Fourteenth Supplemental Emergency Declaration – Testing, Critical Supplies and Hospital Capacity Reporting

WHEREAS, on March 9, 2020, I declared a state of emergency due to the dangers to health and life posed by COVID-19;

WHEREAS, the number of presumptive and confirmed cases of COVID-19 continues to rise in Rhode Island as well as in our neighboring states;

WHEREAS, timely and accurate information about testing, hospital bed capacity and necessary supplies is critical to the State's efforts to track and contain the spread of COVID-19, as well as to treat patients with the virus;

WHEREAS, the federal government is seeking daily updates for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on state COVID-19 testing as well as the bed capacity of every hospital within the state;

WHEREAS, the State is working to build its COVID-19 treatment capacity, including the construction of new field hospitals and conversion of other facilities to treatment centers; and

WHEREAS, timely information on testing, hospital capacity and the supply of necessary materials for treatment is critical to maintaining and developing the State's healthcare capacity.

NOW THEREFORE, I, GINA M. RAIMONDO, by virtue of the authority vested in me as Governor of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, pursuant to Article IX of the Rhode Island Constitution and the Rhode Island General Laws, including, but not limited to, Title 30, Chapter 15, do hereby order and direct the following:

1. All licensed hospitals in Rhode Island shall submit to the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) daily reports of their hospital bed capacity and additional COVID-19 hospitalization data in the manner prescribed by RIDOH. All such hospitals shall also submit to RIDOH daily reports of necessary supplies, including ventilators, personal protective equipment and test kits in the manner prescribed by RIDOH. RIDOH shall promptly share this information with its federal partners.
2. All licensed hospitals in Rhode Island shall submit to the CDC and other federal partners regular reports of hospital bed utilization, Intensive Care Unit bed utilization, typical and projected surge occupancy, ventilator inventory, ventilator utilization, and projected ventilator surge need in the manner prescribed by RIDOH
3. Every public and private entity administering an FDA-approved test for the purpose of diagnosing COVID-19 shall submit to RIDOH daily reports of all test results, both positive and negative. RIDOH shall promptly share this information with its federal partners
4. RIDOH shall have the discretion to determine the time and manner in which this information is supplied and shall make any necessary amendments, clarifications, exceptions and exclusions to the list of information that must be reported.

This Order shall take effect on April 7, 2020 and shall remain in full force and effect until May 7th, 2020, unless renewed, modified or terminated by subsequent Executive Order.

So Ordered,

Gina M. Raimondo

Governor