Sharing this important message from the Oregon Health Alert Network to healthcare facilities and providers:

In the midst of the COVID-19 epidemic, it is extremely important that health care facilities and health care providers comply with their COVID-19 reporting requirements. The Oregon Health Authority has observed a decrease in COVID-19 hospitalization reporting. This is a concerning trend, as we cannot take appropriate action to respond to this epidemic without your assistance and cooperation. Please review the COVID-19 reporting requirements below. Thank you, in advance, for your collaboration.

Health care facilities and health care providers are required, by law, to report the following within 24 hours (including weekends and holidays):

• All human cases of COVID-19 to the local public health administrator. When local public health administrators cannot be reached within the specified time limit, reports shall be made directly to the Oregon Health Authority.
• All human cases of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C).
• Hospitalization of any individual with COVID-19, on or after March 9, 2020, whether or not the case was previously reported.
• Deaths of any individual due to COVID-19, on or after March 9, 2020, whether or not the case was previously reported.

In addition, licensed laboratories are required to report:

• All test results indicative of and specific for COVID-19 within 24 hours (including weekends and holidays).
• All negative test results for COVID-19 within one local public health authority working day.

Health care providers must report this information in one of two ways, in order of preference:

• Submission of an Electronic Initial Case Report (eICR) in accordance with the Authority’s Electronic Case Reporting (ECR) Manual
• or
• Through the Online Morbidity Report System. Failure to report or report timely could subject you to civil penalties or licensing action by your regulatory board. OAR 333-018-0900. OAR 333-026-0030.