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COVID-19 Updates & Resources

OCMS is working quickly to update this information as quickly as possible, however this may not always be the latest info.

Oklahoma Blood Institute will be collecting convalescent plasma

The Oklahoma Blood Institute will be collecting convalescent plasma from donors who have recovered from COVID-19, part of an experimental initiative to use the product to treat seriously ill patients. If you know donors who have recovered from COVID-19, direct them to my.bio-linked.org where they can register as a potential volunteer for medical research.

Coronavirus in Oklahoma: Infectious Disease Expert Estimates 5,000 Oklahomans Infected with COVID-19

The number of Oklahomans who have tested positive for the coronavirus rose to 481 Monday, but the total number of Oklahomans who have been infected is likely closer to 5,000, an infectious disease expert at OU Medicine said Monday. Dr. Douglas Drevets said COVID-19 is continuing to spread in Oklahoma, but declined to speculate on when the virus might peak.

CARES Act summary

The following link is an update to the CARES Act summary. As mentioned in our original summary, small businesses, including physician practices, with no more than 500 employees are eligible to apply for the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) section 7(a) Payroll Protection Program. The bill includes another provision that affects small businesses by providing that small businesses with more than one physical location are eligible for each location as long as it has no more than 500 employees per physical location. The updated summary is available at: https://www.ama-assn.org/system/files/2020-03/summary-H.R.%20748-cares-act.pdf.

Get the AMA Physician’s Guide to COVID-19

Physician’s Guide to COVID-19Download

OSDH + DLO Partnership

The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) today announced it has entered into a new public-private partnership with Diagnostic Labs of Oklahoma (DLO) to increase the State of Oklahoma’s capacity for delivering results for COVID-19 tests. As a result of the new partnership, more than 300 test specimens were immediately shipped Thursday to DLO’s facility in Dallas, Texas, for results within the next couple days.

OSMA Talks Hosted By Larry Bookman, MD – COVID-19 Updates with Gov. Stitt

View Video: OSMA Talks Hosted By Larry Bookman, MD – COVID-19 Updates with Gov. Stitt

CDC Asks Providers Prioritize Urgent/Emergency Visits and Procedures for Several Weeks

The following actions can preserve staff, personal protective equipment, and patient care supplies; ensure staff and patient safety; and expand available hospital capacity during the COVID-19 pandemic:

  • Delay all elective ambulatory provider visits
  • Reschedule elective and non-urgent admissions
  • Delay inpatient and outpatient elective surgical and procedural cases
  • Postpone routine dental and eyecare visits

Notification of Enforcement Discretion for Telehealth Remote Communications

During the COVID-19 national emergency covered health care providers subject to the HIPAA Rules may seek to communicate with patients, and provide telehealth services, through remote communications technologies. Some of these technologies, and the manner in which they are used by HIPAA covered health care providers, may not fully comply with the requirements of the HIPAA Rules. 

Steps Healthcare Facilities Can Take Now

  • Stay informed about the local COVID-19 situation.
  • Develop, or review, your facility’s emergency plan.
  • Establish relationships with key healthcare and public health partners in your community.
  • Create an emergency contact list

Severe Outcomes Among Patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019

March 18, 2020 – Early data from China suggest that a majority of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) deaths have occurred among adults aged ≥60 years and among persons with serious underlying health conditions.

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