As COVID-19 spread through communities—such as is happening in Washington state—home health agencies are prioritizing ways to keep clients and workers safe. Among their recommendations:
- Check with vendors/suppliers about the continued availability of masks, hand sanitizer, medications, and other items.
- Review your current emergency response plans and personnel policies and update them to address possible COVID-19 outbreaks.
- Plan for worker shortages, cross-training staff, and developing family contingency plans.
- Keep calm and model this behavior for others.
Elsewhere, the U.S. Senate has approved a bill that will provide $8.3 billion in emergency funds to help mitigate the effects of COVID-19. In addition to funding, the bill makes changes to telehealth statuses, potentially enabling providers to rely more on telehealth services and get reimbursed for them.
