Your resource for HQIC highlights and learning opportunities | Feb. 2021
February Issue:
COVID-19 Impacts
Health Equities
Social inequities have put people of color at higher risk for COVID-19 infection and death.1, 2, 3 Use this health equity strategy tree, developed by HSAG, to identify and eliminate health barriers and implement strategies for equitable care. 
American Heart Month
February is American Heart Month. Many COVID-19 survivors develop cardiac-related conditions as a result of their COVID-19 infection. These heart disease Zone Tools for heart failure and heart disease self-management may help your patients self-manage their cardiac care after hospitalization for COVID-19. 
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Critical Communication
Complete and Return the HSAG HQIC Welcome Packet
HSAG HQIC partners, if you have not already done so, please complete the Welcome Packet containing a Data Use Agreement, instructions to join the HSAG HQIC National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) group, and the HSAG HQIC Quality Improvement and Innovation Portal (QIIP) data administrator form to begin your quality improvement work.

Please complete and return these documents by February 15, 2021, via email to hospitalquality@hsag.com or fax to 602.665.6169.
Data Use Agreement
Confer NHSN Rights
QIIP Administrator Form
Fill Out the CMS COVID-19 Questionnaire
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has asked HQICs to reach out to recruited hospitals to complete a quick, two-minute questionnaire containing five questions related to COVID-19. Please have one person complete the questionnaire by February 20, 2021.
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The Flash: Resources
COVID-19 Zone Tool Self-Management Plan
Use this COVID-19 Zone Tool self-management plan as part of your discharge planning process to prepare patients for self-management in the post-acute care setting.
American Nurses Association: COVID-19 Educational Series, No-Cost On-Demand Webinar and Videos
This webinar and videos discuss the extent and background of COVID-19 racial disparities and how you can directly impact vulnerable patient populations. Quick videos include: a case study, demographics of high-risk populations, and do’s and don’ts when caring for high-risk minority populations.
Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI): A Guide to Promoting Healthcare Workforce Well-Being During and After the COVID-19 Pandemic
As the pandemic continues, healthcare professionals are under more stress than ever before. This guide has ideas and lessons for individuals, leaders, and organizations to support each other during and after the pandemic. 
Events and Education
Hospital-Acquired Pressure Injury (HAPI) Prevention for Patients and Staff During the Era of COVID-19
Thursday, March 18, 2021
1–2 p.m. ET (12 noon CT, 11 a.m. MT, 10 a.m. PT)
Featuring Virginia Capasso, PhD, ANP-BC, ACNS-BC, CWS;
Clinical Nurse Specialist, Patient Care Services; Quality, Safety & Practice Nurse Scientist,
Munn Center for Nursing Research, Massachusetts General Hospital;
Instructor in Surgery, Harvard Medical School.
Coming Soon: Watch for our learning event on Caring for the Caregiver During the COVID-19 Pandemic.
It Figures
HSAG HQIC anticipates the release of the performance dashboard and secure web-portal in March 2021. Please complete your QIIP Administrator form as soon as possible so you don’t miss accessing this data analytics tool upon release.
1Alberti PM, Lantz PM, Wilkins CH. Equitable pandemic preparedness and rapid response: lessons from COVID-19 for pandemic health equity, Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law. 2020; 45(6). https://doi.org/10.1215/03616878-8641469
2Berkowitz SA, Wiley CW, Chatterjee A. (2020). Covid-19 and health equity – time to think big, N Engl J Med. 2020; 383; 12. https://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJMp2021209?articleTools=true
3Bruce L, Tallman R. (2021). Promoting racial equity in COVID-19 resource allocation, J Med Ethics. 2021; 0:1-5. https://jme.bmj.com/content/medethics/early/2021/01/28/medethics-2020-106794.full.pdf
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