Please review the newest rule issued from CMS to understand what it means for your facility. This affects requirements for COVID-19 testing in regards to residents, staff, volunteers, and individuals providing services under arrangement. Read the summary from CMS below and click here to access the full memorandum. CMS is committed to taking critical steps to ensure America’s healthcare facilities …
Beginning August 28, 2020, the Defense Logistics Agency will direct shipment of N95 respirators to select nursing homes that recently reported having enough supplies for only zero to three days of operations. These respirators are meant to supplement existing supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE) and will provide a seven-day supply for each nursing home to support an entire shift …
In a recent video/transcript published in Medscape on August 16, 2020, Dr. Mark Lewis, MD discussed the many myths surrounding the use of facemasks. The link to the video is below and here are a few of the “tidbits” Dr. Lewis shared: Misinformation and Talking Points Efficacy. It is true that masks are not 100% effective however there is little …
Many COVID-19 cases are geographically localized and can overwhelm local healthcare facilities. Healthcare systems typically have uneven distribution of COVID-19 cases with some regional healthcare systems experiencing patient surges while others have excess capacity for patient care. When healthcare facilities reach or exceed patient capacity “Crisis Standards of Care” are often implemented. Healthcare systems entering Crisis Standards of Care are …
CMS Press Release August 26, 2020 CMS.gov On August 26, 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released guidance for nursing homes and clinical laboratories to assist in enhancing their abilities to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) to nursing home residents and their front line staff. Nursing homes are particularly vulnerable to the prevalence …
FINALLY HHS has announced funding for private pay assisted living facilities! As part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, private pay communities can apply for Provider Relief Fund dollars by going to the appropriate PRF portal and completing the required application. This process is part of the Phase 2 distribution, and assisted living payments will be …
The CDC will be hosting a call to discuss “Testing and Treatment of 2020-2021 Seasonal Influenza During the COVID-19 Pandemic” on Thursday September 17, 2020 from 2:00-3:00 pm ET. Per the World Health Organization’s FluNet platform from three Southern Hemisphere countries (Australia, Chile, and South Africa), low influenza activity was reported during June through August 2020, months that comprise the …
On March 30, 2020 Battelle announced they had received an emergency go-ahead from the FDA to deploy its decontamination system for personal protective equipment (PPE), allowing healthcare workers to clean and reuse scarce N95 respirator masks. They system is capable of processing up to 80,000 masks per machine, per day, within what looks like a large metal shipping container. What …
August 17, 2020 CMS.gov On August 17, 2020 the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced it will resume routine inspections of all Medicare and Medicaid certified providers and suppliers to improve the safety and quality of life of patients and residents. CMS had previously suspended certain routine inspections as part of its response to the coronavirus disease 2019 …
As we continue our journey through the COVID-19 Pandemic, it appears that we have hit another hurdle in our efforts to avoid the spread of the virus in our centers. The American Health Care Association/ National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) released a report in Provider magazine on 8-11-2020 that states “skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) experiencing an ‘alarming spike’ in …
