COVID 19: New and Updated Information and Resources
NJAASC has curated authoritative information and a list of resources for our Membership’s reference. We will continue to update this as more information becomes available.
 
PAST COVID E-BLAST HAVE BEEN ARCHIVED DUE TO SPACE RESTRAINTS AND TO KEEP THINGS CURRENT.
 
TO VIEW PREVIOUS E-BLASTS, CLICK HERE

 
IMPORTANT NEW GUIDANCE FROM NJDOH & CDS ON HCW EXPOSURE
 
CENTERS SHOULD CHECK THE CDS WEBSITE FREQUENTLY FROM NOW ON!
 
New guidance was posted on the CDS website on 10/30/20. It contained some very important new information, notably on contact tracing.
ASCs should have a process for including contact tracing as part of center policy.
Contained within is a fantastic algorithm, to help centers understand their responsibilities when a case occurs.
In discussion with DOH, you MUST contact the LHD in the locale of the center (not the exposed person) if an exposure occurs- per the algorithm.
Thus every case that occurs does not necessarily (probably in most instances) mean an exposure and hence calling LHD, patient notification etc. 
 
To make things easy, we have the algorithm separate, the second article of the News.


CDS ALGORITHM TO DETERMINE EXPOSURE AND WHAT FURTHER ACTION NEEDS TO BE TAKEN
Please find here the CDS Algorithm to determine what action needs to be taken with each case.
As you can see it is fairly simple to understand and follow.
Only if an exposure is determined per the algorithm, will a center need to contact their LHD and patients.
Per NJDOH centers will inform patients that the LDH will be contacting them and to please cooperate.

We suggest you print this out and place it in your COVID -19 binder.


HOSPITALS ON DIVERT

Q: So if the hospital a center has their transfer agreement with goes on divert, the center may not perform cases?
A: think that we had asked the center to check with the hospitals. Diverts change constantly. I think we wanted the centers to have ongoing communication with the hospitals to understand capacity. Some hospitals may tell them that they have no way to receive their patients… we would expect the centers at that time to find alternate arrangements or lower the volume of procedures.
 
This is all spelled out in the executive order:
. Ambulatory Surgical Centers are Eligible to Resume Elective Surgeries and
Invasive Procedures, Based Upon Current or Potential Capacity
 
  • Ambulatory surgery centers can resume procedures based on the following capacity data on the date of each procedure from at least one hospital that the facility has a transfer agreement with as required in iv.d. below, provided that at least one such transfer hospital:
 
 
 
 
  • Hospitalizations;
 
  • Intensive Care Unit (ICU)/Critical Care utilization;
 
  • Medical Surgical bed utilization; and
  • Ventilator utilization.

NJAASC IS ALWAYS WORKING HAND-IN-HAND WITH THE DEPARTMENT 

NJAASC is always working with NJDOH on any number of issues that affect ASCs in New Jersey. Currently the return with a vengeance of COVID is topping that list. We are in discussion with DOH, the Governors Office and the Legislature to try to insure that elective surgery will not (again) be curtailed.

The attached letter was just received in the mail by NJAASC though it is almost two months old! That said, it points to what I have been saying all along- that NJAASC and NJDOH have a fantastic working partnership and not only do they seek our advice, but they do not make any important decisions without first consulting us.

NJAASC PRESIDENT JEFF SHANTON INTERVIEWED BY ROI-NJ


DELAYS IN ONBOARDING USERS TO CDRSS
I have received e-mails and calls from centers who are doing their own testing and reporting and onboarding with CDRSS, about the lack of response.
Below see answer to my query:
 
We realize that there have been significant delays regarding onboarding of users to CDRSS. The Department is working on a tech solution that aims to simplify the reporting process.
 
In the meantime, there are no plans to fine/shutdown centers that are making good faith efforts to comply.
 
Edward Lifshitz, MD, FACP
Medical Director
Infectious and Zoonotic Disease Program
Communicable Disease Service

Questions? Contact Jeff Shanton at jshanton@jssurgctr.com