DOH Adds New Questions to ACF Daily HERDS Survey
The Department of Health (DOH) issued an alert this morning, Tues., Feb. 16th, that they would be adding questions to the Adult Care Facility (ACF) Daily Health Emergency Response Data System (HERDS) survey beginning Wed., Feb. 17th. The Department scheduled a webinar for Feb. 16th at 3 p.m. to review the changes. Registration for the webinar can be accessed here.
It is recommended that you review the new survey questions today to be prepared to address them tomorrow. Please allow yourself ample time to review and report data accurately.
The new survey questions focus on COVID-19 vaccination and include:
- Patient-Level Data on resident deaths: If the deceased individual received any dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, you will be required to provide the name of the manufacturer, number of doses received, and the last date the vaccine was administered.
- Newly Diagnosed Residents and Staff: If an individual (either resident or staff) is newly diagnosed with COVID-19, you will be required to identify if that individual has ever had a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
- COVID-19 Vaccination: Additional questions have been added to capture the entire in-house population and staff population as it relates to COVID-19 vaccination status. Specifically, of your entire population, you will be required to identify the "bucket" to which each individual belongs:
- As of today, what is the total number of who have only received their initial (first-dose of a two-dose regimen) vaccination?
- As of today, what is the total number of who have received their full/"complete" (first and second dose of a two-dose vaccine) vaccination?
- As of today, what is the total number of who have declined vaccination (IMPORTANT: dose one ONLY)?
- As of today, what is the total number of medically ineligible to receive the vaccine, as determined by a physician?
- As of today, what is the total number of in an "Other" status?
IMPORTANT: The five "buckets" above are mutually exclusive and must add up to your in-house census (for residents) and total number of staff (for staff). If there is a circumstance in which an individual obtained an initial dose of vaccine (for a two-dose regimen, such as Moderna and Pfizer) but declines their second dose, they will remain in the first bucket as an individual who obtained their initial dose.
Lastly, two new questions were added at the end of the survey which ask:
- As of today, what is the total number of in-house residents who are medically eligible to receive a vaccine and are willing to be vaccinated, but have not yet received any dose of the vaccine?
- As of today, what is the total number of staff who are medically eligible to receive a vaccine and are willing to be vaccinated, but have not yet received any dose of the vaccine?
Contact: Diane Darbyshire, ddarbyshire@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8828