Announcements

Growing number of Zika virus cases reported in Virginia

Primarily a mosquito borne disease, the Zika virus is most impactful in warmer seasons when illness can be transmitted by insects carrying the virus from one person to another.  In fact, 15 cases have been reported in the Commonwealth as of May 12, 2016.  Maintaining a keen awareness for the transmission and treatment of Zika virus infection is an imperative for healthcare practitioners.  The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) offers a variety of related information and tools on its website.

Download the Virginia State Zika Response Plan
For quick information, consult VDH’s Zika Fact Sheet

Federal Rules in Place Regarding Dialysis Patient Care Technicians

In order to meet US Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) requirements for reimbursement for End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) services federal regulations effective April 15, 2010 require facilities' technicians who have been employed since October 14, 2008 to be certified within 18 months of their date of hire.

Virginia's statutes and regulations require certification within 24 months regardless of the payment system for End Stage Renal Disease services. The CMS rules requiring certification within 18 months apply to federal reimbursement.

Click here to read an explanatory letter from October 2009 from CMS to State Survey Agency Directors. In the Commonwealth this is the function of the Virginia Department of Health.

Dialysis patient care technician info

Attention: dialysis patient care technician trainees, supervising registered nurses, and other interested parties, information on provisional practice for persons receiving training to become dialysis patient care technicians is available on the Board of Health Professions' webpage on the Laws and Regulations page.