Aloha Members,

The community appreciates all that you are doing to serve as the “frontline” against the current pandemic.

In an effort to maintain robust communication without overwhelming, we will continue to focus our Weekly Alerts on COVID-19 information. However, starting tomorrow, we will launch an EHI COVID-19 web page to organize resources for easier navigation. Visit the page here and enter the password “2020IPAEHI” –  let us know if you need help keeping this link on your desktop for quick reference. Contact Jo at jvitales@ehiipa.com. There is so much information and we thought a “one-stop” site would be helpful.

GENERAL COVID-19 UPDATES

*NEW* Hawai‘i Department of Health COVID-19 Updates   Log into hawaiicovid19.com and sign up to receive updates at health.hawaii.gov/updates. Here is a direct link to the DOH Medical Advisories. EHI’s recommended COVID-19 guidelines are here. We welcome suggestions regarding what information is most useful.

*NEW* Quiet Heroes Fighting on the Pandemic Frontline   Attached is an article about our IPA providers has been distributed to the media and community. We are asking the community for donations of PPE. The IPA ordered face shields and standard face masks (not N-95) for practices in need. Please contact Jo at jvitales@ehiipa.com or 808-797-3113 if you would like to be placed on a list to receive these items.

Hilo Medical Centers 5-Stage COVID-19 Management Plan   Hilo Medical Center reports that they are currently in Stage 2 of their 5-Stage COVID-19 Management Plan. They are preparing for Stage 3 where care provided at their facility manages Community Spread infections. This process includes continuous recruiting for emergency hire positions to ensure their staffing meets current and future needs, as well as requesting donations for medical grade PPE.

Hilo Medical Center (HMC) Asking for Provider Volunteers   HMC has detailed plans in place to respond to the COVID-19 crisis. HMC will not have enough licensed providers to handle the anticipated flood of patients requiring hospitalization. They need to rely on our network of independent community providers. We shared with HMC that our provider members are currently on the front line, managing patients to keep them out of the hospital and ER as much as possible, helping them postpone elective procedures and providing invaluable education. Our goal is to help prevent a tsunami of cases from ever reaching the hospital and keeping our providers and staff healthy and safe so we are available to serve the community. Attached is a letter asking physicians to sign up and applicable forms (here, here, here, and here). Compensation and insurance are available for anyone who chooses to serve. If you are interested in signing up, please contact Jo at jvitales@ehiipa.com or call 808-797-3113.

TESTING

*NEW* Drive-thru testing closed ON FRIDAY 4/10 in observance of Good Friday.

Screening & Testing in Hilo & Pahoa

Attached is the fact sheet with total counts of beds, ventilators, testing and PPE resources as of 4/8/20. HMC Drive-through COVID-19 testing is open on weekdays from 10 AM-2 PM. Pahoa testing site is open on weekdays from 9 AM-4 PM. For Pahoa, patients need to check-in, but no physician lab order is required. HMC’s COVID-19 hotline for health-related questions open from 8 AM-5 PM at 808-932-000 and press 8.

Hilo Medical Center COVID-19 Drive-Up Testing

Drive-Up COVID-19 testing continues to be available at Hilo Medical Center. Providers MUST SCREEN ALL PATIENTS for travel history & symptoms prior to sending them for testing. It is important to know that this service is for COVID-19 testing ONLY (Respiratory Panel & Influenza NOT included). To utilize these services:

  1. Complete a CLH lab requisition (or electronic order from your EHR)

  2. Write in the COVID‐19 Test code U685 in the miscellaneous field, then fill in an ICD‐10, note on req “For HMC Drive-Through Testing”

  3. If faxing paper requisition, fax to CLH Hilo Medical Center location at  (808) 935‐6928

Attached is the announcement with more details.

COVID-19 TESTING CRITERIA AND SPECIMEN COLLECTION PROCESS

Clinical Labs of Hawaii has updated their specimen collection guidelines. They have combined flu/respiratory panel kits and COVID-19 kits into ONE simple kit. Only ONE (1) nasopharyngeal swab in viral media is now required for any of the tests noted above. Per CDC recommendations, an Oropharyngeal (OP) swab is acceptable if NP swabs are not available if only ordering COVID-19 (attached). Contact CLH Account Services Representative Jacqueline Kopie at 808-987-7439 if you have any questions or need testing supplies.

Diagnostic Laboratory Services has provided the following ordering guidelines. Use the following:

  • SARS SOV-2 RNA (COVID-19) (DLS7180) – for sending out COVID-19 test to Quest

  • Influenza A/B w/Reflex to COVID-19 (DLS6234R) – influenza a/b reflex to COVID-19

FINANCE AND BILLING

*NEW* Payroll Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program   Attached is a summary of the Payroll Protection Program (PPP) to provide financial relief for small businesses. Click here for the application. Banks started accepting applications from corporations and LLCs on April 3. Sole proprietors and independent contractors may start applying on APRIL 10. Attached are links to: Central Pacific Bank, American Savings Bank, First Hawaiian Bank, and Bank of Hawaii, who will handle the loan applications. PMAG IPA in Honolulu graciously shared with us a 1-on-1 video produced by Leolinda Iokepa (Hilo gal!) providing an overview and nitty gritty information about these two programs. Please see here. Use password PMAGDocs to log in. If you need help completing your application, please contact Jo Vitales at jvitales@ehiipa.com or call 808-797-3113 to schedule a time for us to help you.

*NEW* Telemedicine: Codes, Connectivity & Considerations –Webinars—April 14, 12:30-1:30PM (Specialists); April 21, 12:30-1:30 PM (Adults & Peds); April 28, 12:30-1:30PM (Specialists-repeat)   Leolinda Ioepa will be presenting a series of webinars for using telemedicine in Hawaii for adult and pediatric primary care and for specialists. This session will include a checklist for having effective telemedicine visits, a coding guide, and review of IT connection options. If you are interested in registering for any of these sessions, please email Jo at jvitales@ehiipa.com.

*NEW* HMSA COVID-19 Coding Guide for Providers   Attached is the latest coding guidelines from HMSA. CONTACT TIFFANY PA at tiffany_pa@hmsa.com or call 808.630.5020 IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS

HMSA Telehealth Services Policy   HMSA encourages all members to use telehealth services when healthcare is needed to comply with the stay-at-home mandate currently in effect. HMSA will waive all cost sharing and deductibles for fully insured Commercial, Medicare, and Medicaid members who use telehealth visits, virtual check-ins, and e-visits during this period of emergency declaration (through May 15). See attached chart of billing codes to use for virtual visits. Visit the FAQ here. Please email PSInquiries@hmsa.com with any questions on this updated policy.

*NEW* CMS Provides Financial Relief for Medicare Providers   See attached newsletter from CMS.

Medicare Telemedicine Healthcare Provider Fact Sheet   The links attached (here and here) provides regularly updated information on Medicare telemedicine visits and reimbursement.

CLINICAL RESOURCES

*NEW* Acute Respiratory Illness Precautions Checklist   Attached is a self-evaluation checklist for your office to protect you, your staff and patients from the spread of COVID-19. Please contact Jo at jvitales@ehiipa.com at 808-797-3113 if you would like EHI staff to help you assess your office environment to prevent viral spread.

PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) How-to Video   Attached is a video on how to safely don, use, and remove PPE (click here).

COVID-19 Precautions Video   Attached is a video on basic information regarding COVID-19 to send to your patients using the link (here).

Behavioral Health Screening Hotline   ALL provider members can receive Behavioral Health screening support from EHI until further notice. The outbreak of COVID-19 is stressful and  fear and anxiety about a disease can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions in adults and children. Please refer your patients for behavioral health screenings and education on coping with stress and anxiety to our behavioral health care manager Kevin Larkin. Please call (808) 829-4622 and provide the patient’s name and contact number. Patients may also contact this number directly. The workflow for this service is available here.

CDC COVID-19 Flyers   Attached are flyers and factsheets regarding COVID-19 (here, here, here, here, here, here, here). The IPA can print these in bulk for your office. Please email Jo at jvitales@ehiipa.com if you would like us to print for you. For more information on COVID-19, please refer to the CDC website here.

*NEW* Healow Televisit New Feature – Log in Via Email or Text   Attached is a video on how to use this new feature on Healow app (click here).

EVENTS

*NEW* Board of Directors Election Mail-In Ballots   Due to COVID-19, the election for open seats on the EHI Board will be held by mail-in ballot. Ballots were mailed to all members this week. Please contact us if you do not receive a ballot by Monday, April 13. Please return your ballot and sign your name (legibly) on the envelope provided. You may also FAX your ballot but must sign the form or it will not be counted. Ballots must be received at the IPA office by mail, hand delivery or FAX no later than noon on April 28. Ballots received after that time will not be counted. The results of the election will be announced at the Annual Meeting on Wednesday, April 29, held via webinar. If you are interested in participating in the meeting, please RSVP via Evite. Attached are nominee statements (here) and CVs (here). The IPA office is open for deliveries. If you plan to drop off your ballot in person, please call in advance at 808-797-3113.  If you have any questions, please email Jo at jvitales@ehiipa.com or call 808-797-3113.