Situation Report | June 21, 2021
HCA has submitted comments to the state Department of Health (DOH) on the state’s COVID-19 surveys that Certified Home Health Agencies (CHHAs) and Hospices are required to submit three times each week through the Health Electronic Response Data System (HERDS).
Based on member feedback, we request that the surveys be eliminated due to the dramatically decreased numbers of COVID-19 cases and increased availability of personal protective equipment (PPE). We acknowledge that if the survey must be continued, then DOH should decrease the frequency of survey completion to once per week or less often.
If both surveys still must be completed, we make suggestions for shortening the survey, including eliminating questions related to PPE and consolidating the questions on agency capacity, COVID-19 cases, and staff vaccinations.
HCA thanks those CHHA and Hospice members who provided feedback and we will let all members know about DOH’s response as we continue to press for relief.