Chapter Updates regarding COVID 19

5.28.2020

We are using this page to add updates regarding our profession and COVID 19.

Please follow us on Facebook @nhapta for current updates

As healthcare providers, you must make decisions regarding patient safety and the safety of yourself and loved ones.  Below are some links to resources to assist you in maintaining care for your patients at the highest and safest level. 

Impact of COVID-19 on the Physical Therapy Profession
A Report From the American Physical Therapy Association

Telehealth

New Hampshire Telehealth

A list of insurers in NH and requirements for telehealth coverage (Updated July 29)

On March 18th Governor Sununu released an Executive Order that along with Guidance from the State of NH Office of Professional Licensure and Certification (OPLC) that appears to provide guidance for utilization of telehealth by physical therapists in NH. 

While the executive order from the governor does not explicitly detail physical therapists, the additional OPLC guidance states that “effective immediately, the Governor has ordered ‘all medical providers[…] be allowed to perform health care services through the use of all modes of telehealth, including video and audio, audio-only, or other electronic media, to treat the residents of the state of NH for all medically necessary services.’” The guidance goes on to assert that “The State’s temporary expansion of telehealth services applies to all medical providers including but not limited to those professions licensed, certified, or registered by the Office of Allied Health Professionals, ….” 

We have heard from a representative of the NH PT Governing Board that services offered via telehealth are within our scope of practice.

Telehealth 

• PTs are now recognized as approved providers for telehealth services under Medicare by CMS during this time of COVID-19 (May 1)

• Stay Up-to-Speed on Telehealth, Licensure Provisions, and Other State-Level Changes (April 10)

• Charts from APTA Track Payer, Government PT Telehealth Policies
• Where Things Stand: COVID-19 and Practice Guidance (March 31)

• Frequently Asked Questions and Resources for Telehealth and Assistance for Small Businesses

CARES Act

• • HHS CARES Act provider relief deposit:  attesting within 30 days of  receipt.  
    https://covid19.linkhealth.com/#/step/1

• Latest Relief Package: Unemployment Provisions

•  Paycheck Protection Program

•  Federal Communications Commission announced a COVID-19 Telehealth Program to support health care providers

Pulmonary Rehab and Acute Care resources

Lines, Tubes, Ventilators and Diagnostic Screening For Stability vs Instability: Free course from ERI

Pulmonary Medicine and Rehabilitation resources provided by Sean Collins (editor in chief for Cardiopulmonary PT Journal)

General COVID 19 Resources 

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Coronavirus: Information for APTA Members
• Coronavirus FAQs
• Healthcare Professionals: Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
• Interim U.S. Guidance for Risk Assessment and Public Health Management of Healthcare Personnel with Potential Exposure in a Healthcare Setting to Patients with Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)
• Steps Healthcare Facilities Can Take Now to Prepare for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

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  APTA Statements

• Letter From President Dunn on COVID-19 Impact 
  (March 20, 2020)This is a challenging time to be in health care. We need each other.   

• APTA Statement on Patient Care and Practice Management During COVID-19 Outbreak (March 17, 2020)
  As actions are taken across the country to reduce the spread of COVID-19, a virus that spreads easily from close contact, APTA encourages physical therapists to use their professional judgment to determine when, where, and how to provide care, with the understanding this is not the optimal environment for care, for anyone involved.  

• Statement from CAPTE

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  Outpatient Practice Resources

• COVID-19 Outpatient Practice Resources (April 22)

• APTA Private Practice Section (PPS)
• For Private Practice PT’s: IMPACT magazine COVID-19 Special Issue (LOTS of great resources) 
  https://lsc-pagepro.mydigitalpublication.com/publication/?m=62422&i=655319&p=0
   
• Frequently Asked Questions and Resources for Telehealth and Assistance for Small Businesses
• Print Resources to Post in Clinics
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration Website

 School Based Therapy Resources

• March 2020: Student Privacy Policy Office FERPA & Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): 
  https://studentprivacy.ed.gov/sites/default/files/resource_document/file/FERPA%20and%20Coronavirus%20Frequently%20Asked%20Questions_0.pdf?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term=
• CDC’s Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) Guidance for School Settings has been updated and is posted at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/index.html

Early Intervention Resources

• March 202: Department of Education, Providing Services to Children with Disabilities During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Outbreak: https://www2.ed.gov/policy/speced/guid/idea/memosdcltrs/qa-covid-19-03-12-2020.pdf?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term=
• ECTA center list of resources: https://ectacenter.org/topics/disaster/tele-intervention.asp
  
  

APTA Pediatrics COVID-19 Resources

Acute Care Resources

• APTA Acute Care Guidelines

• https://www.acutept.org/page/COVID19
• WEBINAR: Acute Care Physical Therapy and COVID-19: How Can We Add the Greatest Value?
• Physiopedia - Free Infection Prevention and Control Course - A comprehensive review of best practices to limit the spread of infectious disease https://members.physio-pedia.com/learn/infection-prevention-and-control/
• Critical Care for Non-ICU Clinicians - Free from Society of Critical Care Medicine - https://www.sccm.org/covid19
• Prone Positioning in Severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_6jT9R7WJs

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Home Care Resources

• APTA Home Health Section Resources - https://aptahhs.memberclicks.net/coronavirus--information-for-providers
• Corona Virus Resources from the National Association of Homecare and Hospice - https://www.nahc.org/resources-services/coronavirus-resources/
• NAHC COVID-19 Products and Services - https://www.nahc.org/resources-services/coronavirus-resources/covid19-partners/

 American Health Care Association

The latest guidance documents issued by CMS related to COVID 19 following President Trump’s declaration of a national emergency:

• Emergency Declaration Provider Fact Sheet:
• https://www.cms.gov/files/document/covid19-emergency-declaration-health-care-providers-fact-sheet.pdf
• Press Release from CMS on National Emergency:
• https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cms-takes-action-nationwide-aggressively-respond-coronavirus-national-emergency
• Additional Emergency and Disaster-Related Policies and Procedures That May Be Implemented Only With a § 1135 Waiver:
• https://www.cms.gov/About-CMS/Agency-Information/Emergency/Downloads/MedicareFFS-EmergencyQsAs1135Waiver.pdf#page36
• CMS has issued revised Guidance for Infection Control and Prevention of COVID-19 in Nursing Homes, including revised guidance for visitation: 
• https://www.cms.gov/files/document/3-13-2020-nursing-home-guidance-covid-19.pdf