1

Hospital Experiences Responding 

to the COVID-19 Pandemic: 

Results of a National Pulse 

Survey March 23–27, 2020

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Office of Inspector General

Christi A. Grimm

Principal Deputy Inspector General

April 2020, OEI-06-20-00300
Full report: oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/oei-06-20-00300.asp

Hospital Experiences Responding to the COVID-19 

Pandemic: Results of a National Pulse Survey

March 23–27, 2020 

Purpose of the Review

This review provides the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and other decision-makers (e.g., State 

and local officials and other Federal agencies) with a national snapshot of hospitals’ challenges and needs in 

responding to the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This is not a review of HHS response to the 

COVID-19 pandemic. We have collected this information as an aid for HHS as it continues to lead efforts to 

address the public health emergency and support hospitals and other first responders. In addition, hospitals 

may find the information about each other’s strategies useful in their efforts to mitigate the challenges they are 

facing.

The hospital input that we describe reflects their experiences and perspectives at a point in time—March 23–27, 

2020. The pandemic is fast-moving, as are the efforts to address it. We recognize that HHS, Congress, and other 

government entities across the Federal, State, local, and Tribal levels are taking substantial actions on a continual 

basis to support hospitals in responding to COVID-19. HHS has already taken and continues to take actions 

related to each of the challenges that hospitals identified in our survey, and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and 

Economic Security (CARES) Act provides the basis for additional actions. We present this information for HHS’s

and other decision-makers’ consideration as they continue to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Key Takeaway

Hospitals reported that their most significant challenges centered on testing and caring for patients with known 

or suspected COVID-19 and keeping staff safe. Hospitals also reported substantial challenges maintaining or 

expanding their facilities’ capacity to treat patients with COVID-19. Hospitals described specific challenges, 

mitigation strategies, and needs for assistance related to personal protective equipment (PPE), testing, staffing, 

supplies and durable equipment; maintaining or expanding facility capacity; and financial concerns. 

How OIG Did This Review 

This information is based on brief telephone interviews (“pulse surveys”) conducted March 23–27, 2020, with 

hospital administrators from 323 hospitals across 46 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, that were 

part of our random sample. Our rate of contact was 85 percent. Interviews focused on three key questions: 

1. What are your most difficult challenges in responding to COVID-19? 

2. What strategies is your hospital using to address or mitigate these challenges?

3. How could government best support hospitals responding to COVID-19?

Respondent hospitals included Special Pathogen Centers, critical access hospitals, and a range of hospitals 

nation-wide of various sizes and characteristics. At the time of our surveys, most hospitals reported they were 

treating patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19, but some were not currently treating any patients with 

confirmed or suspected COVID-19. (See Methodology on pages 18–20 for additional information.)
Full report: oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/oei-06-20-00300.asp

Findings at a Glance: Hospital Challenges

Severe Shortages of Testing Supplies and Extended Waits for Results

Hospitals reported that severe shortages of testing supplies and extended waits for test results limited 

hospitals’ ability to monitor the health of patients and staff. Hospitals reported that they were unable 

to keep up with COVID-19 testing demands because they lacked complete kits and/or the individual 

components and supplies needed to complete tests. Additionally, hospitals reported frequently 

waiting 7 days or longer for test results. When patient stays were extended while awaiting test results, 

this strained bed availability, personal protective equipment (PPE) supplies, and staffing.

Widespread Shortages of PPE

Hospitals reported that widespread shortages of PPE put staff and patients at risk. Hospitals reported 

that heavier use of PPE than normal was contributing to the shortage and that the lack of a robust 

supply chain was delaying or preventing them from restocking PPE needed to protect staff. Hospitals 

also expressed uncertainty about availability of PPE from Federal and State sources and noted sharp 

increases in prices for PPE from some vendors.

Difficulty Maintaining Adequate Staffing and Supporting Staff

Hospitals reported that they were not always able to maintain adequate staffing levels or offer staff 

adequate support. Hospitals reported a shortage of specialized providers needed to meet the 

anticipated patient surge and raised concerns that staff exposure to the virus may exacerbate staffing 

shortages and overwork. Hospital administrators also expressed concern that fear and uncertainty 

were taking an emotional toll on staff, both professionally and personally.

Difficulty Maintaining and Expanding Hospital Capacity to Treat Patients

Capacity concerns emerged as hospitals anticipated being overwhelmed if they experienced a surge of 

patients, who may require special beds and rooms to treat and contain infection. Many hospitals 

reported that post-acute-care facilities were requiring negative COVID-19 tests before accepting 

patients discharged from hospitals, meaning that some patients who no longer required acute care 

were taking up valuable bed space while waiting to be discharged.

Shortages of Critical Supplies, Materials, and Logistic Support

Hospitals reported that shortages of critical supplies, materials, and logistic support that accompany 

more beds affected hospitals’ ability to care for patients. Hospitals reported needing items that 

support a patient room, such as intravenous therapy (IV) poles, medical gas, linens, toilet paper, and 

food. Others reported shortages of no-touch infrared thermometers, disinfectants, and cleaning 

supplies. Isolated and smaller hospitals faced special challenges maintaining the supplies they needed

and restocking quickly when they ran out of supplies.
Full report: oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/oei-06-20-00300.asp

Findings at a Glance: Hospital Challenges (continued)

Anticipated Shortages of Ventilators

Anticipated shortages of ventilators were identified as a big challenge for hospitals. Hospitals 

reported an uncertain supply of standard, full-feature ventilators and in some cases used alternatives 

to support patients, including adapting anesthesia machines and using single-use emergency 

transport ventilators. Hospitals anticipated that ventilator shortages would pose difficult decisions 

about ethical allocation and liability, although at the time of our survey no hospital reported limiting 

ventilator use.

Increased Costs and Decreased Revenue

Hospitals described increasing costs and decreasing revenues as a threat to their financial viability. 

Hospitals reported that ceasing elective procedures and other services decreased revenues at the 

same time that their costs have increased as they prepare for a potential surge of patients. Many 

hospitals reported that their cash reserves were quickly depleting, which could disrupt ongoing 

hospital operations.

Changing and Sometimes Inconsistent Guidance

Hospitals reported that changing and sometimes inconsistent guidance from Federal, State, and local 

authorities posed challenges and confused hospitals and the public. Hospitals reported that it was 

sometimes difficult to remain current with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance 

and that they received conflicting guidance from different government and medical authorities, 

including criteria for testing, determining which elective procedures to delay, use of PPE, and getting 

supplies from the national stockpile. Hospitals also reported concerns that public misinformation has 

increased hospital workloads (e.g., patients showing up unnecessarily, hospitals needing to do public 

education) at a critical time.
Full report: oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/oei-06-20-00300.asp

Findings at a Glance: Hospital Strategies

Secure Necessary PPE, Equipment, and Supplies

To secure the necessary PPE, equipment, and supplies, hospitals reported turning to new, sometimes 

un-vetted, and non-traditional sources of supplies and medical equipment. To try to make existing 

supplies of PPE last, hospitals reported conserving and reusing single-use/disposable PPE, including 

using or exploring ultra-violet (UV) sterilization of masks or bypassing some sanitation processes by 

having staff place surgical masks over N95 masks. Hospitals also reported turning to 

non-medical-grade PPE, such as construction masks or handmade masks and gowns, which they 

worried may put staff at risk.

Ensure Adequate Staffing

To ensure adequate staffing to treat patients with COVID-19, hospitals were training medical staff such 

as anesthesiologists, hospitalists, and nursing staff to help care for patients on ventilators.

Support Staff

To support staff, some hospitals reported assisting staff to access services such as childcare, laundry, 

grocery services, and hotel accommodations to promote separation from elderly family members.

Manage Patient Flow and Hospital Capacity

To manage patient flow and hospital capacity, some hospitals were providing ambulatory care for 

patients with less severe symptoms, offering telehealth services when possible, and setting up 

alternate facilities such as fairgrounds, vacant college dorms, and closed correctional facilities as 

additional spaces for patient care.

Secure Ventilators and Alternative Equipment to Support Patients

In anticipation of increased needs for ventilators, hospitals tried to obtain additional machines by 

renting ventilators, buying single-use emergency transport ventilators, or getting ventilators through 

an affiliated facility. Some hospitals reported converting other equipment, such as anesthesia 

machines, to use as ventilators.
Full report: oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/oei-06-20-00300.asp

Findings at a Glance: Hospital Requests for Assistance

The hospital input and suggestions in this report reflect a specific point in time—March 23–27, 2020. We 

recognize that HHS is also getting input from hospitals and other frontline responders and has already 

taken and continues to take actions toward each of these suggestions. For example, on March 28, 2020, 

the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the availability of advanced payments to 

hospitals and other providers, and on March 30, 2020, CMS announced an array of regulatory changes to 

increase hospitals’ and other health care providers’ flexibility in responding to this pandemic, including 

changes to support facility capacity and workforce, among many others.

We present hospitals’ suggestions for ways that the government could assist them for HHS’s and other 

decision-makers’ consideration as they continue to respond to COVID-19. We note that authorities for 

some of the assistance sought by hospitals may reside with entities outside of HHS (e.g., other Federal 

agencies or States).

Testing, Supplies, and Equipment

Many hospitals noted that they were competing with other providers for limited supplies, and that 

government intervention and coordination could help reconcile this problem nationally. For example, 

hospitals wanted the government to ensure that they have access to test kits and swabs, make tests 

faster by allowing more entities to conduct and produce tests, and help hospitals obtain PPE supplies 

and other equipment such as ventilators.

Workforce Allocation

Hospitals requested that government allow reassignment of licensed professionals and realignment of 

duties as needed, provide flexibility with respect to licensed professionals practicing across State lines, 

and provide relief from regulations that may restrict using contracted staff or physicians based on 

business relationships.

Capacity of Facilities

Hospitals asked for relaxed rules around bed designations, the ability to establish surge facilities in 

non-traditional settings, and expanded flexibilities in telehealth, such as the types of services, 

caregivers, and modalities eligible to receive reimbursement.

Financial Assistance

All types of hospitals, and especially small rural hospitals, requested financial assistance, including 

faster and increased Medicare payments, and loans and grants.

Communication and Information

Hospitals sought centralized communication and public information, including evidence-based 

guidance, reliable data and predictive models, and a central repository for all COVID-19-related 

guidance, data, and information.
TABLE OF CONTENTS

FINDINGS 1

Hospitals reported that their most significant challenges centered on testing and caring for 

patients with COVID-19 and keeping staff safe

1

Hospitals also reported substantial challenges maintaining and expanding capacity to 

care for patients

5

Hospitals reported using a range of strategies to maintain or expand their capacity to care for

patients and to keep staff safe

9

Hospitals reported pressing needs for government assistance to meet COVID-19 challenges 11

CONCLUSION 14

BACKGROUND 15

METHODOLOGY 18

APPENDICES 21

A. Strategies Reported By Hospitals 21

B. Glossary of Key Terms 26

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS AND CONTACT 30

ABOUT THE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL 31

ENDNOTES 32
Hospital Experiences Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results of a National Pulse Survey March 23-27, 2020

OEI-06-20-00300 1

FINDINGS

Hospitals reported that their most significant challenges 

centered on testing and caring for patients with COVID-19 

and keeping staff safe 

Hospitals across the country reported facing similar challenges, regardless of which stage of the process 

they were in—treating patients with coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19), testing patients who were potentially 

infected, or preparing to treat COVID-19 patients in the near future. The most commonly reported 

challenges centered on hospitals’ efforts to confirm cases of COVID-19, to keep health care staff safe, 

and to provide needed services to patients requiring hospital care for a wide array of medical reasons, 

including COVID-19. Challenges included difficulties related to testing, lack of personal protective 

equipment (PPE), and staffing, including specialized staffing.

Hospitals reported that severe shortages of testing supplies and extended 

waits for test results limited hospitals’ ability to monitor the health of 

patients and staff

Hospitals explained that they were unable to keep up with testing demands because they 

lacked complete kits and/or the individual components and supplies needed to complete 

tests, such as nasal swabs, viral transfer media, and reagents used to detect the virus.

These shortages left hospitals unable to effectively test staff, patients, and others in the community who 

reported that they were concerned about possible exposure. One hospital administrator said that 

across the industry, “millions [of tests] are needed, and we only have hundreds." Without access to 

needed testing materials, some hospitals described dividing the media in COVID-19 kits in half to 

double their capacity and resorting to using the transfer media in flu and strep kits to provide testing.

Hospitals described extended waits for COVID-19 test results. Hospitals reported frequently 

waiting 7 days or longer for test results. According to one hospital, 24 hours would typically be 

considered a long turnaround time for virus testing. Hospitals’ reliance on external laboratories 

contributed to delays, particularly as these laboratories became overwhelmed with tests to process from 

around the State or country. Hospitals also reported delays related to infrequent specimen pickups, 

mailing delays, and labs’ restrictive business hours. Some hospitals described success getting results 

more quickly by using commercial labs, whereas others received more timely results from public 

sources. Still others experienced inconsistent turnaround times, leaving them unable to predict when 

results would arrive or advise patients on how long they should self-quarantine or undertake other 

measures while awaiting results. 

Testing challenges exacerbated other challenges, including bed availability, PPE supplies, 

and staffing shortages. Hospitals reported that to prevent the spread of the virus in the hospital 

and community, they were treating symptomatic patients as presumptive positive cases of 

COVID-19 (i.e., an individual with symptoms that strongly indicate COVID-19 and tests have ruled out 
Hospital Experiences Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results of a National Pulse Survey March 23-27, 2020

OEI-06-20-00300 2

similar conditions, but without a positive COVID-19 test result). The scarcity of COVID-19 tests and 

length of time it took to get test results back meant presumptive positive patients greatly strained bed 

availability, PPE supplies, and staffing, as noted in Exhibit 1.

Exhibit 1: Hospitals reported that the lack of testing supplies and delays in receiving test 

results caused additional challenges.

Hospitals reported that some presumptive positive patients remained in the hospital for days while 

awaiting test results, which reduced the hospitals’ availability of beds for other patients. One hospital 

that was holding presumptive positive patients in intensive care unit beds reported that testing with a 

quick turnaround would free up bed availability and increase patient and staff safety. An administrator 

at another hospital noted that the sooner the hospital knows whether patients are negative, the faster it

can move them to a lower level of care that consumes fewer resources. As one administrator put it, 

"sitting with 60 patients with presumed positives in our hospital isn't healthy for anybody."

Hospitals reported that extended patient stays while awaiting COVID-19 test results also depleted PPE 

supplies used by staff in treating those patients during those additional days. One hospital reported

that its staff, at the time of our interview, used (on average) 307 masks per day for its 23 patients with 

suspected cases of COVID-19. Another hospital administrator said, "The testing turnaround presents a 

challenge, especially for our ‘rule-out’ patients...we have to use a lot of PPE on those rule-outs. And 

especially when it’s a negative, we basically used all that PPE for nothing." 

The inability to quickly identify confirmed cases exacerbated challenges with hospital staffing. In one 

hospital, between 20-25 percent of staff were determined to be presumptively positive for COVID-19. 

Due to the lack of quick test results, staff who ultimately were not positive were prevented from 

providing clinical services for longer than necessary, causing a substantial strain on staffing availability. 

Another hospital noted that it wanted to set up a separate testing clinic to keep potentially infectious 

patients from exposing staff, but it did not have enough testing kits and/or related components and 

supplies to set up such a clinic. 

Delays in receiving test results also made it more challenging for hospital staff to provide patients with 

the most appropriate care. One hospital reported that these delays put patients at risk because 

physicians were unable to make effective treatment decisions without the test results. Another said that 

some patients faced unnecessarily long hospital stays because some long-term-care facilities and 

nursing homes will not accept patients without a confirmed negative COVID-19 test. 

Testing challenges hampered hospitals’ efforts to reduce community spread, protect 

staff, and care for patients. Hospitals reported that their inability to test patients quickly was 

affecting their efforts to limit the transmission of COVID-19 within the wider community. Given supply 
Hospital Experiences Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results of a National Pulse Survey March 23-27, 2020

OEI-06-20-00300 3

shortages and uncertainty about future access, hospitals reported prioritizing testing for their 

employees and for patients with more severe symptoms. Prioritized testing meant that many hospitals 

reported they were currently unable to conduct widespread testing of patients and community 

members to help contain the spread of COVID-19.

Hospitals raised concerns that widespread shortages of PPE put staff and 

patients at risk

Hospitals across the country reported that a shortage of PPE was threatening their ability to keep staff 

safe while they worked to treat patients with COVID-19. The most commonly needed PPE items

reported were masks (including N95 masks, surgical masks, and face shields), followed by gowns and 

gloves. 

Hospitals reported that heavier than normal use of PPE contributed to shortages. The 

administrator of one hospital stated that before COVID-19, the hospital’s medical center used around 

200 masks per day and that it was now using 2,000 per day. Delays in test results led to heavier use of 

PPE until a patient’s status was confirmed. Another hospital administrator noted the “fear factor” 

associated with COVID-19, which led to all staff wearing masks instead of only a subset. One hospital 

administrator reported that some supply distributors limited the quantity of supplies that any one 

hospital could order, which meant that even with no COVID-19 patients, the hospital was depleting PPE 

faster than it could restock. Even among hospitals that reported that they currently had enough PPE, 

some noted that a surge in patients would quickly deplete their supplies. One hospital noted that with

its high “burn” rate (i.e., rate of use), its inventory of PPE would last only 3 more days. Another hospital 

administrator expressed a common concern: not wanting to put employees in a position that 

“endangers their lives and the lives of their families because [they] do not have PPE.” 

Hospitals pointed to the lack of a robust supply chain as delaying or preventing them

from restocking the PPE needed to protect staff. Hospitals reported that the supply chain for 

medical equipment had been disrupted because of increased demand for PPE from health care 

providers and others around the country. As one administrator said, everyone is “trying to pull [PPE] 

from the same small bucket.” Another administrator stated that their hospital’s purchaser was reporting 

delays of 3-6 months in being able to replenish key supplies, including surgical and N95 masks. 

Another hospital made the point that this competition for supply was unusual in that it involved not 

only health care providers, but also the public. An administrator at this hospital reported apprehending 

a person trying to steal face masks from the hospital lobby.

Hospital administrators expressed uncertainty about availability of PPE from Federal and 

State sources. Some hospitals noted that at the time of our interview they had not received supplies 

from the Strategic National Stockpile, or that the supplies that they had received were not sufficient in 

quantity or quality. One administrator stated that getting supplies from the stockpile was a major 

challenge, saying that the supplies the hospital received “won't even last a day. We need gloves, we 

need masks with fluid shields on—N95 masks—and we need gowns. It's the number one challenge all 

across the system." One health system reported that it received 1,000 masks from the Federal and State 

governments, but it had been expecting a larger resupply. Further, 500 of the masks were for children 

and therefore unusable for the health system’s adult staff. One hospital reported receiving a shipment 
Hospital Experiences Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results of a National Pulse Survey March 23-27, 2020

OEI-06-20-00300 4

of 2,300 N95 masks from a State strategic reserve, but the masks were not useable because the elastic 

bands had dry-rotted. Another hospital reported that the last two shipments it had received from a

Federal agency contained PPE that expired in 2010. The shipment contained construction masks that 

looked different than traditional masks and did not contain a true N95 seal.

Hospitals noted sharp increases in prices for some equipment. Multiple hospitals reported 

concerns that prices of equipment, particularly masks, had increased significantly. One administrator

noted that masks that originally cost 50 cents now cost $6 apiece. Other hospitals reported concerns 

about vendors buying up supplies and selling them to the hospital at a higher cost. As one hospital 

administrator noted, “We are all competing for the same items and there are only so many people on 

the other end of the supply chain.” Another administrator reported being concerned about poor 

quality products despite high-prices and “...wonder[ing] if you get what you paid for.” 

Hospitals reported that they were not always able to maintain adequate 

staffing levels or to offer staff adequate support 

Many hospitals reported that they did not have enough staff to meet current or anticipated needs for 

COVID-19 patients, which put a strain on existing staff. Some hospitals reported that they were already 

struggling with staffing limitations prior to COVID-19, which made any additional demand particularly 

challenging. One hospital administrator explained that their hospital would have significant staffing 

shortages if faced with a surge of COVID-19 patients because the hospital relies heavily on traveling 

nurses. Another administrator stated, "Unlike a disaster where the surge is over in a matter of days, 

with this situation we have to prepare for this to last many months. We have to scale up in equipment 

and staff, and prepare for this to last a long, long time. This is very challenging for staff."

Hospitals reported a shortage of specialized providers needed to meet the anticipated 

patient surge. Several hospitals emphasized a particular need for specialized staff, such as infectious 

disease providers, respiratory therapists, and physicians and nurses who can provide intensive and 

critical care. Many hospitals also stated that they lacked trained staff that can operate ventilators and 

treat patients receiving that level of care. One hospital administrator said his hospital has only one 

ventilator and only one respiratory therapist, adding that the therapist can't work 24 hours a day 

monitoring the ventilator. Another administrator said, “You can build thousands of ventilators, but you 

need an army to manage that equipment and care for those patients.”

Hospitals raised concerns that staff exposure to the virus may exacerbate staffing 

shortages and overwork. Several hospitals reported that they would struggle to maintain hospital 

operations if even a few staff were exposed to the virus. The administrator for one small, rural hospital 

explained that if one patient tested positive for COVID-19 the hospital would have to put 16 staff 

members in quarantine, which would essentially halt its operations. Administrators in two hospitals 

described how staffing levels in their facilities had been significantly impacted after a large number of 

staff had contracted or been exposed to the virus. 

Hospital administrators expressed concerns that fear and uncertainty were taking an 

emotional toll on staff, both professionally and personally. Hospitals reported that fear of 

being infected, and uncertainties about the health and well-being of family members, were impacting 
Hospital Experiences Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results of a National Pulse Survey March 23-27, 2020

OEI-06-20-00300 5

morale and creating anxiety among staff. As one administrator put it, "The level of anxiety among staff 

is like nothing I’ve ever seen.“ Another hospital administrator explained that staff were carrying a heavy 

burden both professionally and personally. Professionally, staff were worried about the security of their 

jobs and the difficult choices they must make regarding their patients, such as who should get one of a 

limited number of tests. They also feared contracting the virus. At one hospital, a staff member who 

tested positive exposed others on staff, but the hospital did not have enough kits to test those exposed. 

Personally, staff were worried about spreading the virus to their family members and ensuring that their 

families were cared for, especially with schools and daycare centers being closed. As one administrator 

said, “Health care workers feel like they’re at war right now...[they] are seeing people in their 30s, 40s, 

50s dying...This takes a large emotional toll.”

Hospitals also reported substantial challenges maintaining 

and expanding capacity to care for patients 

The other most prominent concerns reported by hospital administrators centered on maintaining 

facility operations while receiving and treating patients with known or suspected cases of COVID-19. 

These challenges included concerns about bed availability, particularly specialized beds such as 

intensive care unit beds, and supplies, as well as maintaining financial solvency given reductions in 

routine patient care and elective surgeries. 

Hospitals were concerned about their capacity to treat a surge of patients 

who may require special beds and rooms to treat and contain infection

Hospitals anticipated being overwhelmed by a surge in COVID-19 patients, who would need specialty 

beds and isolation areas for effective treatment. Specifically, hospitals reported concerns about 

potential shortages of intensive care unit beds, negative pressure rooms, and isolation units. Hospitals 

also reported that, given the limitations to bed availability, it was challenging to sufficiently separate

COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients within their facilities. Separating patients is thought to allow 

health care workers to better coordinate and direct needed treatment specific to COVID-19 patients as 

well as reduce the spread of infection. One hospital administrator observed that: “Being a rural hospital, 

we have to be ready to convert beds to prepare for surge capacity. We still have to take care of our 

non-COVID situations. We have to make people feel like we can still take care of them if they have [an] 

emergent situation." 

Hospitals reported being unable to discharge patients to certain post-acute facilities 

while awaiting COVID-19 test results. Many hospitals reported that some post-acute facilities, 

such as skilled nursing facilities or facilities with lower-level care, were requiring negative 

COVID-19 tests before accepting patients discharged from hospitals. As such, patients who no longer 

required acute care were taking valuable bed space while waiting to be discharged. One hospital 

reported a case in which a post-acute-care facility refused to take a patient unless the hospital sent 

them a week’s worth of masks for the patient and for the staff who would care for the patient, even 

though the patient was not positive for COVID-19. Delays in receiving test results contributed to delays 

in transferring patients to these lower level facilities and in freeing beds in the hospitals for incoming 

COVID-19 patients. 
Hospital Experiences Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results of a National Pulse Survey March 23-27, 2020

OEI-06-20-00300 6

Hospitals reported concerns about securing other critical supplies, 

materials, and logistic support

Hospitals reported they do not have a reliable source for the equipment and supplies they use to 

support patient care. One hospital reported that, in addition to beds, it needed to source the materials 

that accompany additional beds and did not know where to order them. For example, hospitals 

described the supplies that support a patient room, such as intravenous therapy poles, medical gas, 

linens, and food. Multiple hospitals also cited a shortage of toilet paper. Hospitals discussed the need 

for supportive services, such as sanitation services, staffed mobile field hospitals, and mortuary services, 

as well as the construction work and maintenance needed to convert rooms. 

Hospitals reported shortages of no-touch, infrared thermometers needed for 

temperature screening. One hospital reported an inability to implement a policy to screen all 

hospital entrants because it did not have enough no-touch thermometers to allow for timely testing 

and avoid long lines at entrances. (No-touch thermometers use infrared technology to rapidly provide 

accurate temperature results.) This hospital reported it resorted to only screening patients, staff, and 

vendors on a random basis. Similarly, another hospital explained that it was unable to monitor 

employee temperatures in a timely manner, given it had a 700-plus person staff and had just a few of 

the no-touch thermometers that could be devoted to staff testing rather than patient care.

Hospitals faced shortages of disinfectants and cleaning supplies. Hospitals reported 

insufficient inventory of essential cleaning supplies, such as disinfectant wipes, hand sanitizer, and hand 

soap. One hospital described being unable to buy disinfectant cleaning supplies and not knowing 

when supplies will be available. Another hospital described making disinfectants, such as bleach, out of 

on-hand chemicals, such as chlorine. 

Isolated or smaller hospitals reported that they have a harder time accessing necessary 

supplies. Isolated and smaller hospitals reported that they were facing special challenges maintaining 

the supplies they need to continue their operations. One hospital noted that its island location made it 

difficult to restock quickly when it runs out of supplies. Another hospital reported that it was not able 

to request the amounts of disinfectants and other supplies that it needed from the State. Instead, 

products were “divvied up” by the State, and because the hospital is small, it received fewer of the 

products and supplies than larger hospitals.

Hospitals cited anticipated shortages of ventilators as a potential

challenge

Many hospitals reported concerns that they would not have enough ventilators if faced with a surge of 

COVID-19 patients. One administrator explained the difficulty of predicting whether a surge would

come and how many ventilators would be needed, “[We] just don’t know two weeks down the road 

what we will need.” Hospitals pointed to overall supply shortages and the unavailability of ventilators in 

other facilities, as well as the scarcity of ventilator components such as tubes. 

Some hospitals’ concerns about the supply of ventilators were exacerbated by their small 

size. Small hospitals reported that they were able to maintain few, if any, ventilators. Some of these 

hospitals described contingency plans to repurpose alternative machines from other hospital 
Hospital Experiences Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results of a National Pulse Survey March 23-27, 2020

OEI-06-20-00300 7

departments or to transport patients to other facilities, if needed. However, one hospital with no 

ventilators expressed concern that if a patient needs ventilation, neighboring hospitals may not have 

the space to take them. Another hospital noted that larger hospitals may be given priority in receiving 

ventilators.

Hospitals also explained that potential ventilator shortages would pose difficult 

decisions about ethical allocation and liability. As hospitals planned for a surge of patients, 

many reported that they were either developing or revising guidelines regarding ventilator utilization 

decisions, although at the time of our survey no hospital reported limiting ventilator use. Some 

administrators noted that with difficult decisions about ventilator allocation also come concerns about 

liability. For example, one hospital administrator described concerns about the liability embedded in 

decisions regarding which patients would receive assistance from a ventilator and which would not, 

concluding that: “Government needs to provide guidelines on ethics if health resources are limited and 

decisions need to be made about which patients to treat. Are physicians liable for their decisions if that 

happens?”

Hospitals described increasing costs and decreasing revenues as a threat

to their financial viability 

Hospitals reported that the increased costs and loss of revenue were quickly depleting cash reserves 

and could be disruptive to ongoing hospital operations. Hospitals reported having essentially ceased 

performing elective procedures and many other services, which many hospitals said accounted for a 

substantial portion of their revenue. Meanwhile, hospitals explained that their costs have increased as 

they prepare for a potential surge of patients by purchasing extra equipment (such as PPE and 

ventilators), remodeling rooms for negative pressure, or setting up drive-through clinics and tents. 

One administrator explained that having cash on hand was becoming an urgent issue with the specialty 

clinic volume down 80 percent, primary care volume down 50 percent, and cancellation of all elective 

surgeries. One administrator said their hospital is in a favorable financial position, but it is concerned it 

could be overwhelmed if other hospitals close. Another administrator said their hospital is tracking all 

of its costs for treating COVID-19 patients or potential cases, so that it can be reimbursed in the future. 

Other hospitals reported laying off staff due to financial difficulties, which further exacerbated 

workforce shortages and the hospitals’ ability to care for COVID-19 patients and the routine patient 

population. One administrator stated that it had been “an absolute financial nightmare for hospitals.”

Hospitals that were part of a larger health system reported that they considered themselves to be 

better situated to absorb financial losses compared to smaller independent and rural hospitals. Being 

part of a larger health system enabled hospitals to distribute losses from the hardest hit hospitals to the 

other hospitals in the system. Smaller, independent hospitals, such as rural hospitals and critical access 

hospitals, reported that they were at greater financial risk than those in larger systems and that they 

could face more financial uncertainty. As one hospital administrator observed, “There is no mothership 

to save us.” 

Hospitals reported circumstances in which insurance reimbursements were not covering 

hospitals’ costs for providing services in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis. Hospital 

administrators reported that insufficient reimbursement for some services and a lack of flexibility in 
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billing rules that affect reimbursement amounts have created financial challenges. For example, some 

hospitals were using telehealth to provide services without patients having to come to the hospital, but 

reported that reimbursement amounts for telehealth services often do not cover the hospitals’ costs. In 

another example, hospitals reported facing resistance from health plans to paying for patients’

additional days in the hospital while the patients were awaiting COVID-19 test results. Negative test

results were needed for the patients to be accepted for admission or re-admission at post-acute-care 

facilities and nursing homes. 

Further, hospitals reported difficulty in getting reimbursed for treating patients in non-traditional 

spaces because there were no qualifying billing codes when treating patients in these locations. For 

example, to mitigate COVID-19 spread, one hospital relocated speech, occupational, and physical 

therapy services off-site. However, the hospital said it was unable to bill for these services because it 

does not own the building housing the relocated services, or meet billing requirements. 

Hospitals reported that changing and sometimes inconsistent guidance 

from Federal, State, and local authorities posed challenges and confused 

hospitals and the public 

Hospitals reported that it was sometimes difficult to remain current with CDC guidance 

when training staff on PPE and safety precautions. To reduce the spread of COVID-19 and 

prepare staff for patient surges, hospitals reported providing training regarding proper use of PPE, 

procedures for putting on and taking off PPE, and isolation practices. As new information about the 

virus becomes available and circumstances on the ground change, the Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention (CDC) has changed its guidance over time. However, some hospital administrators 

expressed that it was challenging to stay up to date with CDC guidance and re-educating staff on 

changes to the guidance (e.g., who needs PPE, when to remove it, and when to reuse it). Some 

hospitals reported that the multiple changes in guidance contributed to a greater sense of confusion, 

fear, and distrust among staff that they could rely on hospital procedures to protect them.

Hospitals reported instances of receiving conflicting guidance from different Federal, 

State, and local authorities. Hospitals reported receiving conflicting guidance on criteria for 

testing, defining elective procedures to delay, use of PPE, and getting supplies from the national 

stockpile. For example, on proper use of PPE, one hospital administrator reported that CDC guidelines 

at that time called for use of an N95 mask for all patients suspected of COVID-19 infections, while at the 

same time, one State said that using a surgical mask and face shield was sufficient for staff treating 

patients with COVID-19. The hospital noted “[The inconsistency] makes everyone nervous. It would 

have been better if there was coordination and consistency in guidance among the different levels of 

government.” Another administrator said, “It’s difficult when a doctor or nurse shows you legitimate 

information from legitimate sources and they’re contradictory.”

Hospitals also reported concerns that misinformation had proliferated among the public, 

unnecessarily increasing workload on hospitals at a critical time. Many hospital 

administrators reported needing to spend time responding to fear, lack of information, and lack of 

understanding in their public communities, which they attributed to an absence of clear, accurate, and 

consistent information. These hospitals reported having to dispel misinformation and unrealistic 
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expectations among patients about testing and other issues, as well as having to work to educate the 

community about proper steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and when to seek medical attention 

versus self-isolating at home. One hospital administrator reported the challenge of taking on a public 

health advocacy role with mayors and county commissioners to advocate implementing social 

distancing at beaches, restaurants, and the like to slow the spread of COVID-19, in addition to 

performing normal duties. Another hospital administrator reported that employers were telling 

employees they cannot return to work without testing negative and that the hospital was having a 

difficult time educating employers that only certain people can be tested. One administrator stated: 

“The misinformation that is out there, and the lack of serious understanding about what we could be 

facing, is extraordinary. It is not helping the situation at all. We need to take this seriously."

Hospitals reported using a range of strategies to maintain or 

expand their capacity to care for patients and to keep staff 

safe

Hospital strategies often attempted to address multiple challenges. These efforts included broad-scale 

ideas that involved multiple providers and suppliers across the country, as well as smaller-scale, 

community-based efforts that rose in some cases from hospital leadership and staff, other public health 

stakeholders, and the general public. For a more detailed list of operational strategies that hospital 

administrators shared, see Appendix A. 

Hospital administrators turned to alternative practices and 

unconventional sources to secure necessary PPE, equipment, and supplies 

for their staff

In an attempt to get needed equipment and supplies, hospital administrators turned to 

new, sometimes un-vetted, and non-traditional sources. The lack of PPE caused hospitals to 

consider new and un-vetted sources for PPE of whose reputability they were sometimes unsure. One 

hospital reported that in working with new vendors, some ordered items did not show up, were expired, 

or were different than what was ordered. The administrator also stated that the hospital did not have 

the ability to evaluate the quality of the equipment in a meaningful way.

Some facilities stated that they turned to non-traditional sources of medical equipment and supplies to 

combat supply chain disruptions. For instance, some hospitals considered sources for PPE that they 

would not normally use—such as online retailers, home supply stores, paint stores, autobody supply 

shops, and beauty salons.

To try to make existing supplies of PPE last, hospitals reported conserving and reusing 

PPE. Hospital administrators discussed implementing or considering new procedures to conserve PPE, 

including physically securing PPE to prevent theft or misuse, educating staff on appropriate use and 

conservation, and limiting PPE use according to patient condition. Other hospitals reported reducing 

the extent and frequency of patient interaction to reduce PPE burn; this included doing as much for a 

patient as possible in one interaction, having multiple providers see a patient together, or removing 

equipment like intravenous pumps from patients’ rooms so that it could be prepped elsewhere without 
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PPE. At one facility, staff tested patients at remote sites to, in part, reduce PPE use. Hospitals indicated 

that staff performing testing remotely can remain in PPE all day, whereas staff who test inside hospitals 

typically change PPE frequently when moving from suspected COVID-19 patients to other patients. 

Another hospital described being in ‘war mode’ and abandoning the typical standard of care by only 

using N95 masks for certain higher-risk procedures for COVID-19 patients such as aerosolized 

procedures, which can send the virus into the air and put health care workers at risk. 

Conservation strategies included reusing PPE, which is typically intended to be single-use. To reuse 

PPE, some hospitals reported using or exploring ultra-violet (UV) sterilization. Other hospitals reported 

bypassing some sanitation processes by having staff place industry masks over N95 masks so that the 

N95 mask could be reused. As one administrator characterized the situation, “We are throwing all of 

our PPE best practices out the window. That one will come back and bite us. It will take a long time for 

people to get back to doing best practices.”

Hospitals also reported turning to non-medical-grade PPE, which they worry may put 

staff at risk. Instead of reusing medical-grade equipment, some hospitals reported resorting to 

non-medical-grade PPE such as construction masks or handmade masks and gowns, but were unsure 

about the guidelines for how to safely do it. For example, one hospital administrator noted that 

recommendations were not clear about whether cloth masks were good enough, stating, “But if that’s 

what we have, that’s what we’re going to have to use.” One hospital reported using 3D printing to 

manufacturer masks, while another hospital reported that its staff had made 500 face shields out of 

office supplies. 

Other hospitals reported using community resources to make ends meet, including accepting 

homemade cloth gowns from a quilter’s guild, asking volunteers to make masks, and asking for 

donations on their website. One hospital administrator described a plan for the local distillery to blend 

100 liters of the hospital's ultrasound gel with the distillery’s alcohol to produce CDC-compliant hand 

sanitizer. 

Hospital strategies also focused on ensuring adequate staffing to treat 

patients with COVID-19

Hospital administrators reported using strategies aimed at ensuring they had sufficient staff with the 

needed skills to treat COVID-19 patients where most needed. For example, some administrators shared 

that their hospitals were training certain medical staff, like anesthesiologists, hospitalists, and nursing 

staff, to help care for patients on ventilators. Further, hospitals touted partnerships with large health

care systems as beneficial because they can deploy medical staff, like nurses, to other hospitals in the 

health care system that may be experiencing a staff shortage.

Hospitals reported providing resources to help reduce employee burden 

as well as anxiety and stress 

To ease anxiety and reduce outside burdens on staff that could distract them or prevent them from 

working, some facilities reported assisting staff to access services such as childcare, laundry pick up and 

drop off, grocery services, and hotel accommodations to promote separation from elderly family 

members. Hospitals also reported offering or expanding resources to provide employees with 
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emotional and psychological support. One hospital shared that it recruited external mental health 

clinicians and engaged its own psychiatry staff to help alleviate anxiety among hospital staff.

Some strategies focus on managing patient flow and hospital capacity to 

receive and treat patients 

Hospital administrators reported using several strategies to manage patient flow as they respond to 

their communities’ needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Strategies included promoting the use of 

ambulatory care for patients with less severe symptoms to help relieve the pressure on emergency 

departments, and the use of telehealth services when possible to help protect both patients and staff 

through social distancing measures. In addition, to help triage patient flow into the hospitals, hospital 

administrators described efforts to educate community members about COVID-19 screening or testing 

processes to avoid patients entering the hospital if not advised under guidelines. 

To address potential bed and facilities shortages, some hospitals reported converting or creating space 

to house a surge of additional patients. This included expanding their intensive care units, repurposing 

existing space, using tents, and utilizing other network facilities to separate COVID-19 patients when 

possible. One hospital administrator explained their strategy: “I’ve emptied the hospital and I’m waiting 

for it to come. Which it may or may not.” Some hospital administrators described plans to make use of 

other facilities, such as local fairgrounds, vacant college dorms, and closed correctional facilities as 

additional space for patient care in the event of a surge.

With an uncertain supply of standard, full-feature ventilators, hospitals 

sought new sources and turned to alternative equipment to support 

patients 

In anticipation of increased needs for ventilators, hospitals tried to obtain additional machines by 

renting ventilators, buying single-use emergency transport ventilators, or getting ventilators through an 

affiliated facility. Hospitals also discussed sharing supplies of ventilators between hospitals. Where 

these options were not available, some hospitals planned to transfer patients in need of a ventilator to a 

nearby hospital.

Some hospitals reported converting other equipment to use as ventilators. For example, adapting 

anesthesia machines and bilevel positive airway pressure machines. One hospital reported considering

“doubling up on ventilators – that is, adding another hose to the ventilator so that it can push oxygen 

to two patients from a single machine.” Another hospital detailed its staff’s efforts at both converting 

anesthesia machines and using them to support more than one patient: “Our staff had figured out that 

we could transition some anesthesia machines using t-connectors and viral filters to turn them into 

ventilators. You jerry-rig the anesthesia machine by using a t-connector, you can support four patients 

off one of these.” 

Hospitals reported pressing needs for government assistance

to meet COVID-19 challenges 

Faced with the magnitude and diversity of challenges described above, hospital officials identified a 

range of government assistance that could support their COVID-19 response. One common theme was 
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the need for swift action to respond to the COVID-19 crisis. Broadly, the actions they described fall into 

five categories: 1) assistance with testing, supplies, and equipment (e.g., PPE); 2) assistance with 

workforce allocation; 3) assistance with capacity of facilities; 4) financial assistance; and 

5) communication and public information.

The hospital input and suggestions reflect a specific point in time—March 23–27, 2020. We recognize 

that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is also getting input from hospitals and other 

frontline responders and has already taken and continues to take action to alleviate many hospital 

challenges and implement suggestions. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act 

was signed into law on March 27, 2020, and provides HHS with additional funding and authorities to 

combat and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, including in ways that address challenges and 

suggestions raised by the hospitals we surveyed.

1, 2 

We present the following hospital suggestions on ways that the government could assist them for 

HHS’s and other decision-makers’ consideration as they continue to respond to COVID-19.

Assistance with testing, supplies, and equipment 

In discussing potential government assistance related to testing, supplies, and equipment, hospitals 

often stated that they were in competition with other providers for limited supplies, and that 

government intervention and coordination could help reconcile this problem at the national level to 

provide equitable distribution of supplies throughout the country. 

Hospitals wanted the government to: 

• provide test kits and swabs, or for the government to take steps to ensure that supply chains 

can provide hospitals with a sufficient supply of tests;

• make testing faster by allowing more entities to produce tests and related supplies or to 

conduct tests; 

• help in obtaining a range of supplies, such as N95 masks, surgical masks, gloves, and other 

protective gear;

• provide equipment such as ventilators, triage tents, and beds, among others, or take steps to 

bolster supply chains to provide needed equipment; and, 

• loosen restrictions around the transfer or gifting of equipment and supplies (e.g., when 

providers want to send supplies necessary for treatment with patients when transferring them to 

another facility). 

Assistance with workforce allocation 

Given their concerns about staffing shortages, hospitals reported that they needed the government to 

enable maximum flexibility among their care-giving workforce. 

Hospitals wanted the government to:

• enable reassignment of licensed professionals and realignment of duties within the hospital and 

throughout their health care networks; 

• provide flexibility with respect to licensed professionals practicing across State lines, 

• provide relief from regulations that may restrict using contracted staff or physicians based on 

business relationships.
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Assistance with capacity of facilities 

Hospitals reported concerns with their capacity to house a surge of COVID-19 patients. They described 

a range of government actions that they believe would help them on this front. 

Hospitals wanted the government to: 

• relax rules around the designation of bed types;

• take steps that enable hospitals to establish surge facilities in non-traditional settings such as 

hotels and civic centers; and

• allow more patients to be treated at home by expanding access to telehealth through 

flexibilities in the types of services, caregivers, and modalities eligible to receive reimbursement. 

Financial assistance 

Hospital representatives across all types of hospitals (and in particular small, rural hospitals) reported 

that they need financial assistance. Notably, some hospitals reported needing assistance in a matter of 

weeks in order to avoid insolvency. 

Hospitals wanted the government to:

• speed up Medicare payments by dropping the 14-day wait period;

• increase Medicare payments; and

• offer loans and grants.

Communication and information

Hospitals told us that they thought the Federal Government could play a central role in messaging and 

communications to mitigate what they perceived to be conflicting or inconsistent guidance across levels 

of government, as discussed in the challenges. 

Hospitals wanted the government to: 

• provide evidence-based guidance (and as an example, they highlighted the usefulness of CDC’s 

guidance on conserving N95 masks); 

• provide reliable predictive models and data that would help them plan and prepare; and 

• provide a single place to find the information they need, including information on the 

COVID-19 disease, guidance from agencies, and instructions for processes they need to follow, 

such as how to apply for waivers from certain requirements. 
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CONCLUSION

This report provides information about hospitals’ experiences and perspectives in responding to 

COVID-19 at a point in time—March 23–27, 2020. The pandemic is fast-moving, as are the efforts to 

address it. Since our interviews, some hospital challenges may have worsened and others may have 

improved. Hospitals reported that their most significant challenges centered on testing and caring for 

patients with known or suspected COVID-19 and keeping staff safe. Hospitals also reported substantial 

challenges maintaining or expanding their facilities’ capacity to treat patients with COVID-19. 

We recognize that HHS, Congress, and other Federal, State, local, and Tribal entities are taking 

substantial action on a continual basis to support hospitals as they work on the frontlines to treat 

patients, ensure the safety of the health care workforce, and protect communities. We present this 

information for HHS’s and other decision-makers’ consideration as they continue to respond to the 

COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, hospitals may find the practical information about other hospitals’

strategies useful as they confront the many challenges they face in fulfilling their mission.
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BACKGROUND

Hospital Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic 

The emergence of COVID-19 has created unprecedented challenges for the U.S. hospital system.3 As 

frontline responders, hospitals have significant responsibilities for identifying and treating patients with 

COVID-19. Hospitals around the country are adapting to the constantly changing face of the 

COVID-19 pandemic by adopting both expected and novel strategies to tackle the crisis. (See Appendix 

A on pages 21–25 for a list of hospital strategies reported.)

The Emergence of COVID-19 

Four main sub-groupings of coronaviruses commonly circulate among humans worldwide, typically 

causing mild to moderate upper respiratory tract illnesses, and their incidence usually peaks annually in 

the United States during the winter months.4, 5, 6 COVID-19 is a highly contagious coronavirus.7 

Common symptoms include fever, tiredness, dry cough, and shortness of breath, and it can be fatal in 

some cases.8 

The first reported instances of COVID-19 occurred in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, in December 

2019 and January 2020.9 On January 13, 2020, the first patient with COVID-19 was reported outside of 

China, and the first patient in the U.S. was reported 7 days later.10 In late-February 2020, a hospital in 

California documented the first community spread transmission of COVID-19, meaning the illness was 

acquired through an unknown exposure in the community in the U.S.11 

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization characterized COVID-19 as a pandemic, which refers 

to an epidemic that has spread over several countries or continents, usually affecting a large number of 

people.12, 13 As of April 3, 2020, CDC reported 239,279 confirmed cases in the U.S. and 5,443 deaths.14

Role of HHS in Emerging Infectious Disease Preparation and 

Response 

HHS is the lead federal agency responsible for medical support and coordination during public health 

emergencies, such as emerging infectious disease (EID) outbreaks. HHS operating divisions involved in 

the Federal response to EIDs, including the current COVID-19 response, include the Office of the 

Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR), CDC, CMS, and the Food and Drug 

Administration (FDA).15

ASPR coordinates HHS’s response to public health emergencies with other Federal agencies, such as the 

Federal Emergency Management Agency. ASPR also maintains the Strategic National Stockpile, which 

supplements State and local stocks of life-saving pharmaceuticals and medical supplies for use in a 

public health emergency.16 Since 2010, ASPR has managed the Hospital Preparedness Program, which 

provides grants to States and localities to distribute to hospitals and health care coalitions for improved 

preparedness. Health care coalitions are groups of health care providers and public health entities that
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work together to prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies.17, 18 ASPR also created the 

Technical Resources, Assistance Center, and Information Exchange to provide information and technical 

assistance to health care coalitions, health care providers, and other stakeholders during public health 

emergencies.19 

Following the Ebola outbreak in 2014, ASPR designated 10 hospitals as Ebola and Other Special 

Pathogen Centers.20, 21 ASPR defines “special pathogens” as highly infectious agents that produce 

severe disease in humans.22 These centers are to maintain capability to accept patients with suspected 

or diagnosed illness from special pathogens within 8 hours of notification and to conduct quarterly 

exercises to prepare for an EID outbreak.23 During 2017–2018, all 10 Special Pathogen Centers 

participated in on-site readiness consultations conducted by the National Ebola Training and Education 

Center, which is a collaborative effort involving ASPR, CDC, and several academic institutions. The 

results of these assessments indicate that Special Pathogen Centers have higher levels of operational 

readiness to provide care to patients with special pathogens.24

In response to COVID-19, ASPR is working with its partners to develop medical countermeasures and to 

provide resources to support the U.S. health care system’s response. On March 24, 2020, ASPR 

indicated that it will provide $100 million to support U.S. health care systems in getting ready for an 

increase in patients with COVID-19.25

CDC monitors and responds to public health emergencies, such as EIDs, conducts research, and 

provides guidance to health care providers, government entities, and the public.26 In response to 

COVID-19, CDC recently released interim guidance for U.S. health care facilities on preparing for 

community transmission of COVID-19,27 along with strategies for optimizing the supply of N95 

respirators,28 and steps health care facilities can take to prepare for COVID-19.29

CMS oversees hospitals participating in Medicare and Medicaid by requiring them to meet Conditions 

of Participation, a set of minimum health and safety standards.30, 31 To help to address challenges 

presented by COVID-19, CMS has waived some requirements under the emergency authority set forth 

in Section 1135 of the Social Security Act.32 In addition, under its 1135 waiver authority and the 

Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, CMS expanded the 

telehealth benefit for Medicare beneficiaries to allow beneficiaries to “receive a wider range of services 

from their doctors without having to travel to a health care facility.”33

FDA is responsible for protecting the public health by ensuring the safety, efficacy, and security of 

human and veterinary drugs, biological products, medical devices, our nation's food supply, cosmetics, 

and products that emit radiation.34 FDA is working with hospitals and the medical industry to develop 

vaccines, drugs, and diagnostic tests while monitoring the medical supply chain during the 

COVID-19 outbreak.35 FDA is also issuing emergency use authorizations for ventilators and other 

medical devices to treat patients.36 

Personal Protective Equipment 

PPE is protective clothing, helmets, goggles, or other garments or equipment designed to protect the 

wearer's body from injury or infection. PPE also includes a variety of types of respirators and face 
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masks.37 Most relevant to the types of PPE that hospitals are commonly using in treating patients with 

known or suspected cases of COVID-19 is the N95 respirator mask, a respiratory protective device 

designed to achieve a very close facial fit and very efficient filtration of airborne particles.38
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METHODOLOGY

Data Collection and Scope

We conducted a “pulse survey” (i.e., quick, point-in-time questions) by telephone (or in a few cases, by 

email) with administrators from a random sample of Medicare-certified hospitals across the nation and 

in some cases, their parent corporations. These conversations focused on three key issues regarding 

their COVID-19 response: 1) challenges responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, 2) strategies to mitigate 

the challenges, and 3) needs for government assistance. 

We conducted the surveys on March 23–27, 2020 with one or more administrators. The positions of 

these hospital administrators were typically Chief Executive Officer, Chief Medical Officer, or 

representatives from teams and departments dedicated to emergency preparedness or incident 

command. In some cases, leadership from the relevant hospital networks participated in the interviews 

alongside hospital administrators or on the hospitals’ behalf. 

Hospital selection and response

We had previously selected a stratified random sample of 410 hospitals for an October 2018 report 

examining hospital preparedness for EIDs.39 We selected the 410 hospitals from 

4,489 Medicare-certified hospitals with emergency departments in 2016, located in 47 States, the 

District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. The sample was comprised of two strata: (1) all 

10 ASPR-designated Special Pathogen Centers, and (2) 400 other hospitals with emergency 

departments.

For this review, we used the same sample, but removed 12 hospitals that were no longer in operation or 

no longer providing inpatient care, and 18 hospitals that were under investigation by OIG. This left a 

total sample of 380 hospitals that we attempted to survey.

We received responses from 323 of these 380 hospitals, for an 85 percent rate of contact. Among the 

hospitals that did not respond, 9 chose not to participate, and we were unable to contact 48 after a 

minimum of three attempts during the 5-day data collection period.40 

The responding hospitals are located across 46 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Most 

survey responses were provided directly by an administrator for a single hospital. However, for 

46 sampled hospitals, we spoke with administrators from their parent corporation instead of, or in 

addition to, the hospital administrators. We considered the interviews with the administrators from the 

parent companies to be responses for each of the hospitals in our sample that were owned by those 

companies. These 46 hospitals were spread across 16 hospital networks. 

The following two pages provide additional information about the hospitals that responded. 
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Exhibit 2: Hospital Respondents, March 23–27, 2020.

Exhibit 3: The 323 hospitals that we interviewed were located in 46 States, as well as the 

District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
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Exhibit 4: Among the 323 hospitals that we interviewed, some are designated as 

specialized hospitals.

Limitations 

We have three limitations: 1) hospital responses reflect a point in time (March 23–27, 2020), but the 

pandemic is fast-moving, as are efforts to address it. Since our interviews, some hospital challenges 

may have worsened and others may have improved; 2) we did not independently verify the information 

reported by hospital administrators. Rather, we report on hospitals’ experiences and perceptions as 

they were conveyed to OIG; and 3) our analysis found some evidence of response bias. Specifically, 

larger hospitals appear to be under-represented in the pool of respondents and as a result, their views 

may be under-represented. 

Standards 

We conducted this study in accordance with the Quality Standards for Inspection and Evaluation issued 

by the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency.
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APPENDIX A – STRATEGIES REPORTED BY 

HOSPITALS

The following are specific strategies reported by hospitals divided by topic areas: 1) securing PPE, other 

equipment, and supplies for staff; 2) ensuring adequate staffing to treat patients with COVID‐19; 

3) reducing employee anxiety and stress; 4) managing patient flow and hospital capacity; and 

5) securing ventilators and alternative equipment to support patients. We note that these strategies are 

self-reported by the hospitals and OIG has not validated their effectiveness or safety.

Strategies to secure the necessary PPE, equipment, and 

supplies for staff

Seeking Alternative Sources of PPE

To supplement limited supplies, hospitals reported improvising PPE and reaching out to 

non-traditional sources or the community to acquire PPE.

• Using non-traditional sources of PPE, such as online retailers, home supply stores, paint stores, 

autobody supply shops, and beauty salons. 

• Using 3D printers and office supplies to make PPE (e.g., masks).

• Repurposing masks from other industries such as dentists, veterinarians, construction workers, 

nail salons, etc.

• Purchasing expired PPE.

• Considering other materials to substitute for needed supplies (e.g., sandwich bags as 

thermometer covers, blending ultrasound gel and alcohol from a local distillery to make hand 

sanitizer).

• Creating supply by accepting handmade gowns and masks from community volunteers or 

local businesses.

Implementing Methods to Extend PPE Usage

To conserve existing PPE, hospitals reported implementing procedures to extend and/or reuse PPE. 

• Reusing PPE (e.g., disposable masks, face shields, and gowns). 

• Sanitizing PPE (e.g., face shields and masks) between use. 

• Reducing the extent and frequency of patient interaction to reduce PPE burn.

• Physically securing PPE to prevent theft or misuse. 

• Limiting use of PPE to certain staff or patients (e.g., intensive care unit staff or patients).
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Strategies to ensure adequate staffing to treat patients with 

COVID-19

Maintaining Staffing Levels

To keep operations going, hospitals reported “cross-training” staff or bringing on additional medical 

staff.

• Supplementing medical staff with contractors, retired providers, nurse aides, and medical and 

nursing students.

• Training medical staff to support or play other roles (e.g., anesthesiologists, hospitalists, and 

nurses are being trained on how to operate ventilators and care for patients on the machines; 

non-Emergency Department physicians are being trained to triage in the Emergency 

Department).

Implementing Screening Procedures

To control the spread of COVID-19, hospitals reported implementing procedures to screen and 

monitor staff and patients.

• Monitoring the temperature of staff, patients, and visitors who come into the hospital.

• Establishing screening centers outside of the hospital.

Partnering and Collaborating

To aid in their delivery of care, hospitals reported leveraging their partnerships and collaborating with 

those in the community.

• Being part of a large health care system enables hospitals to deploy staff to other hospitals 

and share supplies (e.g., PPE).

• Rural hospitals working with other rural hospitals to share supplies and pass information 

about vendors. 

• Working with the local emergency and health departments (e.g., fire department) to prepare 

and help with patient flow.

• Coordinating with local health authorities to find proper placement for people that need to 

isolate but do not have homes.

• Working with local community businesses and organizations (e.g., factories, fashion schools, 

and distilleries) to assist with supplies, such as PPE and cleaning supplies.
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Strategies to help reduce employee anxiety and stress

Providing Social Support and Services

To ease anxiety and reduce outside burdens on staff, hospitals reported providing emotional and 

psychological support and other support services.

• Assisting staff to find childcare, grocery, and laundry services.

• Providing hotel accommodations to promote separation from elderly family members.

• Expanding Employee Assistance Program services.

• Recruiting mental health clinicians and psychiatry staff to provide emotional and 

psychological support.

Strategies to manage patient flow and hospital capacity

Using Ambulatory Care and Telehealth Services

To limit foot traffic, hospitals reported increasing their use of ambulatory care services and telehealth. 

• Using ambulatory care clinics in the community and telehealth to triage patients in the clinic, 

in the car, or over the phone to limit Emergency Department visits.

• Establishing hotlines for education and advice.

Social Distancing and Restricting Access

To control the spread of COVID-19, hospitals reported restricting access to the hospital and across 

different parts of the hospital.

• Limiting the number of entrances to the hospital.

• Limiting the number of visitors and/or restricting visitors to attend only births and end-of-life 

situations.

• Dismissing hospital volunteers.

• Restricting access to common areas (e.g., making cafeterias "grab and go," closing gyms).

• Splitting the Emergency Department into separate areas - one area for patients with 

respiratory symptoms and another area for those without respiratory symptoms. 

• Constructing temporary walls in the Emergency Department to isolate patients and create 

negative pressure space.

• Turning the ambulance bay into a respiratory assessment unit with portable X-rays and 

negative air pressure to keep unscreened patients from going through the Emergency 

Department.
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Increasing Bed Availability

To address potential bed and facilities shortages, hospitals reported converting or creating space to 

house a surge in patients.

• Expanding intensive care units, repurposing existing space or using tents, and utilizing other 

network facilities to separate COVID-19 patients.

• Establishing alternate care sites at local fairgrounds and other spacious facilities.

• Converting nonoperational facilities in the community (e.g., prisons and college dorms) into 

temporary critical care units.

Conducting Community Outreach and Education

To keep communities informed and reduce public panic, hospitals reported conducting outreach and 

education activities to answer questions about COVID-19.

• Sending internal and external hospital communications, such as a daily newsletter; sharing 

information on employee health and human resources.

• Holding senior leadership meetings often with other hospitals and communicating with local 

and State governments.

• Partnering with local government to educate the public on the COVID-19 screening process, 

including indicating which potential patients should go to the emergency department and 

when, based on criteria such as symptoms.

• Developing ways for hospital leaders to hear hospital staff concerns, such as through daily 

webinars.

Eliminating Elective Surgeries and Other Procedures

To reduce risk of exposure and conserve PPE, hospitals reported eliminating elective surgeries and 

reducing other services such as ambulatory services, outpatient services, physical therapy, and 

medical imaging.

• Conserving the PPE and blood supply that would be used for elective procedures in 

preparation for a COVID-19 patient surge. 

• Using surgery units and beds for potential COVID-19 patients.

• Reassigning surgical clinicians and staff to assist with COVID-19 response.

Activating Hospital Command Centers

To coordinate the hospitals' emergency plans, hospitals reported activating their incident command 

centers.

• Setting up hospital contingency plans to prepare for patient surge and demand for services 

(e.g., using clinic-based physicians to assist in hospital acute care, using a buddy system that 

pairs intensive care unit and non-intensive care unit providers together, plans for evacuating 

patients, as needed, to alternate settings.
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Managing Financial Viability

To continue providing needed care and retain staff, hospitals reported assessing ways to manage 

their cash flow.

• Opening a line of credit to keep payroll going.

• Evaluating pay cuts and layoffs.

• Implementing mandatory and voluntary time off for staff that are not busy or essential, during 

which time staff would not be paid but would stay on staff.

• Using flexible staffing and furloughing staff.

• Identifying grants and other funding opportunities. 

• Reducing inventory not related to COVID-19.

Strategies to secure ventilators and alternative equipment to 

support patients

Securing Ventilators and Alternative Equipment

To address a shortage in ventilators, hospitals sought new sources and alternative equipment to 

support patients. 

• Renting ventilators, buying single-use emergency transport ventilators, or obtaining 

ventilators from an affiliated facility.

• Sharing supplies of ventilators between hospitals.

• Planning to transfer patients in need of ventilator to a nearby hospital.

• Converting medical equipment to use as ventilators (e.g., anesthesia machines and bi-level 

positive airway pressure machines).

• Fitting ventilators with additional hoses to connect more than one patient to a single machine.
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APPENDIX B - GLOSSARY OF KEY TERMS

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR): HHS staff division that 

leads the nation's medical and public health preparedness for, response to, and recovery from disasters 

and public health emergencies. ASPR is assisting organizations to prepare for and respond to the 

COVID-19 outbreak. 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): HHS operating division tasked with protecting the 

public health and safety through the control and prevention of disease, injury, and disability in the U.S. 

and internationally. CDC is studying COVID-19 worldwide and helping communities prepare and 

respond locally. 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS): HHS operating division that administers the 

Medicare program and works in partnership with State governments to administer Medicaid, the 

Children's Health Insurance Program, and health insurance portability standards. CMS is issuing clinical 

and technical guidance for providers and beneficiaries about COVID-19. 

Community spread: Spread of an illness for which the source of the infection is unknown. 

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): An illness of the respiratory tract that is highly contagious. 

Symptoms include a cough, a high temperature (fever), and shortness of breath, and can be fatal in 

some cases. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the virus that causes 

COVID-19 and is often called the COVID-19 virus; its prior name was the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-

nCoV). 

Critical Access hospital (CAH): Rural primary health care hospital that gives limited outpatient and 

inpatient hospital services to people in rural areas. CAHs are designated by CMS, and to qualify these 

facilities must meet certain conditions such as: furnishing 24-hour emergency care services 7 days a 

week, having no more than 25 inpatient beds, and having an average length of stay of 4 days or less per 

patient for acute-care services. CMS is waiving requirements that CAHs limit the number of beds to 25 

and length of stay of 4 days.

Emerging infectious disease (EID): Infections that have recently appeared within a population or 

those whose incidence or geographic range is rapidly increasing or threatens to increase in the near 

future. 

Epidemic: Refers to an increase, often sudden, in the number of cases of a disease above what is 

normally expected in that population in that area. 

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): Federal agency under the U.S. Department of 

Homeland Security that coordinates responses to natural disasters with State and local governments 

and provides Federal assistance. 

Food and Drug Administration (FDA): HHS operating division that is responsible for protecting the 

public health by ensuring the safety, efficacy, and security of human and veterinary drugs, biological 
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products, medical devices, our nation's food supply, cosmetics, and products that emit radiation. FDA is 

working with hospitals and the medical industry to develop vaccines, drugs, and tests while monitoring 

the medical supply chain during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Intensive care unit (ICU): Specialized hospital or facility department that provides critical care and life 

support for acutely ill and injured patients. 

Intravenous (IV) pump: Medical device that delivers fluids, such as nutrients and medications, into a 

patient’s body in controlled amounts. 

Isolation room: Negatively pressurized room to control the airflow so that the number of airborne 

contaminants is reduced to a level that makes the chance of cross-infection to other people within a 

health care facility unlikely (also see negative pressure room). 

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS): Illness caused by a virus (more specifically, a coronavirus) 

called Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) and was first reported in Saudi 

Arabia in 2012. Most MERS patients develop severe respiratory illness with symptoms of fever, cough 

and shortness of breath and many people who are infected die. 

N95 respirator mask: Respiratory protective device designed to achieve a very close facial fit and very 

efficient filtration of airborne particles. The 'N95' designation means that when subjected to careful 

testing, the respirator blocks at least 95 percent of very small (0.3 micron) test particles. If properly 

fitted, the filtration capabilities of N95 respirators exceed those of face masks. 

Negative pressure room: Room in a hospital or facility that is used to contain airborne contaminants 

within the room. 

Outbreak: Carries the same definition as “epidemic,” but usually refers to a more limited geographic 

area. 

Pandemic: Epidemic that has spread over several countries or continents, usually affecting a large 

number of people.

Personal protective equipment (PPE): Protective clothing, helmets, goggles, or other garments or 

equipment designed to protect the wearer's body from injury or infection. This includes respirators and 

face masks. 

Positive COVID-19 test: Test has laboratory confirmation, either from a State or local laboratory or the 

CDC. 

Powered air purifying respirators (PAPRs): Type of PPE used to safeguard workers against 

contaminated air. It includes a battery-powered blower that pulls air through filters then moves filtered 

air towards the facepiece. PAPRs are sometimes called positive-pressure masks, blower units, or just 

blowers (compare with elastomeric respirators). 

Presumptive positive: someone with symptoms that strongly indicate COVID-19 and tests have ruled 

out other conditions like the flu, but there hasn’t been an initial positive COVID-19 test result or 
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confirmatory test result. This term can also be used when an individual whose initial COVID-19 test has 

been positive, but the CDC or other laboratories have not confirmed it.

Pulse survey: Type of short feedback survey, typically narrow in scope and can be administered on an 

ongoing basis to track the same topic.

Quarantine: Condition that separates and restricts the movement of people who were exposed to a 

contagious disease. If the person in quarantine is determined to have contracted the disease, the 

person should seek treatment, as necessary, or go into isolation until they are no longer contagious. 

Reagent: Substance that is used to produce a chemical reaction that allows researchers to detect, 

measure, produce, or change other substances. For RNA extraction tests that detect the COVID-19 

virus, this is an essential component that is lacking in many health care facilities. 

Respirator: Masklike device, usually of gauze, worn over the mouth, or nose and mouth, to prevent the 

inhalation of noxious substances. There are two main types: air-purifying respirators which remove 

contaminants from the air and air-supplying respirators which provide a clean source of air. 

"Respirator” is sometimes used interchangeably to refer to “ventilators.” (Also see powered air purifying 

respirators and N95 respirators) 

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Virus (SARS): Viral respiratory illness caused by a coronavirus 

called SARS-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV). SARS was first reported in Asia in February 2003. The 

illness spread to more than two dozen countries in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia 

before the SARS global outbreak of 2003 was contained. 

Single-use (disposable or emergency) ventilator: A small, lightweight ventilator used outside of the 

hospital, typically for emergency care situations and intended only for short-term, single patient use, 

with no cleaning or calibration needed.

Social distancing: Limits human interaction to lower the risk of human-to-human transmission. 

Recommended measures can include keeping 6’ away from others, avoiding social gatherings, and 

working from home.

Special Pathogen Centers: 10 hospitals designated by ASPR following the Ebola outbreak in 2014 to 

maintain capability to accept patients with suspected or diagnosed illness from special pathogens 

within 8 hours of notification and to conduct quarterly exercises to prepare for an EID outbreak. They 

receive annual assessments from the National Ebola Training and Education Center, which is a 

collaborative effort involving ASPR, CDC, and several academic institutions. 

Special pathogens: Highly infectious agents that produce severe disease/illness in humans. 

Strategic National Stockpile: Supplements State and local stocks of vaccines, medicines, and supplies 

for emergencies. 

Surge: When patient volumes challenge or exceed a hospital’s servicing capacity to effectively treat 

individuals. 
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Telehealth: Use of electronic information and telecommunications technologies to support longdistance clinical health care, patient and professional health-related education, public health and health 

administration. 

Thermometer (no-touch): No-touch thermometers use infrared technology to rapidly provide 

accurate temperature results.

Traveling nurse: Nurses employed on a short-term or periodic basis. They include temporary staff, 

independent contractors, and seasonal hires.

Triage: Process of sorting, classifying, and assigning priority to patients based on degree of sickness or 

severity of injury. 

Ventilator: Machine that supports breathing when a patient is having surgery or cannot breathe on 

their own due to a critical illness. The patient is connected to the ventilator with a tube that goes in 

their mouth or nose and down into their main airway. 

WHO: World Health Organization, a United Nations agency that directs and coordinates international 

public health efforts.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS AND CONTACT

This report is the result of a large team of OIG staff over a short time period, with the purpose to provide 

timely information at an unprecedented time for HHS and the nation. 

Rosemary Rawlins Bartholomew, Ben Gaddis, and Camille Harper served as the project leaders for this study. 

Key contributors from the Office of Evaluation and Inspections included William Ash, Emily Borgelt, Anna 

Brown, Charis Burger, Kristen Calille, Matt DeFraga, Kira Evsanaa, Maria Johnson, Eunji Kim, Anna Lin, 

Demetrius Martinez, Conswelia McCourt, Anthony Soto McGrath, Lisa Minich, Petra Nealy, Ivy Ngo, Kenneth 

Price, Chelsea Samuel, Karl Mari Santos, Hilary Slover, Jared Smith, Andrea Staples, Malaena Taylor, Savanna 

Thielbar, Jesse Valente, John Van Der Schans, Kelly Waldhoff, and Troy Yamaguchi.

Other OIG staff who conducted the study included Deana Baggett, Melissa Baker, Heather Barton, Joanna 

Bisgaier, Sara Bodnar, Joe Chiarenzelli, Craig Diena, Scott Englund, Kevin Farber, Caitlin Foster, David Fuchs, 

Anne Gavin, Lee Gibson, Kevin Golladay, John Gordon, Vincent Greiber, Samantha Handel Meyer, Nathan 

Hauger, Felicia Heimer, Michael Henry, Althea Hosein, Seta Hovagimian, Jonathan Jones, Michael Joseph, 

Robert Kirkner, Laura Kordish, Rebecca Laster, San Le, Jay Mazumdar, Sabrina Morello, Christine Moritz, 

Lyndsay Patty, Melicia Seay, Meridith Seife, Srishti Sheffner, Ellen Slavin, Peter Taschenberger, Lucio Verani, 

Brian Whitley, and Abigail Wydra.

We would also like to acknowledge other significant contributors without whom this effort would not have 

been successful. Staff from all OIG components contributed, including the Office of Audit Services, the 

Office of Counsel, the Office of Evaluation and Inspections, the Office of Investigations, and the Office of 

Management and Policy. Contributions included planning and conducting interviews, data and 

administrative support, and report production and distribution. 

This report was prepared under the direction of Blaine Collins and Ruth Ann Dorrill, Regional Inspectors 

General for Evaluation and Inspections in the San Francisco and Dallas regional offices, and Abby Amoroso 

and Amy Ashcraft, Deputy Regional Inspectors General.

Contact

To obtain additional information concerning this report, contact the Office of Public Affairs at 

Public.Affairs@oig.hhs.gov. OIG reports and other information can be found on the OIG website at 

oig.hhs.gov.

Office of Inspector General

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

330 Independence Avenues, SW

Washington, DC 20201
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ABOUT THE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL

The mission of the Office of Inspector General (OIG), as mandated by Public Law 95-452, as amended, is 

to protect the integrity of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) programs, as well as the 

health and welfare of beneficiaries served by those programs. This statutory mission is carried out 

through a nation-wide network of audits, investigations, and inspections conducted by the following 

operating components:

The Office of Audit Services (OAS) provides auditing services for HHS, either by conducting 

audits with its own audit resources or by overseeing audit work done by others. Audits examine the 

performance of HHS programs and/or its grantees and contractors in carrying out their respective 

responsibilities and are intended to provide independent assessments of HHS programs and 

operations. These assessments help reduce waste, abuse, and mismanagement and promote economy 

and efficiency throughout HHS.

The Office of Evaluation and Inspections (OEI) conducts national evaluations to provide 

HHS, Congress, and the public with timely, useful, and reliable information on significant issues. These 

evaluations focus on preventing fraud, waste, or abuse and promoting economy, efficiency, and 

effectiveness of departmental programs. To promote impact, OEI reports also present practical 

recommendations for improving program operations.

The Office of Investigations (OI) conducts criminal, civil, and administrative investigations of 

fraud and misconduct related to HHS programs, operations, and beneficiaries. With investigators 

working in all 50 States and the District of Columbia, OI utilizes its resources by actively coordinating 

with the Department of Justice and other Federal, State, and local law enforcement authorities. The 

investigative efforts of OI often lead to criminal convictions, administrative sanctions, and/or civil 

monetary penalties.

The Office of Counsel to the Inspector General (OCIG) provides general legal services 

to OIG, rendering advice and opinions on HHS programs and operations and providing all legal support 

for OIG’s internal operations. OCIG represents OIG in all civil and administrative fraud and abuse cases 

involving HHS programs, including False Claims Act, program exclusion, and civil monetary penalty 

cases. In connection with these cases, OCIG also negotiates and monitors corporate integrity 

agreements. OCIG renders advisory opinions, issues compliance program guidance, publishes fraud 

alerts, and provides other guidance to the health care industry concerning the anti-kickback statute and 

other OIG enforcement authorities.
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ENDNOTES

1 Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act of 2020, P.L. No. 116-136 (enacted Mar. 27, 2020).

2 Actions that HHS has taken related to significant hospital challenges and suggestions include, but are not limited to, the 

following examples. Pursuant to the CARES Act, CMS will allow hospitals, critical access hospitals, and other Medicare 

providers and suppliers to request advance payment for 3 to 6 months of future Medicare claims. On March 30, 2020, CMS 

announced an array of regulatory changes to increase hospitals’ and other health care providers’ flexibility in responding to 

this pandemic. This includes enabling hospitals to leverage alternative sites (such as ambulatory surgical centers, hotels, and 

dormitories) to provide hospital services. CMS also made changes to increase the services that can be provided via telehealth 

and to make Medicare payments for services provided via telehealth equal to the traditional payment rates. In addition, CMS 

has temporarily waived certain regulations that may restrict how hospitals use physicians or contracted staff due to business or 

financial relationships. Specific information about these and many other HHS actions and resources is available at 

https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/coronavirus/index.html.

3 The World Health Organization officially named this disease COVID-19 on February 11, 2020. Prior to that, it had been known 

as “2019 novel coronavirus” or “2019-nCoV.” WHO, Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Situation Report-22. Accessed at 

https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/situation-reports/20200211-sitrep-22-ncov.pdf?sfvrsn=fb6d49b1_2 on 

March 26, 2020.

4 CDC, Human Coronavirus Types, CDC Fact Sheet. Accessed at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/types.html on April 3, 2020. 

5 CDC, Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Frequently Asked Questions: Coronavirus Disease 2019 Basics. Accessed at 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/faq.html on March 26, 2020.

6 Killerby, et al., Human Coronavirus Circulation in the United States 2014-2017, Journal of Clinical Virology, April 2018. 

Accessed at https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1386653218300325 on March 26, 2020.

7 Liu et al., “Community Transmission of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2, Shenzhen, China, 2020,” Emerging 

Infectious Diseases Journal, 26, March 3, 2020. Accessed at https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/26/6/20-0239_article on April 2, 

2020.

8 CDC, Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Symptoms of Coronavirus. Accessed at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-

ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html on March 29, 2020.

9 Li, Qun, et al., Early Transmission Dynamics in Wuhan, China, of Novel Coronavirus-Infected Pneumonia. Accessed at 

https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2001316 on March 26, 2020.

10 Secon, Holly, et al., A Comprehensive Timeline of the New Coronavirus Pandemic, From China’s First COVD-19 Case to the 

Present. Accessed at https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-pandemic-timeline-history-major-events-2020-3 on March 

27, 2020.

11 CDC, CDC Confirms Possible Instance of Community Spread of COVID-19 in U.S. Accessed at 

https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2020/s0226-Covid-19-spread.html on March 2, 2020.

12 World Health Organization, WHO Director-General’s opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19 – 11, March 2020. 

Accessed at https://www.who.int/dg/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-media-briefing-oncovid-19---11-march-2020 on April 3, 2020.

13 An epidemic refers to an increase, often sudden, in the number of cases of a disease above what is normally expected in that 

population in that area. CDC, Principles of Epidemiology in Public Health Practice. Accessed at 

https://www.cdc.gov/csels/dsepd/ss1978/lesson1/section11.html on March 27, 2020.
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14 CDC, Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Cases & Latest Updates, Cases in U.S. Accessed at 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/cases-in-us.html on April 3, 2020.

15 FEMA, Emergency Support Function #8—Public Health and Medical Services Annex, January 2008. Accessed at 

https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/20130726-1825-25045-

8027/emergency_support_function_8_public_health___medical_services_annex_2008.pdf on March 26, 2020.

16 ASPR, Public Health Emergency Strategic National Stockpile. Accessed at 

https://www.phe.gov/about/sns/Pages/default.aspx on April 3, 2020.

17 ASPR, 2017–2022 Health Care Preparedness and Response Capabilities. Accessed at 

https://www.phe.gov/Preparedness/planning/hpp/reports/Documents/2017-2022-healthcare-pr-capablities.pdf on March 26, 

2020.

18 FEMA, Emergency Support Function #8—Public Health and Medical Services Annex, January 2008. Accessed at 

https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/20130726-1825-25045-

8027/emergency_support_function_8_public_health___medical_services_annex_2008.pdf on March 26, 2020.

19 ASPR Technical Resources, Assistance Centers, and Information Exchange (TRACIE): Topic Collection: Coronaviruses (e.g., 

SARS, MERS and COVID-19). Accessed at https://asprtracie.hhs.gov/technical-resources/44/coronaviruses-sars-mers-andcovid-19/27 on March 26, 2020.

20 ASPR designated 9 Special Pathogen Centers in 2015 and added an additional in 2017 for a total of 10.

21 HHS, HHS selects nine regional Ebola and other special pathogen treatment centers. Accessed at 

https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/viral/hhs-selects-nine-regional-ebola-and-other-special-pathogen-treatment-centers

on April 3, 2020.

22 Ibid.

23 ASPR, “Regional Treatment Network for Ebola and Other Special Pathogens,” p. 4. Accessed at

https://www.phe.gov/Preparedness/planning/hpp/reports/Documents/RETN-Ebola-Report-508.pdf on March 26, 2020.

24 National Ebola Training & Education Center, Annual Report FY 2018. pp. 3-5. Accessed at https://netec.org/wpcontent/uploads/2019/01/NETEC-Annual-Report-FY2018.pdf on April 3, 2020.

25 CDC, Steps Healthcare Facilities Can Take Now to Prepare for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Accessed at 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/healthcare-facilities/steps-to-prepare.html on March 26, 2020.

26 CDC, CDC: Mission, Role and Pledge, April 14, 2014. Accessed at https://www.cdc.gov/about/organization/mission.htm on 

March 26, 2020.

27 CDC, Interim Guidance for Healthcare Facilities: Preparing for Community Transmission of COVID-19 in the United State. 

Accessed at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/respirators-strategy/index.html on March 26, 2020.

28 CDC, Strategies for Optimizing the Supply of N95 Respirators: Crisis/Alternate Strategies. Accessed at 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/healthcare-facilities/guidance-hcf.html on March 26, 2020.

29 CDC, Steps Healthcare Facilities Can Take Now to Prepare for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Accessed at 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/healthcare-facilities/steps-to-prepare.html on March 26, 2020.

30 42 CFR pt. 482.

31 Social Security Act, § 1861(e); 42 U.S.C. § 1395x(e); 42 CFR § 488.3(a).

32 42 U.S.C. § 1320b-5.
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33 CMS, Medicare Telemedicine Health Care Provider Fact Sheet, accessed at https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/factsheets/medicare-telemedicine-health-care-provider-fact-sheet on March 26, 2020. The HHS Office of Civil Rights also issued 

guidance that allows healthcare providers to use any non-public-facing remote communication product to communicate with 

patients. Office of Civil Rights, Notification of Enforcement Discretion for Telehealth Remote Communications During the 

COVID-19 Nationwide Public Health Emergency, accessed at https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/specialtopics/emergency-preparedness/notification-enforcement-discretion-telehealth/index.html on April 3, 2020. 

34 FDA, What We Do. Accessed at https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/what-we-do on March 31, 2020.

35 FDA, Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Frequently Asked Questions. Accessed at https://www.fda.gov/emergencypreparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19-frequently-askedquestions on March 31, 2020.

36 FDA, Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: Daily Roundup, March 25, 2020. Accessed at https://www.fda.gov/news-events/pressannouncements/coronavirus-covid-19-update-daily-roundup-march-25-2020, on March 2020.

37 FDA, Personal Protective Equipment for Infection Control. Accessed at https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/generalhospital-devices-and-supplies/personal-protective-equipment-infection-control on March 31, 2020.

38 FDA, N95 Respirators and Surgical Masks (Face Masks). Accessed at https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/personalprotective-equipment-infection-control/n95-respirators-and-surgical-masks-face-masks on March 31, 2020.

39 OIG, Hospitals Reported Improved Preparedness for Emerging Infectious Diseases After the Ebola Outbreak (OEI-06-15-00230), 

October 2018.

40 To ensure that the information in this report was released quickly, we did not include six interviews that either took place 

after Friday, March 27, 2020 or for which the primary interview notes were added to our database after that date. We included 

these 6 hospitals in the total of 48 hospitals that we were unable to contact.