One of New York's largest health systems marshaled a range of resources and expertise to cope with the spring coronavirus surge. With coronavirus hospitalizations surging nationwide this fall, healthcare leaders can benefit from the lessons learned in the country's first COVID-19 epicenter in New York. The resiliency of Manhattan, New York-based Northwell Health was tested in dire circumstances during the spring coronavirus surge. The health system, which features 23 hospitals and 800 ambulatory sites, treated about 20,000 hospitalized COVID-19 patients during the spring surge, says Mark Jarrett, MD, MBA, senior vice president, chief quality officer, and deputy chief medical officer at Northwell.

This year has been brutal on many levels, especially in healthcare. There’s the coronavirus pandemic. The cold and snow of winter, the broiling heat of summer, the fury of hurricanes and wildfires, earthquakes and riots. And now finally Election Day and its aftermath, which promises at least extended stress during the vote counting and at worst, civil unrest.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued respiratory protection guidance for assisted living, nursing home, and other long-term care facilities. The guidance focuses on the use of respirators while emphasizing a primary reliance upon engineering and administrative controls for controlling exposures, consistent with good industrial hygiene practice and the agency’s traditional adherence to the “hierarchy of controls.”

With the coronavirus pandemic heightening the focus on patient care, we’re highlighting patient safety in hospitals. A top way to avoid unnecessary complications and deaths is to work on preventing blood clots—or venous thromboembolisms (VTE). Every year, 350,000 to 600,000 people are affected by VTE, which encompasses deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE).

Q: When an employee completes the OSHA Respirator Medical Evaluation Questionnaire (Appendix C to section 1910.134) and answers yes to one or more of the questions, they need a medical evaluation performed by a “physician or licensed healthcare professional.” Who in the organization does these medical examinations—physicians, advanced practice providers (APP), registered nurses (RN)? If it is an RN, should there be standing orders in place for any additional testing that may be indicated?

The Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program (HFAP), the oldest CMS-approved hospital accreditation program in the nation, has merged with the Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC) in a move designed to expand both organizations’ reach in the compliance world.