[September 8, 2020] Point of Care COVID-19 Test Reporting Guidance

On September 8, 2020, the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) issued guidance on the reporting of Point of Care (POC) COVID-19 test results, which can be found in full here.  POC testing for COVID-19 includes results obtained via molecular and antigen testing machines.  Although the guidance has been issued by ISDH, the requirement to report POC test results is the result of CMS’s Interim Final Rule and QSO 20-37, which require CLIA-certified laboratories that utilize POC tests to report all negative and positive COVID-19 results.  For IHCA/INCAL’s summary on the Interim Final Rule, please click here, and for IHCA/INCAL’s summary on QSO 20-37, please click here.

Under ISDH’s guidance, all long-term care facilities that use a POC testing machine are instructed to report both negative and positive POC test results through a specific REDCap Survey, which can be found here.  This new REDCap Survey for POC test results replaces the need for logging the results in the spreadsheet previously distributed, although the data logged in that spreadsheet to date should be entered in the REDCap Survey for POC test results as soon as possible.  ISDH will then utilize the data entered into the REDCap Survey to report to CMS.  Facilities are also encouraged to maintain the spreadsheet for documentation purposes.

Once landing on the REDCap Survey for POC test results, facilities should select their facility name from the drop-down list.  If your facility name is not included in the list, please email Kelly White at KeWhite@isdh.in.gov.

Please note, long-term care facilities already reporting POC test results through electronic laboratory feeds are not required to report through the REDCap Survey for POC test results.  It is also important to note that all long-term care facilities should continue to report positive COVID-19 cases and deaths confirmed via a PCR test within 24 hours of knowledge to the following REDCap Survey.

Finally, as a reminder, any residents and staff who test positive via a POC test should be administered a PCR test as a follow-up, which should be reported accordingly. For ISDH’s recommended protocol on antigen testing, please click here.