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Aberdeen, WA
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Epi News

COVID-19 updates for providers: Expanded demographics required by providers and laboratories on all COVID-19 testing and result reporting

Grays Harbor County Public Health & Social Services Department

Requested actions:

  • Be aware that as of June 8, 2020 all clinical providers ordering a COVID-19 lab test must supply, to the lab, all patient contact information and demographics to include:

    • Name

    • Date of birth

    • Gender

    • Race

    • Ethnicity

    • Full address

    • Phone number

  • Be aware, all labs performing COVID-19 testing will submit, along with lab results, data as required under WAC 246-101 Notifiable Conditions as referenced above.

  • Note that any positive result for COVID-19, including a positive serologic test, is immediately reportable to Public Health.

Background:

  • On June 8, 2020, the State of Washington Department of Health (DOH) Deputy Health Officer Scott Lindquist, MD, MPH, sent a letter directing all laboratories and providers to expand reporting demographics and use of electronic case reporting. https://www.doh.wa.gov/Portals/1/Documents/1500/CLR-LabProvDemoRptLtr.pdf

  • WAC 246-101-315 and WAC 246-101-225 allows the state health officer to require other information to be reported. Race and ethnicity data are critical to documenting testing and positive case disparities, which would help public health, improve testing capabilities in under-served populations and better target prevention efforts.

  • In Washington State, laboratories are legally required to notify public health authorities of suspected or confirmed cases of selected diseases or conditions. This is referred to as notifiable conditions reporting.

  • Per the Washington State Board of Health (WAC 246-101-005), the purpose of notifiable conditions reporting is to provide the information necessary for public health officials to protect the public’s health by tracking communicable diseases and other conditions. These data are critical to local health departments and the Departments of Health (DOH) and Labor and Industries in their efforts to prevent and control the spread of diseases and other conditions. Public Health officials take steps to protect the public based on these notifications.

Situation update

Grays Harbor County has 20 confirmed cases of COVID-19.

·         March 2020: 2 cases 

·         April 2020: 10 cases

·         May: 5 cases

·         June: 3 cases

Grays Harbor Public Health’s COVID-19 Task Force and Grays Harbor Emergency Operations Center remain prepared to respond if any additional cases are identified.

Grays Harbor County Public Health will continue to operate a COVID-19 call center that will assist people with testing referrals. Assistance is available in both English and Spanish. Call (360) 964-1850. The call center is available Monday through Friday, 8:30am to 12:00pm and 12:30 pm to 4pm. Testing resources and locations can be found on the Grays Harbor Public Health website.

Additional resources