surgical center locations as this remains a requirement by CMS.
- Symptom screening for patients and visitors at all member-facing entrances will be done via self-report
- New signage will be delivered to all KPNW medical and dental offices for installation at member-facing entrances this week.
- At hospitals and ambulatory surgical center locations, registration representatives or greeters will continue to ask symptom screening questions at member-facing entrances.
- All patients and visitors, regardless of COVID-19 vaccination status, must continue to wear a mask at all times in all KP facilities.
- A new “remember your mask” campaign is rolling out, starting this week. Door decals, exam room posters, staff buttons, and hand sanitizer signage inserts will follow.
- Masks will be available for self-service at cover-your-cough stations.
- The greeter program will conclude at medical offices this week. (The greeter program ended earlier at dental offices.) Greeters/registration staff/screeners will continue to provide active screening at hospitals and ASC locations.
- Temporary visitors’ restrictions put in place during COVID-19 outbreak will be lifted at medical and dental offices. Members will be encouraged to be accompanied only by people who are essential for support. The policy posted in the KP Policy Library will be revised and posted later this week.
Now Available: Digital, Printable COVID-19 Vaccine Cards
When patients request copies of their COVID-19 vaccine card, you can generate one on-demand – right from HealthConnect. Use .COVIDVACCINECARD to add it to the After-Visit Summary or use COVID VACCINE CARD LTR NW to generate a letter, which is printable from kp.org. Just make sure Covid-19 vaccines are reconciled so they appear on the digital card.
To reconcile outside vaccines, see the article on Reconciling Outside Immunizations in What’s New in HealthConnect.
Avoiding COVID-19 Vaccine Errors
Our goal is to administer the COVID-19 vaccine safely to every patient. While administration errors are rare, it’s important to know what to do if one occurs. Examples of errors include events such as wrong dose of vaccine, wrong brand of vaccine, or wrong age of vaccine recipient.
If an error occurs, review it, document both a SERS and VAERS, and provide information to the patient or guardian on the next steps based on CDC guidance. Please review this practice resource on Avoiding or Remediating COVID-19 Vaccine Errors.
Member Questions & Answers – COVID-19 Vaccine Topic
Member Q&A documents are continually updated and posted on the COVID-19 Northwest resource page. Today’s update includes a topic you may be hearing about in the news:
(#40) Q: I heard something about heart problems in young people after COVID-19 vaccination. Is it safe for young people to get vaccinated? A: Kaiser Permanente is aware of CDC monitoring for rare occurrences of myocarditis/pericarditis after COVID-19 vaccination. Along with the CDC, we continue to recommend COVID-19 vaccination for people 12 years and older. Click here to read more and view the latest vaccine Q&A document.
Homebound Vaccination Program Reaches Goal, Closes Soon
The homebound vaccination program closed to requests Monday in Washington and will close June 4 in Oregon. The closure is due to success! KP Northwest’s Continuum of Care team has contacted 1,421 KP patients by phone in 2021 and provided 800 in-home vaccinations in Oregon and Southwest Washington. These results meet the program goal of contacting all KP homebound patients to offer COVID vaccines.
If you have a patient who could benefit from COVID-19 vaccination at home, please message P HOMEBOUND VACCINE REQUEST MSG POOL (18084) by June 4. With questions, contact Anna Riedel at anna.l.riedel@kp.org.
Same Day/Next Day Pharmacy Delivery Service
We are very excited to inform you that our Same Day/Next Day delivery service is now available at all KP pharmacy locations. Please see information below to help you answer members questions regarding this service.
What are the benefits of Same Day and Next Day Deliveries?
Member saves time. No driving to the pharmacy. (Always promote mail order as first option.)
What are the requirements?
Prescription must be new or have a refill available at the time of order. For same day deliveries, address must be within 10 miles of one of our pharmacy locations. Next day deliveries are available to most areas in Washington and Oregon. A valid credit card, including FSA cards, must be used for payment.
What medications are excluded from Same Day and Next Day Deliveries?
Compounded medications and over the counter (OTC) products.
Is there a charge for the service?
Members will be charged their normal prescription copays, plus a delivery fee; mail order copays do not apply. This is not a part of (or covered by) any benefit plans. It is an optional service for an additional fee. COVID suspected or positive members will not be charged a delivery fee. Continue using the current process for COVID orders. Patient must contact pharmacy to confirm address.
KPNW COVID-19 Trends
From KPNW researchers, scientists, and physicians, effective May 24. Based on review of internal trends and external considerations our findings are:
- OR/WA is slowly emerging from the latest surge; based on reported cases infection rate is now below the 1.0 threshold and dropping (R0=0.86), but census remains stubbornly consistent to date.
- New cases have been dropping; hospital census still appears to be on a plateau with some short-term variability but is likely to begin a slow decline in the near term.
- Some observations suggest that individuals may be currently less likely to be tested when symptomatic, leading to dropping reported cases, but consistent hospitalizations.
- The situation is likely to improve over the medium- to long-term, although the descent from the surge will be gradual through the summer to a lower, but not zero, level of disease.
- Internal hospital census (ADC) weekly average was up 3% from last week to this week (25.9 to 26.7). Census was 25 on May 23. ADC forecast for this week is 29 by May 27 (w. error).
- Internal ICU census weekly average was up 13% from last week to this week (6.4 to 7.3). Internal ICU had 7 patients on May 23. ICU patients were 28% of COVID+ internal hospital census on May 23.
- KPNW COVID+ weekly average of daily cases was down 20% from last week to this week (70 to 56). Case count forecast is 48 by May 27 (w. error).
Vaccination Quick Facts
Here is a snapshot of the most current vaccination data as of May 10. Visit the newly enhanced COVID-19 Quick Facts Dashboard for up-to-date, key data on the virus and vaccines. (NOTE: We can now track targeted efforts underway to improve vaccination rates within certain ethnic/racial groups to see if they are effective. A new graph in the demographic view shows race/ethnic groups and compares their vaccination rates to those of whites over time. Select a specific age group or all ages combined. The new graph reveals some promising results!)
Weekly Testing Turnaround Times
The average routine COVID-19 testing turnaround time (TAT) for the week of May 18 to May 23 is 18 hours. Member communications, including kp.org and call center scripts, inform members that TAT is usually within 24-48 hours so they can plan accordingly for travel.
Words from Our Members
“I really like Kaiser Permanente. I’ve been using Kaiser since I came to the United States almost ten years ago. I really want to thank everyone who works at Kaiser and who always supports me and provides advice for my health. I really want to thank all the doctors and nurses who helped me when I had a really hard time with COVID-19. I will recommend Kaiser to everyone because it is very good.”