Pikes Peak Ethics Committee Meeting
- First Friday of every month at noon.
- Email me if you would like to be added to our email list to receive the agenda and reminders about the meeting.
- https://zoom.us/j/97461641616?pwd=YPpJU1ZHMG3bTChSVxAcD9gb39qVaY.1
CDPHE Update on ACIP Vaccine Recommendations
CDPHE ACIP vaccine update 9-30-25 – docShepherd
Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices September meeting The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s ACIP met on Sept. 18-19.
COVID-19 vaccines: Recommended for everyone 6 months and older, but now through shared clinical decision-making — a conversation with a provider rather than a routine, universal recommendation. This is broader than the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) license approval for COVID-19 vaccines (the ACIP recommends “off-label” use), but narrower than updated COVID-19 vaccine recommendations from professional societies, including the American Academy 1 of Pediatrics, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the American Academy of Family Physicians.
No infection control surveys
- There will be no specific infection control surveys. The requirements for infection control will be included in the general surveys. All infection control requirements still apply in this regard.
Staffing Mandate is not in action any longer.
- District court strikes down CMS minimum nurse staffing rule | AHA News
- Any regulations that were put in place previously still apply. I do not think that any previously approved staffing requirements have been revised or changed.
Gov Shutdown Survey News
- CMS QSO-25-29-ALL
- The short version is below and at CMS Issues Guidance for State Survey and Certification During a Federal Shutdown | PALTmed
Expected Medicare Functions During the Shutdown
- Complaint Investigations Alleging Harm: State Agencies are expected to conduct complaint investigations when the complaint was triaged as a credible allegation of immediate jeopardy (IJ) or harm to an individual. CMS notes, states should maintain the infrastructure to accept complaints, log, and triage the complaints, throughout the length of the Federal Government shutdown.
- Certain Federal Enforcement Actions: If any enforcement actions are needed, as a result of a complaint investigation detailed in number one, state agencies must continue to process enforcement and transfer cases that meet the Immediate Imposition of Federal Remedies requirements, as these represent resident harm.
- Revisit Surveys Approved By Exception and Necessary To Prevent Termination: State Agencies may request approval to conduct revisits when a provider has alleged compliance, and the revisit survey is needed to determine compliance and prevent the scheduled Medicare termination, and the Medicare termination is likely to occur due to timing or specific circumstances.
- Immediate Threat To Life Or Safety (Emergencies Or Natural Disasters): State Agencies are directed to take action to prevent or mitigate any other immediate threats to the life or safety of residents. This may be necessary during a public health emergency, for example.
Activities Not Supported During a Federal Government Shutdown
- Surveys, including: Standard (Recertification) Surveys; Revisit Surveys, which do not meet the requirements in the section above (number 3); Initial Surveys; Complaint investigations that were not triaged at the immediate jeopardy or actual harm level.
- Informal Dispute Resolutions (IDRs): No IDRs or Independent IDRs should be completed.
- New approvals for CMP-funded projects: New projects will not be approved during the Federal Government Shutdown. However, if the project was already approved, facilities may proceed as planned.
COVID-19 Vaccinations
Governor Polis and the Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment issued a Public Health Order on September 3, 2025 to allow pharmacists to provide COVID-19 vaccines without individual prescriptions. The standing order took effect on Friday, September 5, 2025.
CDPHE Public Health Order
- COVID Vaccine Access PHO.09032025.pdf – Google Drive
- COVID-19 vaccine | Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
Urine PCR Testing
UTI is a clinical diagnosis based on specific symptoms plus a positive urinalysis (UA) and urine culture as outlined in our previous UTI consensus statement (See Figure 1).1 Nonspecific symptoms such as altered mental status, foul-smelling urine, and falls have low positive predictive values (PPVs) for the diagnosis of UTI.8-11 Studies have shown no benefit for treating these symptoms with antibiotics, and guidelines recommend investigating alternative causes.1,2
It is important to note that a UA that is negative for leukocyte esterase and nitrites rules out a UTI. However, UA that is positive for either leukocyte esterase or nitrite does not confirm a UTI.
