WA HEALTH Frequently Asked Questions

Why was WA HEALTH created?

Washington’s health care leaders needed to better understand and respond to threats like COVID-19. They needed more accurate and more timely acute care data. WA HEALTH provides that information while streamlining reporting. Health care workers are more knowledgeable with less time spent on reports, thanks to WA HEALTH.

Who sees WA HEALTH information?

State, regional, and local decision-makers, as well as hospital coalitions and hospital-level leadership and emergency preparedness partners, can view the information in WA HEALTH dashboards.

Access

Who should enter this data?

Each organization should determine who will report to ensure that the most accurate data is in the portal. All Washington acute care hospitals must report data to WA HEALTH under the Emergency Rule.

How do I gain access to WA HEALTH?

Your parent organization administrator can grant you access. If you do not know who your site administrator is email us at wahealth@doh.wa.gov for help.

Do I need to have a Secure Access Washington (SAW) Account to access my WA HEALTH account?

Yes. Your Secure Access Washington (SAW) account email address must match your WA HEALTH account email. This must be your primary email in SAW. Please register for your Secure Access Washington account online. An account can automatically login to the incorrect SAW account. You must use the SAW account email that matches with your WA HEALTH account email.

How do I log into the WA HEALTH portal for the first time?

After making your request, you will receive an email invitation from the system with login instructions. You will need a Secure Access Washington (SAW) account to log in with the same email address that is attached to your WA HEALTH account.

I haven’t received my email invitation. What do I do?

Check the junk mail folder in your email inbox Automated emails often end up there. If you still do not have it, email us at wahealth@doh.wa.gov for help.

What are the WA HEALTH user roles and what can each role do?

There are four user roles:

  • Parent Organization Administrator: Can access the administration section and update facility and user information. We suggest you limit the number of users with this role.
  • Organizational Health Care Worker: Submits and updates data for the facility.
  • Report Viewer: Can access the dashboard and export reports for various facilities. Note: Export to Excel by using the ellipses (“…”) on the top right of the report.
  • Regional Report Viewer: Can only access the dashboard and export reports for certain facilities. Users with this role do not need to be associated with a specific facility or parent organization. Note: Export to Excel by using the ellipses (“…”) on the top right of the report.
What do I do if my login doesn’t work?
  1. Check to make sure your Secure Access Washington (SAW) email address matches the email address that is attached to your WA HEALTH account. This email must be your primary email in SAW.
  2. Log out of both WA HEALTH and SAW.
  3. Clear the cache and cookies from your browser.
  4. Close your browser window(s) and try logging in again.
  5. If that does not work, try clearing your cache and cookies again, restart your computer and try to log in again.
  6. If the above steps are still not working, please give the system some time to synchronize your account settings.
  7. If you still have trouble logging in, email us at wahealth@doh.wa.gov for help.
What should I do if I experience long loading times with the WA HEALTH portal?

A long waiting time might occur if your facility recently got an update to its antivirus/malware software. It could block the WA HEALTH site. Please contact your IT department for assistance. Ask them to whitelist the WA HEALTH website.

What is the preferred log in browser for WA HEALTH?

The WA HEALTH portal works best with Microsoft Edge.

Entering, Reviewing, and Reporting Data

Does WA HEALTH count licensed or staffed beds?

WA HEALTH tallies staffed beds. We definite a staffed bed as “A bed at a facility where there is staff (nurse, MA, etc.) available at the time of data collection to take care of a patient/potential patient. The staff must be present and on hand within the facility to care for the patient/potential patient. This includes staff scheduled to work the shift when it was counted.”

How often do I need to input data?

You must submit your hospital data daily Monday-Friday. WA HEALTH has a 3-day backdating feature for weekend data.

How many days do I have to report data within WA HEALTH?

You can enter data up to 3-days before today’s date.

What if I’m outside of the 3-day reporting window with WA HEALTH?

For help editing data outside the 3-day reporting window, contact us at wahealth@doh.wa.gov. During regular office hours we can adjust the backdating window. We are closed on Saturdays, Sundays, and state and federal holidays.

Can co-workers enter data into the portal?

Yes. The administrator can add users to enter data. We recommend users know the subject and have the best understanding of the data.

Do I need to report to HHS’s National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) daily?

No. WA HEALTH will report to NHSN on your facility’s behalf. WA HEALTH began reporting to NHSN for all Washington acute care hospitals in 2023. Standardized reported cuts problems in how the data is reported. CDC runs a de-duplication program to prioritize data from the WA HEALTH to eliminate duplicate reports.

Facilities still can report directly to NHSN if necessary.

Please keep in mind, reporting to WA HEALTH daily is required for acute care hospitals.

How does WA HEALTH reporting fulfill the NHSN definitions?

WA HEALTH breaks down certain data categories such as bed occupancy data more than NHSN does. Our reports sum up certain fields to ensure data meets NHSN requirements.

How do I gain access to the NHSN portal?

Contact your facility’s NHSN facility administrator for access. If you are experiencing any technical challenges in reporting in NHSN please email NHSN@cdc.gov.

What do I do if I enter the wrong data?

If you submitted incorrect data, simply reenter the correct data. You can enter and rewrite data within the 3-day reporting window. The system will overwrite and accept the latest version of the data submitted. If you need to correct data outside the 3-day window, contact wahealth@doh.wa.gov.

How can I use the bulk data upload feature?

Contact us at wahealth@doh.wa.gov to turn on this feature for your facility. Then click on the “Data Upload” button in the top right corner of your facility grid on the home page. Follow the Data upload instructions on this page. If you have further questions, contact us at wahealth@doh.wa.gov.

How can I add a new facility in WA HEALTH?

Contact us at wahealth@doh.wa.gov to add a new facility in WA HEALTH for you.

What is the difference between new admissions and hospitalizations?

“Admissions” is the number of patients admitted to the hospital each day (measure of incidence). “Hospitalizations” is the number of patients in beds on a particular day (measure of prevalence). If a patient has a five-day hospital stay, they would be counted each day under hospitalizations. On the first day, patients will be counted as admissions and hospitalizations.

How do I report newborn babies who are in-room with their mother?

A bassinet is considered a bed. If a mother and baby are in the same room, you would count 1 bed for the mother (other adult bed) and 1 bed for the baby (nursery bed).

Where would I report mothers recovering from childbirth?

WA HEALTH allows facilities to decide where to capture adult beds. These beds can be reported in the “Adult beds in other inpatient areas” category.

How do I update my facility ICU bed types?

Detailed instructions for changing ICU bed types can be found in the WA HEALTH User Guide in the Facilities Set Up Page section.

Additional Information

How do I get WA HEALTH program updates?

Email the WA HEALTH team at wahealth@doh.wa.gov to sign-up for the monthly WA HEALTH newsletter.

How do I get additional information about WA HEALTH?

Additional resources are on the Hospital Bed Capacity Surveillance System (WA HEALTH) webpage. You can always reach us directly with any questions or ideas for how we can better support you at wahealth@doh.wa.gov.

Resources and Frequently Used Links