News and Alerts for Healthcare Providers

Announcements

• Previous Announcements + Previous Announcements -

  01/17/2013 11:19 EST

  CDC HAN Advisory: Notice to Clinicians: Summary of CDC Recommendations for Influenza Antiviral Medications

  CDC continues to recommend antiviral medications for treatment of seasonal influenza and annual vaccination as the best tools for prevention. Evidence from past influenza seasons and the 2009 H1N1 pandemic has shown that treatment with antiviral medications can have clinical and public health benefit in reducing severe outcomes of influenza when initiated as soon as possible after illness onset.

  12/21/2012 10:06 EST

  CDC Update: Multistate Outbreak of Fungal Infections among Persons Who Received Injections with Contaminated Medication

  New information from diagnostic imaging of patients exposed to contaminated methylprednisolone acetate (MPA1) from the New England Compounding Center (NECC) in Framingham, Mass., demonstrates the need for assertive clinical evaluation of these patients for the possibility of an unrecognized, localized spinal or paraspinal infection. This Health Alert Network (HAN) notice provides updated guidance and information about the ongoing multistate outbreak of fungal infections. Click on the link above.

  12/19/2012 09:46 EST

  Free CME Asthma Webinar from RI Public Health Grand Rounds Now Available to View

  "Quality Improvement of Asthma Care in Pediatric and Family Practice Medical Homes," presented by guest lecturers Christopher Campanile, MD, PhD and Ailis Clyne, MD, MPH, is now available to view online as an archived webinar for free Continuing Medical Education credit. This Public Health Grand Rounds session was presented on December 14, 2012 by the Rhode Island Department of Health and the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Office of Continuing Medical Education.

  12/06/2012 16:24 EST

  Healthcare Workers Requirements During Widespread Flu

  New regulations enacted in October 2012 require healthcare workers who do not get a flu vaccine to wear a surgical face mask during direct patient contact if the Director of Health declares flu to be widespread, which he did on December 5, 2012. When the period of widespread flu is declared to be over, the masking requirement will no longer be in effect, unless a new declaration is made at a later time.

  12/06/2012 10:32 EST

  Declaration of Widespread Flu Incidence Statewide as of Dec. 5, 2012

  Pursuant to Rhode Island General Laws 23-17-21 and -36, and, R-23-17-HCW Rule 5.3 of the Rules and Regulations Pertaining to Immunization, Testing, and Health Screening for Health care Workers, the Director of the Rhode Island Department of Health hereby declares that the incidence of influenza is widespread in the State of Rhode Island as of December 5, 2012. The following actions are ordered. (See complete declaration at http://www.health.ri.gov/publications/guidelines/DeclarationOfWidespreadFluIncidenceStatewideAsOfDecember52012.pdf)

  11/27/2012 11:41 EST

  Nov. 28 CME Opportunity: "Important Prevention Practices for HIV and Sexually Transmitted Diseases"

  Healthcare professionals in Rhode Island are invited to attend this presentation for AMA PRA Category 1 Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits. The presentation will address stopping the spread of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and will focus on certain risk groups. Speakers include: Erica J. Hardy, M.D., M.M.Sc, Assistant Professor of Medicine (Clinical), Divisions of Infectious Diseases and Obstetric Medicine, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, and Nicole E. Alexander, M.D., M.P.H., Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Medical Director, Division of Infectious Disease and Epidemiology, Rhode Island Department of Health. This event will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 P.M.on Wednesday, November 28, 2012 at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Room 280, 222 Richmond St., Providence, RI. For information/registration or to host this presentation at your group/practice, contact the Alpert Medical School CME Office at (401) 863-2871 or send an email to CME@Brown.edu

  11/21/2012 10:01 EST

  CDC Update: Multistate Outbreak of Fungal Meningitis and Other Infections Associated with Contaminated Steroid Medication

  Distributed via Health Alert Network, November 20, 2012, 15:00 ET (3:00 PM ET), CDC HAN-00335-2012-11-20-ADV-N: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to work closely with state public health departments on a multistate investigation of fungal meningitis and other infections among patients who received a methylprednisolone acetate (MPA) injection prepared by the New England Compounding Center (NECC) in Framingham, Mass. This HAN notice provides updated information on the following: (1) epidural abscess and other clinical syndromes being diagnosed in exposed patients, and (2) diagnostic and treatment recommendations for clinicians.

  11/02/2012 09:53 EDT

  Roll-out of new vaccine ordering and management system delayed

  The roll-out of the Ocean State Management of State-Supplied Immunizations System (OSMOSSIS) has been delayed one week. OSMOSSIS, HEALTH's new system for vaccine ordering and management, will be live on November 13, not November 5, as had been scheduled. Healthcare providers who participated in an OSMOSSIS training session between October 15 and October 24 will be able to use OSMOSSIS on November 13. Healthcare providers who attended a training session between October 26 and November 2 will be able to access the system as of November 20. An online training will be available in December for healthcare providers who did not attend an in-person training. These healthcare providers will have access to OSMOSSIS in January, 2013. As of January 1, 2013, HEALTH will no longer accept paper vaccine orders.

  11/02/2012 09:53 EDT

  Influenza vaccine deliveries held

  Due to damages and power outages that are preventing the safe delivery and storage of vaccine in areas of the state, HEALTH will be holding deliveries of influenza vaccine this week. Practices that reported influenza immunizations and requested vaccine for the reporting period ending on Monday, October 29, 2012 should resubmit those requests on Monday, November 5, 2012 before 11:59 am.

  11/02/2012 09:52 EDT

  Support for healthcare providers

  In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, the Rhode Island Department of Health (HEALTH) is working with healthcare providers in the hardest hit areas of the state to ensure that they are able to again provide care as soon as possible. If you have an immediate need at your facility as a result of the storm and have not yet been contacted by HEALTH, please write to website@health.ri.gov

Immunization

Infectious Disease

Flu