A new provision of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act requires changes to order entry for most COVID-19 testing at UIHC as of Monday, April 4th. This will affect serological testing as well as every nucleic acid test for SARS-CoV-2 (including point of care/clinic, rapid testing in the ER and Day of Surgery areas, panel testing that includes SARS-CoV-2, preprocedural testing, symptomatic/asymptomatic testing for SARS-CoV-2, and others).

The update requires reporting of 20 points of demographics and test information to the federal government but drops the requirement for certain “ask at order entry” questions (such as pregnancy status, employment in healthcare, residency in a congregate care setting, etc.).

Most of the required information can be automatically derived from Epic, so as of April 4th order entry for most SARS-CoV-2 testing will appear different but much simpler. Orders placed before this date with extra order-entry questions already answered are still valid, do not need to be re-entered, and will execute as expected.

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