COVID-19 PHE extended into 2022

As we approach the end of the year, the AMA reports that it has worked to stop proposed scope of practice expansions for advanced practice registered nurses (APRN) in eight states. The AMA says it collaborated with state medical and osteopathic associations and national specialty societies to prevent legislation from being passed that would give APRNs more independence in delivering patient care.

The Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra signed another order on October 15 extending the national public health emergency (PHE) related to the COVID-19 pandemic for another 90 days.

COVID-19 sent employees across the world back to their homes to do work. Healthcare administrative teams have had to rely on a strong digital workplace to power their processes. That’s required a team effort from technology professionals, including not just IT, but also those who use software every day to perform tasks like credentialing and privileging. For the medical staff services team at Marietta, Georgia–based Wellstar Health System, pivoting to full remote work at the beginning of the pandemic was made easier by their pre-pandemic initiative to move to a paperless credentialing process.