On June 9th, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a guide, directed by the Trump Administration, for providers considering in-person care services. The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in postponing non-emergency, in-person services. CMS has presented recommendations to ensure non-emergency and needed care, postponed during the pandemic, resumes safely. Phase 1 recommendations for re-opening were issued by CMS on April 19th to areas with a relatively low incidence of the COVID-19 pandemic, and CMS will continue to make recommendations as the situation changes. It is important that rural health facilities are able to resume operation, despite the emergence of telehealth in hospital care settings, while recognizing that COVID-19 is an ongoing health crisis. Considering the safety of patients and healthcare workers is highly important and reopening hospital facilities must be managed carefully.
