The CDC plans to reduce the number of COVID-19 data elements hospitals must report upon termination of the COVID-19 public health emergency May 11.
The American Hospital Association outlined the changes in an April 27 special bulletin.
Two key adjustments:
- The CDC will trim the number of metrics hospitals must report from 62 to 44. For instance, hospitals will no longer be required to report the total number of hospitalized pediatric patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19.
- The CDC is also reducing reporting frequency for all data elements from daily to once a week on Tuesdays.
"The CDC's more focused approach to data reporting should continue to provide the federal government with insights into the impact of COVID-19 on hospitals and health systems, while enabling hospitals to begin shifting some of their limited resources to other important priorities," the AHA said. "We will continue to work with the CDC and other federal agencies toward fully sunsetting required reporting as soon as possible."
The CDC plans to go over the adjustments in more detail during webinars slated for May 2 and May 4.