COVID-19 (Coronavirus)

Update: 05/29/2020 | 3:20 p.m.

The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) is maintaining a live webpage detailing COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) cases in Oregon and beyond. The OMA will continue to monitor COVID-19 information nationally and locally. The association will continue to work closely with federal, state, and local public health agencies and stakeholders to provide information to our members and their patients about the response to minimize transmission in our communities.

Recent Updates

05/28/20: Gov. Kate Brown Announces Phase I Approval for Washington County
05/28/20: AMA Contact Tracing Video
05/27/20: AMA Joins Broad Coalition Requesting Liability Relief
05/23/20: CDC Updates Antibody Testing Guidelines
05/21/20: Gov. Kate Brown Announces Phase I Approval for Marion and Polk Counties

An Open Letter to Oregon from the OMA President | April 11, 2020

On Saturday, April 11, 2020, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) released a letter to Oregon penned by Kevin Ewanchyna, MD, the President of the Oregon Medical Association. The letter is reprinted here in full. Our thanks to our OHA colleagues for the opportunity to share Dr. Ewanchyna's message.

Like many healthcare professionals the world over, Oregon’s physicians, physician assistants, and other healthcare professionals are facing an unprecedented challenge, perhaps the most urgent of their careers. Given the scope of the problem presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, it would be easy—and understandable—for clinicians to feel overwhelmed.

It was Hippocrates who stated, “Cure sometimes, treat often, comfort always.” We have never before seen a moment, both for those currently delivering care and those receiving care, in which this statement has rung so very true. Read more.

OMA Statement on Measures to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19 | March 20, 2020

OMA physicians and physician assistants are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and want to assure their patients and the public that by following public health measures we can greatly minimize spreading the virus.

The OMA will continue to advocate for measures that help treat patients suffering with the disease, support frontline healthcare workers, and encourage the public to help slow the spread of the pandemic to save lives.

The OMA supports stay-at-home policies that communicate the importance and the gravity of following aggressive social distancing practices to the public. These practices are essential to help “flatten the curve” of COVID-19 cases during this pandemic to prevent overwhelming our hospitals and preserving our healthcare workforce for the benefit and safety of all Oregonians.

OMA Member Communications

COVID-19 response evolves rapidly, and so do corresponding guidelines, regulations, and best practices. Note that these archive versions of OMA communications may contain outdated information and web links. We do our best, however, to keep the other resources on this page updated. If you have a question about newsletter content, email the OMA.

05/29/20: PRN: Message for Oregon's Patients
05/27/20: PRN: COVID-19 Update
05/21/20: PRN: Business Oregon Addresses PPE Shortage; OMA Survey
05/21/20: PRN: COVID-19 Survey
05/20/20: PRN: Provider Relief Fund Action Due June 3
05/19/20: PRN: Supreme Court Halts Challenge to COVID-19 Orders
05/18/20: PRN: OHA to Distribute Remdesivir
05/15/20: PRN: Phase I Reopening Guidance
05/14/20: PRN: COVID-19 Survey
05/13/20: PRN: COVID-19-Linked Pediatric Condition
05/12/20: PRN: Request PPE donation replacement - due May 15
05/11/20: PRN: Oregon Medicaid COVID-19 Provider Guide
05/08/20: PRN: COVID-19 Update
05/07/20: PRN: Governor's Guidance for Reopening Oregon
05/06/20: PRN: Health Insurance Companies Emergency Order
05/05/20: PRN: Replace your PPE donation.
05/04/20: PRN: Guide for Reopening Practices
05/01/20: PRN: Oregon Testing and Contact Tracing Plans
04/30/20: PRN: Non-Urgent Procedures Guidance
04/29/20: PRN: CAT Requirements Eased
04/28/20: PRN: Provider Relief Fund Portal and FAQs
04/27/20: PRN: Relief Fund Portal Now Open
04/24/20: PRN: New Healthcare Stimulus Legislation
04/23/20: PRN: Gov. Announces Plan to Lift Order on Non-Urgent Procedures
04/22/20: PRN: Additional Provider Relief Fund Allocation
04/21/20: PRN: Updated Testing Guidance
04/20/20: PRN: OHSU Hotline for Managing COVID-19 Care
04/17/20: PRN: OHSU COVID-19 FAQ
04/16/20: PRN: SBA Loans Funds Lapse
04/15/20: PRN: Last Day for Business Impact Survey
04/14/20: PRN: Reopening Oregon Framework; Business Impact Survey
04/13/20: PRN: An Open Letter to Oregon
04/10/20: PRN: PPE Push-Based Allocation Plan
04/09/20: PRN: COVID-19 Rapid Testing in Rural Oregon
04/08/20: PRN: CMS on Non-Emergent Services; financial resources
04/07/20: PRN: AMA Pres. Address; Revised Non-Urgent Procedures Guidance
04/06/20: PRN: Resources for CARES Act Financial Health
04/03/20: PRN: Small Business Resource Navigator
04/02/20: PRN: Paycheck Protection Loan Webinar; Mental Health Resources
04/01/20: PRN: OHP for Low-Income Oregonians; Buprenorphine Guidance
03/31/20: PRN: CMS Regulatory Changes; Gov. Brown on PPE
03/30/20: PRN: Federal Disaster Declaration; CARES Act Summary
03/27/20: PRN: Stimulus Progresses; Sat. CMS Webcast
03/26/20: PRN: Stimulus for Healthcare; Governor's Task Force Report Released
03/25/20: PRN: Non-Urgent Procedures Guidance; AMA COVID-19 Coding Guidance
03/24/20: PRN: State Telehealth Guidance; Increasing COVID-19 Workforce
03/23/20: PRN: Gov. Brown Issues Stay-at-Home Order; COVID-19 Provider Calls
03/18/20: PRN: Clarification NOON start time for today's OHA COVID-19 webinar

03/16/20: PRN: Gov. Kate Brown Announces New Statewide Actions on COVID-19
03/12/20: PRN Gov. Kate Brown Issues Orders on COVID-19
03/11/20: PRN: OHA COVID-19 Temporary Rules
03/06/20: PRN: COVID-19 Testing Guidance

OHA Healthcare Provider COVID-19 Videoconferences

To provide a consistent venue for COVID-19 information sharing, the OHA’s Chief Medical Officer, Dana Hargunani, MD, will host regular information sessions for Oregon healthcare providers at least two times per week.

The OHA has also posted archive links to the teleconferences from previous dates: Tuesday, March 24; Tuesday, March 31; Tuesday, April 7; and Tuesday, April 14.

Tuesdays, 12-1 p.m.: OHA COVID-19 Informational Session for All Providers
You can submit questions for OHA when you join the webinar.
May 19 Login | May 26 Login

Thursdays, 12-1:15 p.m.: OHA COVID-19 Learning Session for Clinicians | Project ECHO
All Oregon clinicians are encouraged to register for these weekly interactive sessions to learn the latest information on best practices in clinical management, clinical practice safety, testing, and the community public health response. Hosted by the Oregon ECHO Network at OHSU, the sessions are staffed by Dr. Hargunani and Multnomah County Health Officer Jennifer Vines, MD. A specialist panel, including other public health experts, clinicians, and epidemiologists, will share up-to-date knowledge, share COVID-19 clinical cases and answer questions. There will also be an opportunity for Oregon clinicians to present their own COVID- 19 cases for discussion and recommendations. To join, sign up for the full Project ECHO series through May 28, 2020. Or connect for individual learning sessions.

Clinical Guidance and Treatment Resources

05/28/20: AMA Contact Tracing Video
05/17/20: OHA to Distribute Remdesivir to Hospitals Statewide
05/15/20: AMA Screening Script for Reopening Practices | Part of A Physician Practice Guide to Reopening
05/14/20: Please complete the OMA's COVID-19 Impact survey.| Version for Physicians and Physician Assistants | Version for Clinic Administrators and Practice Managers
05/13/20: OHA Announces 1st Case of COVID-19-Linked Pediatric Condition
05/09/20: OHA, FDA Guidance Restricts Use of KN95 Respirators
05/08/20: OHA: Oregon sees drop in immunizations during COVID-19 crisis
- 05/08/20: Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Routine Pediatric Vaccine Ordering and Administration — United States, 2020
05/01/20: Gov. Kate Brown Announces COVID-19 Testing and Contact Tracing Plans for Reopening Oregon
05/01/20: OHA Guidance for Clinicians Regarding COVID-19 Testing
04/24/20: FDA Warns Against Chloroquine for COVID-19 Outside Hospitals
- 04/28/20: AMA Communication on FDA Warning Against Chloroquine
04/20/20: OHSU Connected Care Center Hotline: 833-OHSU-CCC (833-647-8222), option 9. Staffed seven days a week, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Doernbecher Children’s Hospital physicians continue to be available to answer questions about children and COVID-19 (888-346-0644).
04/20/20: AMA Opioid Epidemic COVID-19 Microsite
04/17/20: AMA, ASHP, APhA Joint Statement on ordering, prescribing, or dispensing COVID-19 medications
04/16/20: COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions by the OHSU COVID-19 Inquiry Group: Guide to existing recommendations in the setting of rapidly-emerging information. Clinicians should exercise clinical judgement when using this resource.
04/08/20: OHA Guidance on Elective and Non-Urgent Healthcare Procedures
04/08/20: CMS Infection Control Guidance Based on CDC Guidelines to Protect Patients and Healthcare Workers
04/07/20: CMS Recommendations on Non-Emergent, Elective Medical Services
03/31/20: New DEA Buprenorphine Guidance
03/31/20: FAQs for Opioid Use Disorder Prescribing and Dispensing in the COVID-19 Emergency
03/31/20: Sweeping CMS Regulatory Changes to Address Patient Surge
03/30/20: AAFP Checklist to Prepare Physician Offices for COVID-19
03/22/20: Medicare Quality Reporting Waived
03/16/20: Oregon Crisis Care Guidance
03/15/20: CDC Clinical Guidance
03/14/20: Multnomah County: Guidance for small health clinics to prepare for COVID-19
Oregon Psychiatric Access Line (OPAL): free, same-day, phone consultation to primary care providers in Oregon

COVID-19 Testing

Medicare, the Oregon Health Plan, and commercial plans must cover costs associated with COVID-19 testing, including visit costs, with no patient out-of-pocket costs.

05/23/20: CDC Updates Antibody Testing Guidelines
05/14/20: AMA Cautions Physicians, Public About Limitations of Antibody Testing for SARS-CoV-2
05/12/20: OHA Announces Distribution of Additional COVID-19 Rapid Testing Instruments
04/20/20: OHA Updated COVID-19 Testing Guidance
03/23/20: Oregon Health Authority Testing Guidelines
Oregon Public Health Division Information for Clinicians About Reporting Specified Infections
Note: Clinicians can order COVID-19 testing at their discretion through commercial labs without approval by public health.
Note on Reporting: Healthcare providers shall report all cases of COVID-19 within 24 hours. Labs shall report all test results indicative of and specific for COVID-19 within 24 hours and all negative test results for COVID-19 within one working day. Reports are made to the local public health authority. If healthcare providers are not able to reach the local public health authority in the specified time limit, please report to the Oregon Health Authority (phone 971-673-1111).
The OMA has produced a COVID-19 coding chart.