HHS updates

I suggest that you advise your lab partners and direct them to the CDC and Confluence sites for additional information. It becomes unmanageable for us/you to keep everyone updated since this has and will continue to change. The CDC is attempting to communicate with all labs as well and has offered various webex’s on the topic so each lab will need to stay informed by reaching out to these resources.

Connie Ganz | Health Section Administrator I
PUBLIC HEALTH
Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services
OFFICE: 402-471-0147
DHHS.ne.gov<http://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/default.aspx> | Facebook<https://www.facebook.com/NEDHHS/> | Twitter<https://twitter.com/NEDHHS> | LinkedIn<https://www.linkedin.com/company/nebraska-department-of-health-and-human-services>

This is such an evolving issue with CDC having daily and multiple meetings. I suggest that you continue to monitor the CDC and Confluence websites for updates. The CDC was planning to do additional communication today and may have done so as I am very far behind in reading all my emails.

Connie Ganz | Health Section Administrator I
PUBLIC HEALTH
Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services
OFFICE: 402-471-0147
DHHS.ne.gov<http://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/default.aspx> | Facebook<https://www.facebook.com/NEDHHS/> | Twitter<https://twitter.com/NEDHHS> | LinkedIn<https://www.linkedin.com/company/nebraska-department-of-health-and-human-services>

Please pace yourself: you are a critical asset. It’s hard for all of us to keep the throttle at the right place where we don’t get overwhelmed.

Thanks for all you’re doing: I am proud to call myself your co-worker!!!

☺

Tom

Tom Safranek, M.D.
State Epidemiologist
Division of Public Health
Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services
301 Centennial Mall, Lincoln, NE 68509
MAIN LINE: 402-471-2937 DIRECT: 402-471-0550 CELL: 402-440-5729
DHHS.ne.gov<http://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/default.aspx> | Facebook<https://www.facebook.com/NEDHHS/> | Twitter<https://twitter.com/NEDHHS> | LinkedIn<https://www.linkedin.com/company/nebraska-department-of-health-and-human-services>

Thank you. We are all trying to do the best we can with these HHS requirements but it will take time to implement them all.
I appreciate your support.
Julie

Julie Luepke
IT Systems Analyst | Shared Implementation Services
Laboratory, Pathology & Extramural Applications
Phone: 904-953-2178 Internal: (78)3-2178
Fax: 904-953-2339
Email: luepke.julie@mayo.edu
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Here are a few updates below. Nothing has been cleared fast enough. We’re very sorry we couldn’t get clearance to send this morning…we tried. Our message was ready last night.

We have removed the “AOE” question section from our website. We recognize that it was causing anxiety and confusion. The Laboratory Outreach Communication System (LOCs) message is still in clearance and hopefully will go out tonight. It emphasizes that laboratories should “make every reasonable effort” and prioritize reporting of the 18 required data elements. Here is quote from it:

“As outlined in the HHS guidance<https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/covid-19-laboratory-data-reporting-guidance.pdf,> beginning Saturday, August 1, 2020, laboratories and other testing sites should make every reasonable effort to report the following required data elements:

· Test ordered – use harmonized LOINC codes provided by CDC

· Device Identifier

· Test result – use appropriate LOINC and SNOMED codes, as defined by the Laboratory In Vitro Diagnostics (LIVD) Test Code Mapping for SARS-CoV-2 Tests provided by CDC

· Test result date

· Accession number/Specimen ID

· Patient age

· Patient race

· Patient ethnicity

· Patient sex

· Patient residence zip code

· Patient residence county

· Ordering provider name and NPI (as applicable)

· Ordering provider zip

· Performing facility name and/or CLIA number, if known

· Performing facility zip code

· Specimen source - use appropriate LOINC, SNOMED-CT, or SPM4 codes, or equivalently detailed alternative codes

· Date test ordered

· Date specimen collected


Once the required data elements are being collected and transmitted to public health authorities as specified in the guidance, testing sites should make every reasonable effort to collect and report additional requested data elements. Laboratories and testing sites should collaborate with healthcare providers to collect the required and additional data elements.”



Below are a few updated links. We will be making a final update to our website after the LOCS message is cleared. We will also make a few final tweaks to the HHS table of data elements they posted.

CDC website

* https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/lab/reporting-lab-data.html

HHS website

* https://www.hhs.gov/answers/is-additional-information-including-technical-specifications-available-to-support-laboratories-with-implementation/index.html (links to the confluence site)
* https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/hhs-guidance-implementation.pdf (there are a couple items that need to be fixed on this table)

AMA released a news story to their members

* Physicians have role in the new COVID-19 lab reporting requirements<https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/public-health/physicians-have-role-new-covid-19-lab-reporting-requirements>

We conducted 6 conference calls this week with clinical professional organizations to promote and discuss the role of healthcare providers in data collection.

Please let me know if you have any questions! Thank you for your patience and your ongoing collaboration!


Jason

I just posted another update in response to John’s earlier post. It includes a quote in the LOCS message that will then go on CDC’s website. Our apologies for not getting this out this morning. We tried but clearance just doesn’t move that fast.


Jason

Carmen,
if you can provide the UDI / serial number then you can send that in OBX-18. OBX-17 repeats, so from a message building perspective you should be able to support both use cases (I understand the LAbCorp system may not be able to, just wanted to let you know that).

I wish you had said something about this when we were first discussing this.

Riki

Yes, 2.3.1, and we do report NTEs. I like Rikki’s idea of repeating so I am going to try to go that route. Concern would still be for the state to be able to continue to extract the test method. Very much want to be consistent with other labs if at all possible so least amount of work on extracting the data from the state’s perspective.
Carmen