In a study conducted in New York skilled nursing facilities over a two-week period, a three-component Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) assessment was performed virtually. The key components of the assessment were:
- Screening tool
- Telephone Infection Prevention and Control checklist
- COVID-19 video Infection Prevention and Control assessment (COVIDeo)
Of the 92 SNFs competing the IPC screening tool and checklist, 52/92 (57%) were conducted as part of a COVID-19 investigation and 40/92 (43%) were proactive prevention-based assessments. The IPC assessments took approximately one hour each and reached an estimated four times as many SNFs as onsite visits in a similar timeframe.
The study concluded that remote IPC assessments by telephone and video provided a timely and feasible method to assess the extent to which IPC interventions had been implemented in a vulnerable setting and to disseminate real-time recommendations. Remote assessments are now being implemented across New York State and various healthcare facility types. Similar methods have been adapted nationally through the CDC.