Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nunc dignissim non ante quis semper. Vestibulum sollicitudin, nisl tincidunt rutrum consequat, dolor est pellentesque ex, vitae placerat nunc sapien ac mauris. Sed in condimentum urna, at tincidunt erat. Phasellus aliquet consectetur vestibulum. Integer vitae ante dui. Maecenas id nibh massa. Donec ultricies erat vel placerat commodo. Integer luctus urna quis libero varius sollicitudin. Morbi scelerisque lacus ipsum, nec cursus ligula porta vel.
Click the buttons below to view the FAQs!
GME Top 10
REDEPLOYMENT. How will redeployment assignments work? How will decisions be made regarding who (and what specialties) to redeploy? How will it assure fairness?
Our GME Leadership Team (specifically the Associate DIOs at each entity) are currently working together to create an algorithm for redeployment between departments, which we will share broadly as soon as it is finalized. Any redeployments will be jointly managed between the ADIOs, the Program Director, and GME. In the meantime, we have agreed to the following guiding principles:
- Redeployment means being assigned to work outside of your program. No one has been asked to redeploy yet. Internal reassignment means a department adjusting or flexing resident schedules to accommodate for well-being, clinical volume, and patient care needs.We are aware that as patient volumes and care needs have shifted, your individual departments have made decisions to pull residents back from external rotations, to enhance staffing of particular units, or to flex residents to alternate schedules (such as one week on, one week off as back-up). All of these things will continue, and we know that your programs are making these decisions with your education, safety, and well-being in mind.
- Volunteers. When considering redeployment, we intend to take qualified volunteers first. If we are able to fill our patient care needs with volunteers, we will not mandate further redeployment. If you are interested in volunteering to be redeployed, please advise your program director.
- Team Approach. If redeployment of residents or fellows becomes necessary, we will follow a team approach. That is, attendings, residents, and/or advanced practice clinicians (NPs, PAs) will be assigned to work as a team, assuring there is adequate supervision and clinical expertise.
- Duration of Assignments. We will work to limit the duration of any redeployment so that educational priorities can continue to be met.
- Transparency. We will communicate transparently around redeployment decisions at each institution.
FELLOWS. If fellows are redeployed to their primary specialties as full attendings (taking on full attending decision making, full liability, etc.), would compensation reflect typical fellow moonlighting pay or standard attending pay? When will fellows be credentialed as attendings?
If MedStar decides to redeploy fellows as attendings, those fellows will be compensated as attending physicians for their service as attendings.
Qualified fellows have already been credentialed through our disaster privileging process to work as attendings, but unless or until MedStar notifies you of a need to deploy you as an attending, you should not undertake any work as an attending. When the state of emergency ends, these disaster privileges will also end.
MEDICAL INSURANCE. As many residents/fellows graduate and transition to other GME programs or jobs, will accommodations be made so that our healthcare coverage will extend during the gap between leaving MedStar and starting elsewhere given that it’s possible we could be exposed up until the last day of residency and may not get sick until two weeks later?
First, MedStar will cover the medical bills for any illness that arises out of your training, even if you become sick from COVID-19 after your graduation. In addition, in these extraordinary times, we do not want you to worry about health insurance for you or your family. To be sure that you do not have a gap in coverage between your graduation and the start of your fellowship (or next job), MedStar will extend your health insurance coverage on the same terms currently in effect for the month following your graduation.
If you graduate on June 30, your coverage will be extended for the month of July. If you graduate in July, your coverage will be extended for the month of August.
MOONLIGHTING. Why are residents being restricted from moonlighting when it seems attending physicians are not?
As residents/fellows, there are many restrictions on moonlighting that apply to you and not to attendings. For example, the ACGME explicitly requires any moonlighting be pre-approved by the Program Director, as it requires us to monitor and limit your duty hours, and to monitor your stress, fatigue and wellbeing. Attending physicians are different from trainees because they are not subject to ACGME requirements; however, MedStar is discouraging them from moonlighting.
We are currently restricting moonlighting for all trainees because we realize that simply performing the requirements of your residency right now is more stressful than normal. In addition, we have become aware that a number of neighboring hospitals are not following the same level of safety precautions as MedStar. We are not comfortable subjecting trainees (as trainees or moonlighters) to locations where their health is placed at greater risk.
MOONLIGHTING. Can some moonlighting be allowed? For example, could we allow internal moonlighting? If we moonlight for home call exclusively, if not deployed, would that be okay as it has no risk of additional exposure?
After hearing your concerns and reevaluating the potential risk of exposure to you and your colleagues, we will begin allowing internal moonlighting for those who had previous existing approvals, assuming there is still demand for that work. However, we will continue restricting external moonlighting to assure adequate rest, safety, and duty hour management. Please work with GME and your Program Director to discuss resuming any prior approved moonlighting.
All moonlighting is subject to availability of work. There is no current demand for residents to moonlight for eVisits. If the demand returns, we will notify you of that opportunity.
DELAYED GRADUATION. Can program directors delay graduation because of redeployment? Or because of being out sick with COVID? What is the role of GME if we have concerns regarding decisions made at the program level?
Program directors must assure a resident has met all requirements for graduation, including time requirements, required rotations/experiences, and procedural volume. These are requirements set forth by the ACGME and specialty boards.
A program director may delay graduation of any trainee who has not met the substantive requirements for graduation. Many specialty boards have issued relaxed guidance during the COVID-19 pandemic. These temporary specialty exemptions take into account how COVID-19 may affect your normal training in terms of time and patient/clinical volume.
Within MedStar, in order for a program director to delay graduation, s/he must demonstrate a need to do so to the satisfaction of GME and the DIO. GME and the DIO must make certain that any decision to delay graduation is consistent with ACGME requirements and any board specialty requirements. Finally, if a trainee disagrees with a decision to delay graduation, the trainee may seek a review under the House Staff Due Process policy and/or may file a complaint with the ACGME. If you believe your program director is not adhering to your respective specialty requirements, please contact GME.
VACATION. Can a resident roll over vacation to the next academic year? Will residents who have lost their vacation be paid or reimbursed in some way? What happens to vacation time you might have lost if you are a graduating resident/fellow? Will there be a payout? Is back-up call to be considered vacation time? For those of us working one week on/one week off, do those weeks “off” count against our vacation or 48 required clinical weeks per year?
- Cancellations. If you had your vacation cancelled by your program director due to staffing requirements, then the Program Director, working with GME, will roll up to two weeks of vacation into the next academic year for you.
- Travel Disruptions. Many people had spring break and other travel plans disrupted. If your planned vacation/travel was cancelled or disrupted due to COVID (i.e., travel restrictions, flights, etc.), and you still took the time off, then additional vacation will not be rolled into the next academic year.
- Impact on the Upcoming Year. Program Directors are currently authorized to flex a maximum of two weeks of vacation time into the upcoming academic year. We understand that may be very disruptive to the schedule. GME will work with your programs to prioritize fair vacation allocation going into the next year.
- If you are graduating at the end of this academic year and your vacation was cancelled by your program director to assure workforce continuity, you will either be allowed to take the vacation time before you graduate, or you will be paid for the time that was cancelled (up to two weeks).
- What counts as vacation. If you are assigned to back-up call, you are considered working. Programs assigning residents one week on, one week off for pandemic staffing have been instructed to not count the time off as vacation. Even with a week-on/week-off schedule, in many cases specialty board and ACGME requirements are being adhered to. While on the “week off,” residents are not on vacation, but instead are expected to participate in conferences (via web), conduct any at-home assignments (including telehealth, discharge summaries, home call, etc.) and engage in scholarly activity as assigned by the program director.
HAZARD PAY. Will we be provided hazard pay given the additional risks we are taking on with the pandemic?
MedStar does not provide hazard pay to anyone. But, MedStar does take every precaution consistent with national guidelines and best practices to reduce any risks to you and our patients associated with the pandemic.
In some situations, some associates are being paid to work extra shifts. Residents and fellows are not being asked to work above and beyond their normal duty hours.
QUARANTINE. If a resident is placed in quarantine, do we lose vacation time? How are our medical expenses paid?
Any resident/fellow placed in quarantine (either pending testing or due to a positive COVID-19 test) is placed in paid leave status that is not vacation time. MedStar will cover the costs related to any medical care you require resulting from COVID-19. Please contact GME for any specific questions or issues.
PARTICIPATION. How can residents and fellows be involved in decisions that impact trainees?
There are many opportunities for trainees to participate in MedStar decision-making, including:
- MedStar Health Physician Leadership Council (PLC): 2 residents (appointed)
- MedStar Health (system) GME Committee: 5 residents (peer selected)
- Baltimore Hospitals GME Committee: 15 residents (peer selected)
- MWHC/MNRH GME Committee: 4 residents (peer selected)
- MGUH GME Committee: 2 residents (peer selected)
Additionally, residents and fellows participate in many hospital committees and working groups. If you would like to participate more actively but you are not sure how, contact GME for additional information and guidance.
Salary and Benefits
Pay/Compensation
Can you clarify what the salary levels are for next year? How much of an increase can we expect? When will the increase go into effect?
The current salary levels and those for next year are listed below. Also included is a column showing the actual dollar increase at each level. Perhaps more important to you, the “Step Increase” shows how much more you will make as you transition to the next PGY level.
So, for example, if you are currently an intern making $60,000, your salary next year will be $63,200 for an increase of $3,200.
Salary increases are included in the contracts that were distributed to you several weeks ago. The actual pay increase goes into effect on July 1, 2020.
How are these increases determined? Why aren’t the increases the same for each level? Some seem very small compared with other levels. How do our salaries compare with other programs?
MedStar Health determines the amount of increase we are able to apply to our salary budgets across the system. This applies to everyone – associate salary budgets as well as residents/fellows. Once we receive that information, we determine how much money we have to work with in total. GME conducts a market analysis to assess what other regional hospitals are offering with regard to wages, and then compares that to our current salary levels. Our goal is to assure we offer fair and market competitive wages at each PGY level. Once we have conducted this analysis and proposed new levels, we present this information to the GMEC for review and approval.
Vacation/PTO
Why do some residents get more vacation than others? What if I lose my vacation time because I’m pulled to provide clinical coverage during the COVID-19 crisis?
All residents receive two weeks of vacation per year. Each program director, at their discretion, can grant up to an additional two weeks away (consistent with ACGME and specialty board requirements) for illness, fellowship interviews, conferences, and other qualified reasons.
If your vacation was cancelled by your Program Director due to staffing requirements, then your Program Director may roll over up to two weeks vacation into the next academic year for you.
If your vacation was cancelled or disrupted due to COVID (i.e., travel restrictions, flights, etc.), and you still took the time off, then additional vacation will not be rolled into the next academic year.
If you are a graduating resident and your vacation was cancelled due to staffing requirements, up to two weeks of missed vacation time will be paid out. GME will be working with Program Directors in the coming weeks on missed vacation payouts for graduating residents.
Health Insurance
Thank you for extending the health insurance for those of us who are graduating. Will this extension include coverage for our families? Will it cover me if I’m in a different state?
We were happy to be able to provide you with this extension of benefits so you do not have to worry about health insurance for you or your family during these extraordinary times. This one-month extension is an effort to provide you with gap coverage as you transition to your next position. The terms for this extension are based on your current coverage. Whatever health plan you are currently enrolled in will be the same for your extension month – including any depended coverage. If you are outside of the MedStar network, you will need to review what your current health plan’s coverage terms are for any out-of-network care.
I don’t understand how my medical bills will be covered if I become sick with COVID. Can you confirm how my bills will be paid?
If you become sick with COVID-19, you will be covered by MedStar’s Workers Compensation benefits. Workers compensation benefits include two components: 1. Wage replacement for time you are unable to work; and 2. Medical expense reimbursement. In the event that you test positive, please reach out to GME to determine your specific situation. If you receive any bills for COVID testing that was done through Occupational Health, please bring those bills to GME so we can get them taken care of for you. In addition, if you require medical care relating to your COVID illness, please advise your provider that this is a Workers Compensation claim. They will be able to bill MedStar directly.
Disability Coverage
How does Short Term Disability (STD) work? When do I have to enroll in this if I become sick?
Short-Term Disability (STD) coverage is designed to ensure continuing income for those house staff who are unable to work due to a non-work related injury or illness. STD is available for full-time house staff with qualifying medical documentation. Coverage begins on the first day for an accident and after a 7-day waiting period for an illness and can continue for up to 25 weeks or until clearance to return to work is granted, whichever occurs first. The STD program replaces 60% of salary. Disabilities arising from pregnancy or pregnancy-related illness are treated the same as any other illness that prevents and employee from work. After six months, if you still cannot return to work, you will be transitioned to Long Term Disability.
Can you explain our Long Term Disability (LTD) policy? Given that most of us are fairly young, do we really need to even bother with this?
Regardless of your age, LTD is an important benefit that you need to have in the event of an unexpected illness. This is a benefit that you may not necessarily think about until you need it!
MedStar Health provides residents and fellows with a special LTD benefit that has unique provisions for you as physicians. Some of those provisions include:
- Maximum $3,500 monthly benefit
- The ability to take this policy with you when you leave MedStar Health for a reasonable annual premium. As you transition from MedStar, you can increase to $5,000 of monthly coverage. Other options are available for you to tailor your policy.
Graduates should have received a letter from our vendor, Guardian, regarding porting of your policy. If you have not, please contact GME for more information.
How do I find out exactly what benefits I’m enrolled in, and what the conditions or terms of those benefits are?
From any location (even outside of the MedStar network) you can log into the website www.myHRMedStar.net to access all of your employee benefits and information. You will need your MedStar network ID to set up a password for your account. On this website you can also:
- Download your W2
- Update your tax withholdings
- Get an employment/pay verification letter
- Enroll, update and view your benefits
- Access COVID-19 updates and SiTEL resources
Flexible Spending Accounts
Dependent Care Accounts: I want to stop my Dependent Care Account contribution since I am not incurring the same child care costs from the pre-COVID time. Can I change this contribution?
Yes, MedStar is offering you the opportunity to change or discontinue your contribution. You can do this change either through StarPort or the MyHRMedStar portal:
- In StarPort, click on the “myHR” link (on the right under HR Information)
- Hover over the “Benefits” button on the top navigation bar
- Click on “Enroll, update or view my benefits” link from the drop-down menu
- Click the “Add a Life Event” button
- Under Employee, select “Change in Day Care Expense”
- Uses for this life event include stopping, starting, or changing dependent day care contributions based on current childcare costs. If childcare is suspended, associates may decrease their Dependent Care election mid-year to as low as the amount already contributed (refunds for contributions already made cannot be issued). Once childcare is resumed, this counts as another QLE and will allow you to increase your elections at that time.
Emergency Loans
My partner has been furloughed due to the COVID crisis and we’re struggling to make ends meet. Is there any financial assistance available?
MedStar Health GME has offered emergency loans to residents and fellows for several years. These loans are interest free, and must be paid back prior to graduation through payroll deduction. The amount of the emergency loans has temporarily been increased from $1,000 to $2,500.00. Please contact GME for assistance with an emergency loan.
Meal Cards
Why do some of us have “GoCards” and some of us have “Sodexo” cards? Why can’t we use these cards everywhere?
“GoCards” are issued by Georgetown University and are generally administered to residents/fellows who are based at MGUH or are rotating there. However, all residents/fellows are eligible to obtain a GoCard through University services. Anyone with a GoCard can load money on their card by using the online portal https://gocard.georgetown.edu/. In addition, GME loads meal dollars on MGUH-based resident/fellow cards. GoCards can be used at the following locations:
- Epicurean, Leavey Center, Leavey Barnes & Noble Bookstore, University vending machines
- Additional retailers including some Whole Foods, Wawa, and CVS locations (see website for complete listing)
Sodexo or “Sogo” cards are issued by MedStar Health for use at Medstar Health hospitals (with the exception of MGUH). GME loads money on your Sogo card for your meal allowances. These cards can be used at:
- MedStar Baltimore – can be used in all hospital cafeterias and coffee bars
- MedStar Washington Hospital Center – can be used in the hospital cafeteria
- MedStar National Rehabilitation Hospital – can be used in the hospital cafeteria and small café on the first floor
Can GoCards and Sogo Cards be set up so we can use them at additional locations, like Panera at MWHC, or the Coffee Cart at MGUH?
At this time, cards can only be used as listed above. However, we have received many requests about this, and we will explore additional locations and get back to you soon.
Personal Protective Equipment
Supplies and Availability
What is the status of PPE supplies?
We know there is a national constraint on PPE. We have been working aggressively with our supply chain since January to maintain our PPE supplies. That said, we continue to look to the future to assure we are prepared. Our supply chain leaders have been working daily to assess and expand our supply of PPE by both leveraging existing partnerships and exploring new potential sources of PPE. We are also implementing conservation strategies consistent with best practices and published literature.
Is there any effort to obtain hazmat suits (similar to Tyvek) which are being used in other countries?
CDC recommendations do not currently include hazmat suits. COVID-19 is considered to be a droplet and contact transmission disease, except during an aerosol generating procedure (AGP), such as intubation or nebulized medication. For care of a PUI/COVID+ patient, eye protection, mask (surgical mask, or N95 if desired), gown, and gloves are deemed adequate protection by the CDC. Doffing correctly in order to decrease the chance of any contamination of yourself or your clothing is very important. Hand hygiene is the most important thing once PPE is doffed. In cases of AGPs, we require N95s and negative pressure rooms during admission.
As we learned during the West African Ebola crisis, Tyvek (hazmat) suits are extremely difficult to doff without cross contaminating oneself and require extremely specialized training for the user and an observer for doffing. During the Ebola crisis, established U.S. Ebola treatment centers (Nebraska, Hopkins) chose not to use Tyvek suits because of this. (Emory does use Tyvek but they are longstanding experts in doffing PPE and drill/competency staff routinely). We have carefully evaluated this and we believe that the risk for cross contamination while wearing a Tyvek suit in the care of COVID-19 patients would be greater than using standard PPE. Furthermore, it is not necessary as this illness is thought to transmitted via contact and droplet route except when performing AGPs.
The ICUs at MWHC don’t have enough face shields. Nurses and respiratory therapists are reusing the shields. Leadership says we have adequate supply but on the ground we don’t. Units 2G, 2H, 4G have bags outside each patient’s room for placing used masks and shields.
We have investigated and have not discovered a shortage of eye protection equipment at MedStar Health at any point during the pandemic. We have notified the MWHC supply chain that this was a concern locally. At this time, some entities are piloting eye protection reuse protocols. We know that, like many healthcare organizations across the U.S., we must be good stewards in protecting our resources. If any resident, fellow, or other associate ever finds themselves in a situation where they do not have adequate PPE as per the MedStar established standard, please STOP THE LINE and do not immediately participate in patient care. Call your GME or your Program Director with any concerns about PPE availability.
Policy and Protocols
Is there a policy on associates bringing in and wearing their own PPE?
There is adequate PPE in the hospital and providers should not need to bring their own PPE. PPE that is provided to the MedStar Health System care teams has been reviewed by occupational health, environmental safety, infection prevention, infectious disease, and the quality and safety leadership, with a focus on protecting our teams. This is the sole purpose of this process. The team works closely with supply chain leaders to ensure that only PPE which provide adequate protection is released. Because PPE from other sources may not have gone through this same comprehensive review, and because there is no way for us to ensure PPE from outside sources provides adequate protection, we have asked providers to not bring their own PPE in for use in the MedStar Health care environment.
Are there any policies in place that direct attending physicians to limit residents’ exposure?
Attending physicians have been instructed to reduce “layering” of learners for teaching purposes. Teams should be limiting the number of learners exposed to COVID patients to the minimum necessary.
Residents have been written up for wearing masks and some threatened to be fired. We’ve seen this with the faculty, too. Now the policy has changed but how do we avoid punitive treatment like this? Will previous write-ups about PPE remain in our files?
All physicians (and associates) are expected to be aware of and comply with MedStar Health’s current PPE policies and updates to them as the community penetration conditions change in the local environment. If you experience negative treatment for abiding by the appropriate PPE guidelines, please report it to your Program Director, GME, or quality and safety leadership.
Is it suggested for healthcare workers to wear surgical masks when in close contact with people in the community?
CDC now recommends all members of the community wear masks when out in public. However, we suggest also maintaining social distancing and avoiding close contact in the community setting.
If I obtain my own eye protection that is re-usable, is it ok to use that in between patients after appropriate cleansing? I was recently chastised by nursing staff and told to remove and dispose of all PPE.
All PPE should be endorsed by MedStar Health and OSHA approved. You should only wear PPE issued by your hospital to ensure effectiveness.
Given the number of asymptomatic carriers and the incredibly contagious nature of COVID, is there a medical reason why all healthcare providers are not wearing N95 masks for all patient interactions?
MedStar is following CDC guidelines as well as the latest literature on the transmissibility of this virus and PPE. CDC and new data continue to support droplet and contact transmission for SARS coV-2, making a surgical mask appropriate protection while caring for both symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals. (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-020-0843-2).
Out of an abundance of caution and after hearing the requests from our caregivers, MedStar Health has allowed the use of N95 for direct, in-room patient care of PUI/COVID+ patients. We are also in the process of expanding the use of patient masks in the highest-risk patient populations (such as the ED) and supplying non-medical masks to all visitors.
Will daily N95 and protective goggles be provided once we start work as independent internists?
Appropriate PPE will be provided to anyone caring for PUI/COVID+ patients, regardless of role.
Surgical Patients
Are there specific, written guidelines on PPE protection for OR staff?
For PUI/COVID+ patients, PPE should be the same as for direct, in-room patient care with eye protection, N95, gown, gloves. For non-PUI/COVID+, a surgical mask should be worn with the exception of the proceduralist performing intubation/extubation, who should wear an N95 during the intubation/extubation. Up to date guidelines can be found at www.MedStarHealth.org/COVID19resources.
There are discrepancies in what residents are hearing in terms of which staff should be in the room during intubation/extubation and who should be wearing N95. Attending surgeons and anesthesia providers have been seen wearing N95 but not the residents.
The person(s) performing intubation/extubation on non-PUI/COVID+ patients should wear an N95, regardless of level of training. Those in the room should be at least 6 feet away during the procedure. N95s are not being used during non-PUI/COVID+ cases with the exception of during intubation/extubation.
For urgent (non-emergent cases) or cancer cases, is there any discussion for testing patients for COVID to make sure all workers are protected in the OR?
Yes, this is under discussion. As our testing capacity increases, our team considers risk to our care providers as a significant factor in prioritizing laboratory testing resources.
Outpatient Settings
Is there any consideration to allowing N95s for PUIs in the outpatient setting?
Symptomatic patients in the outpatient setting should be wearing a procedural mask (Source Control), and providers should be wearing surgical or procedural masks. These masks are sufficient for source control of a droplet disease. N95s are not needed in these circumstances because, in the absence of AGP, COVID is not considered an airborne transmission disease per CDC. (see also recent study supporting the safety of this guideline https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-020-0843-2).
There are patients who are being seen for a variety of chief complaints, but who also have a cough or are sneezing. However, providers are only supposed to wear N95 masks after conducting history and physical and deciding that patient needs to be tested for COVID. Can there be some clarity on the reasoning for this? Can we change the protocol so that any patient who is noted to be coughing or sneezing can trigger providers and support staff to wear N95s?
As above, these patients should be wearing a surgical mask for source control, and this mask should be placed during the entry screening, prior to being seen by a resident or fellow. The mask needs to be removed to perform the NP swab for the COVID test, and this is considered an AGP due to induced coughing, which is why the N95 is used in this circumstance.
PPE Reuse
What is MedStar’s policy on reuse of PPE/masks?
In recognition of the global constraint on PPE, MedStar has been reviewing available literature and best practices to determine the best protocols for safe reuse of PPE. We are conducting pilots on these procedures.
For times when we are reusing N95s between COVID negative patients for aerosolizing procedures, how many times can we safely reuse our N95 mask before needing to obtain a new one?
Reuse of N95s should only be occurring in very specific areas. There should be protocols in place for reuse for the shift. If you are being told to reuse your N95 but do not have a protocol, please speak to your Program Director.
Do you foresee us having to reuse PPE between patients due to lack of supplies?
We are exploring safe reuse protocols as we consider national supply constraints. Pilots are being done in certain clinical areas – L&D, anesthesia, urgent care – and the protocol are being updated in anticipation of more widely operationalizing these practices.
What will happen in the situation of decreased PPE?
MedStar has been working diligently for weeks to leverage existing relationships and explore new avenues for acquiring PPE. We are also exploring methods for PPE conservation. We expect to continue to have adequate PPE for our providers and associates.
What is our anticipated timeline/burn rate of PPE before we will have to start using decontaminated PPE? Which methods for decontamination are under investigation by MedStar?
Given the national situation and knowledge of what other health systems are experiencing, and considering the unknown future and timeline of this pandemic, MedStar Health is being vigilant about the disposal of N95s. This week, MedStar Health was able to take advantage of an offer by FEMA in a partnership with Battelle, in which hospitals in certain metropolitan areas can send N95s offsite for decontamination with vaporized hydrogen peroxide. Other large healthcare systems, including Partners in Boston and Ohio Health, are using this same process and FEMA is now working with Battelle to support this initiative. We will provide updates when we have them.
Are we using Vaporized Hydrogen Peroxide or Ultraviolet Generating Irradiation?
As noted above, MedStar Health will be pursuing N95 decontamination with vaporized hydrogen peroxide.
Is using the same surgical mask for an entire shift considered reuse of PPE?
The surgical mask that each associate is issued on arrival at the hospital is part of the general source control efforts. Clinical encounters with patients require following proper precautions; in the case of PUI/COVID+ patients we are using N95s.
How many consecutive days/uses are considered appropriate for an N95 with an overlying surgical mask?
Currently, reuse of N95s is only occurring in certain clinical areas, however we are expanding this due to the success of the initial pilots. If you are working in a site with N95 reuse, you will be instructed in the protocol for safe reuse. The programs have been adapted from existing safe practices and vetted by our ID, infection prevention, industrial safety, and quality and safety experts.