Quick Read:
- UW Medicine will no longer require pre-procedural COVID-19 testing for all asymptomatic patients undergoing aerosol generating procedures.
- Respirator-level protection (fit-tested N95 or higher) remains mandatory for all staff present during aerosol generating procedures.
- There are no planned changes to admission testing and inpatient surveillance.
- Note: This message was originally sent on Oct. 18 but did not reach all providers. We are resending it for your awareness.
As we approach our fourth winter with COVID-19, the communities we serve are again in transition. Due to a combination of vaccination and natural infection, immunity rates are relatively high for many of our patients and colleagues. While social behaviors including travel are nearing pre-pandemic levels in many parts of our state, predicting the next variant remains challenging. During this transition, UW Medicine is making several changes to help return some operations closer to normal while also continuing to prepare for future surges and use precautions that keep our employees safe.
Effective 10/18/2022, UW Medicine will no longer require pre-procedural COVID-19 testing for all asymptomatic patients undergoing aerosol generating procedures. See the updated surveillance testing guidelines (page 4) for details. The goal of discontinuing universal testing is to make the pre-procedural process more patient-centric, while optimizing universal precautions for healthcare workers against all airborne pathogens and decreasing the administrative burden on clinics.
UW Medicine has been successfully using this strategy for all outpatients undergoing elective procedures in our main ORs since July 1, 2022. Patients, particularly those coming from outside of metro regions, increasingly struggle with financial and logistical barriers to undergo required testing in the community. During the omicron era, a negative test within three days of a procedure can also be falsely reassuring given how quickly people can become positive.
Respirator-level protection (fit-tested N95 or higher) remains mandatory for all staff present during aerosol generating procedures. Patients should continue to be screened pre-procedure for symptoms of COVID-like illness and should undergo testing or proceed with their procedure in appropriate precautions if found to be symptomatic. There are no planned changes to admission testing and inpatient surveillance, and all other COVID-19 testing is available at provider discretion.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do I need to cancel all pre-procedure test that have already been scheduled?
A: No, cancelling tests that have already been scheduled is not necessary. However, if your group has the capacity to offer patients the option to forgo testing, that would also be appropriate.
Q: If no testing is done, is room downtime required after an aerosol generating procedure?
A: For patients without symptoms of acute COVID-19, no additional downtime is required beyond standard room turnover times.
Thank you for everything you do to keep our staff and patients safe.
Sincerely,
UW Medicine Infection Prevention and Control Teams
