As of today, 9/21/20, CARES Act compliance requires transmission of 31 points of demographics including 19 order entry questions for all COVID-19-related testing orders (including pre-procedural point of care testing, central laboratory testing in Microbiology, and serology testing).  Epic interfacing allows most of these questions to be interfaced automatically, leaving most orders with a set of 7 (maximum) new questions to be asked at order entry, mostly by clicking checkboxes, as follows:

1. Is the patient employed in healthcare with direct patient contact (hospital, clinic, long term care facility, first responder, etc)?
2. Date of Symptom Onset, if known.
3. Resident in a congregate care setting (including nursing homes, residential care for people with intellectual & developmental disabilities, psychiatric facilities, group homes, board and care homes, homeless shelter, foster care or other setting).
4. Symptomatic as defined by CDC?
5. Is the patient being admitted or is hospitalized for symptoms of COVID-19?
6. Is the patient being admitted or currently in the ICU for symptoms of COVID-19?
7. Is the patient pregnant?

Items 4 through 7 can often, but not always, be answered by Epic interfacing and will not need to be entered manually.  This leaves 3 additional questions to be entered at order entry in many cases. Please plan for additional time to do order entry for COVID-19 testing, and be prepared to answer these questions accurately to ensure compliance with the CARES Act.

Questions concerning this change can be directed to Bradley Ford, MD, PhD, Medical Director of Microbiology; (ext. 6-2990, bradley-ford@uiowa.edu; *8290).