We know that COVID-19 testing continues to be a significant point of concern for LTC providers. AHCA/NCAL has put together a couple of resources around testing that we want to make sure you are aware of: Background on Testing in LTC: This document outlines the key issues in obtaining testing and provides a full explanation of the difference between a …
Six staff members of the Greeley Care Home and Assisted Living community have been living in the facility for the past three weeks! When the virus became a serious matter, the leadership team decided the best way to keep it out “was to keep people out and for us not to be bringing it in. So we moved in,” Administrator …
HealthCap risk managers have received many questions regarding using N95 respirators versus medical facemasks while caring for residents infected with COVID-19. Per OSHA, N95 respirators are the standard for caring for residents with airborne illness, COVID-19 is spread by droplets, it is NOT airborne, so airborne precautions are not required. However, as with everything we do in healthcare, there is …
The United States Postal Service issued a media statement on April 2, 2020 regarding COVID-19 and mail/packages. They note that the CDC (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/faq.html), the World Health Organization (https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-coronaviruses), as well as the Surgeon General have indicated that there is currently no evidence that COVID-19 is being spread through the mail. Read more at : https://about.usps.com/newsroom/statements/usps-statement-on-coronavirus.htm
Telehealth now more than ever is an important tool in your toolkit! CMS has released a video providing answers to common questions about the Medicare telehealth services benefit. Since CMS has expanded this benefit temporarily on an emergency basis under the 1135 waiver authority and Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act there are tons of questions. Click the link …
On March 29, 2020, AMDA and AHCA/NCAL published a memo discussing the importance of dealing with surge management and conflicting guidelines and public policy around hospital-to-nursing home or hospital-to-assisted living community transfers. Of deep concern was the recent New York State order which states: “No resident shall be denied re-admission or admission to the NH solely based on a confirmed …
The pandemic outbreak of COVID-19 is stressful for everyone however the physical and emotional wellbeing of healthcare workers is a key component of maintaining essential healthcare services during the COVID-19 virus (coronavirus) outbreak. Resources are available to anticipate the stresses associated with providing healthcare workers and monitoring and assessing the mental health status as well as the overall wellbeing of …
While CMS had also previously announced that its infection-control efforts would be concentrated in areas with significant numbers of COVID-19 cases — including California, New York, and the Seattle metropolitan area — Verma on Monday said its new strategies will take things a step further. Using the CDC’s database of reported COVID-19 cases and modeling tools, CMS will attempt to deploy its …
During this public health emergency there has been an urgency to expand telehealth/telemedicine to help people receive a wider range of services from their doctors without going to a healthcare facility. Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, telehealth was only covered under Medicare/Medicaid for rural providers and existing patients. In order to reduce person-to-person contact with our most vulnerable population, and …
In the March 27, 2020 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, the CDC indicated that once SARS-CoV-2 is introduced into a Skilled Nursing Facility, rapid transmission can occur. They noted that the implication for facilities is that symptom-based screening of SNF residents might fail to identify all SARS-CoV-2 infections. They summarize with once a facility has confirmed a COVID-19 case, all …
