Understanding the CDC’s Hospital Respiratory Reporting Rule and What It Means for IPs

Infection preventionists (IPs) are facing a new wave of data-driven responsibilities with the CDC’s recent National Healthcare Safety Network measure requiring hospitals, including critical access hospitals, to report respiratory virus data regularly. Karen Jones, MPH, RN, CIC, FAPIC, infection prevention clinical program manager at Wolters Kluwer, spoke with Infection Control Today^® (ICT^®) about how this mandate affects health care facilities and the evolving role of IPs.

“Infection preventionists, depending on the size of their facility and the resources available to them…have felt the strain of this [new measure],” Jones told ICT.

As of November 1, 2024, hospitals must report weekly (or optionally, daily) lab-confirmed inpatient cases of COVID-19, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus, as well as occupancy data. Optional data fields also include PPE availability and other resource indicators. This rule, issued under the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ condition of participation, complements broader national surveillance efforts, including lab reports and wastewater testing.

Jones emphasized the operational strain this requirement places on already stretched IPs. While many hospitals had prior COVID-19 reporting systems in place, the expanded scope and frequency of data submission require new levels of coordination. For hospitals without automated reporting tools, the burden is heavier, requiring collaboration across infection prevention, information technology, and laboratory teams.

Hospital infrastructure, Jones noted, is slowly evolving to manage respiratory threats better. From triage screening protocols in emergency departments to reinforcing standard precautions and implementing rapid isolation procedures, facilities are building on lessons learned during the pandemic era.

Still, staff training remains an area for improvement. While infection prevention training is essential, few hospitals have implemented formal programs since the pandemic, leaving IPs to rely heavily on peer support and professional networks.

Jones stressed the importance of viewing reporting not as a regulatory hoop but as a tool for public health response. The CDC uses this data to assess national trends, identify threats to intensive care unit capacity, and detect early signs of surges. For IPs, regularly checking CDC dashboards and internal data summaries can provide insights that directly inform local protocols.

Jones told ICT that the data is “being used to create different types of dashboards and summary reports, and researchers and others from state and local health departments, [and] the CDC look at this data. And it's important that [IPs] know where it is and where they can access it.”

Additionally, Jones recommends having multiple IPs or other health care workers who can assist in gathering this information. “Relying on a single person, especially if you're the only IP and have a measure that seems overwhelming, makes it very difficult to collect and report on a weekly basis. Certainly, IPs go on vacation, or they might be out sick for a week. So, you need to treat this as a team sport. Even if you just have one partner, there needs to be someone who can handle the reporting. If you are unable to do so, that person must understand how to collect the information and all the details that are required for this reporting measure. As I mentioned, there are age ranges, so all that information needs to be collected, as well as the lab-confirmed tests and the relevant dates. NHSN requires several pieces of data for reporting, so having a partner is crucial.”

With growing pressure and limited resources, Jones advises hospitals to make infection prevention a shared responsibility. Backup personnel should be trained in data reporting processes, and managers must support IPs in staying informed, resourced, and resilient.