Week in Review 5/10/21

Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine for Ages 12-15

• The FDA announced that it had expanded the EUA for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to include adolescents aged 12 to 15.
• Both the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) announced that they recommend the use of Pfizer in this age group.
• Now that ACIP has released its recommendation, MHC clinics and our local HDs are preparing to distribute COVID-19 vaccine to adolescents aged 12 to 15.

• COCA Call 5/14/21
• FDA Fact Sheets for Healthcare Providers – EUA Pfizer
• FDA Fact Sheets for Recipients and Caregivers – EUA Pfizer

Updated Information on Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C)

The MHA and Michigan’s Children’s Hospitals posted a letter on 4.28.21 saying that MIS-C is most likely to appear 2-5 weeks after COVID-19 surge based on analysis recently published in JAMA Pediatrics.

Listen to podcast of 5.12.21 Provider Forum with Dr. Jacques-Brett Burgess

COVID-19 Quarantine Guidelines: Continue to Follow Your Local Health Department’s Recommendations

Although quarantine guidelines may change over time, our advice has not changed, please continue to support our local Health Departments’ COVID-19 quarantine guidelines.

Universal Masking Policy Remains in Place for Munson Healthcare

The CDC and State of Michigan recently communicated masking guideline changes. These guidelines do not apply to healthcare facilities. MHC is in Pandemic Response Stage “orange,” which requires our Universal Masking Policy to remain in place. 

MHC Masking Policy

Update on COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation to Clinics/Health Departments

MHC has partnered with N. MI primary care practices (both MHC Provider Network and independent) and local health departments to distribute COVID-19 vaccines.

• COVID-19 vaccine supply now significantly exceeds the demand due to vaccine hesitancy and saturation in certain age ranges.
• MHC and local health departments have shifted our focus from mass clinics to small pop-up clinics at convenient and commonly frequented locations.
• A significant piece of our allocation strategy is partnering with physician offices.

Interested in becoming a vaccination site or increasing your allocation?

• Employed practices: contact Ellen Smith
• Independent offices: contact Renae Fogarty or Evan Gray

Flu Testing No Longer Being Ordered with Inpatient/ED COVID-19 PCR Testing

As flu season is over, effective, May 17,* a flu test will no longer be ordered for Munson Healthcare ED and inpatients who are symptomatic for COVID-19. *Grayling Hospital will go into effect at a late date TBD.

MHC COVID-19 Collection Locations | Memorial Day Weekend Holiday Hours

• MHC’s COVID-19 Collection Locations has been updated to note modified hours for the Memorial Day holiday.
• A reminder that all pre-surgical and endoscopy patients should follow the established Pre-Procedure/Pre-Surgical COVID-19 Workflow for specimen collection 4 days prior to the patient’s scheduled procedure.

Great Place to Practice Survey: Your Voice Matters

• MHC Great Place to Practice provider survey: May 12-26.
• MHC medical staff should have received an email invitation from our survey vendor, Culture Amp, on May 12.
• The survey should take approximately 1 minute to complete (plus any comments).
• Responses are confidential.

Spok Mobile Paging Survey Feedback

• Surveyed providers to better understand the scope and nature of the Spok Mobile issues.
• Received almost 200 survey responses.
• In response to provider feedback, we are:

• Reviewing the in-house SPOK Mobile Enterprise technology to identify potential technical issues
• Upgrading to the latest version of Spok Mobile as that may resolve missed/delayed pages

• Providers are asked to report any Spok Mobile paging issues to the MHC Help Desk at 231-935-6053.

Healthcare Team Week

This week, we celebrated Healthcare Team Week!

HCT Recognition Video

COVID-19 Provider Forums (CPF)/Friday Medical Conference (FMC)

5.10.21: CPF | COVID-19 Vaccine & System Updates

Will not be posted

5.12.21: CPF | MIS-C (Burgess)

Listen to podcast

5.14.21: FMC | How Medical Urban Legends Can Influence Clinical Care (Gibb)

Will not be posted

5.17.21: CPF | COVID-19 Vaccine and System Updates

Register for Provider Forums

5.19.21: CPF | COVID-19 Vaccine and System Updates

Register for Provider Forums

5.21.21: FMC | Stroke Assessment and Treatment in 2021 (Bruining, Rajah)

Register; Will not be posted