The Public Health and Health Planning Council (PHHPC) adopted the following revised regulations at its July 29, 2021 meeting:
The regulations, which were adopted on an emergency basis, are effective July 30, 2021. They will be permanently adopted at a future PHHPC meeting after publication in the State Register.
The changes in the newly adopted regulations from the emergency regulations which have been in effect include:
- PPE stockpile requirements for hospitals are reduced from 90 days to 60 days; Commissioner has discretion to increase to 90 days;
- Allows hospital to use “some, but not all, of the stockpile reserves” during a declared state disaster emergency.
The 60-day stockpile requirement shall be determined as follows:
- Single gloves – 15% x staffed beds x 550;
- Gowns – 15% x staffed beds x 41;
- Surgical masks – 15% x staffed beds x 21;
- N95 respirator masks – 15% x staffed beds x 9.6.
Additional changes include:
- Hospitals may be required to surge up to 50% instead of 100%; adds language that capacity increases shall be “incremental and geographically targeted”;
- Adds requirement that bed surge plans include scenarios for phased increases and detail the considerations for PPE, staffing and other resources.
A detailed summary of the proposed changes may be viewed HERE.
For more information, please contact Andrew Jewett, Director, Hospital Preparedness Program at ajewett@iroquois.org.