Comply with OSHA Emergency Temporary Standards by July 6
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has released Emergency Temporary Standards to address exposure to COVID-19 to workers in health care settings. These standards apply to skilled nursing facilities, assisted living communities, and Intermediate Care Facilities for the Developmentally Disabled.
COVID-19 UPDATES
This week, AHCA announced that the profession is still working on a nationwide goal to vaccinate 75% of nursing home staff members against COVID-19. The current data from the CDC shows that approximately 57% of staff are fully vaccinated as of early June.
CMS issued an updated memo (QSO-20-41-ALL) this week that provides new guidance around when an inpatient provider may be exempted from its next required full-scale exercise. The memo indicates that inpatient providers that are still operating under “disaster/emergency conditions during the Public Health Emergency” are exempt from their next full-scale exercise in the facility’s 12-month exercise cycle.
Beginning July 8, the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) will make multiple updates and modifications to reporting modules. NHSN users should have received an email notification from NHSN outlining the changes to the system.
QUALITY
On June 24, the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) announced the recipients of the 2021 Silver – Achievement in Quality Award.This year, 50 skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), 13 assisted living communities (ALs), and one SNF/AL in 28 states achieved the Silver Award.
EVENTS & EDUCATION
NCAL Day takes place on Sunday, October 10 and offers a great way to kick off your convention experience. It’s a full day of education and networking specifically tailored to senior care professionals like yourself. This year, NCAL Day will help you tell the story of how critical assisted living is to the world of health care.
Whatever the need, and no matter the size of the community, MatrixCare’s Gary Pederson tells Provider that assisted living providers put their electronic health records to use in meeting new regulatory requirements brought to bear by COVID and making contact among family, residents, and staff that much easier.
PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES
AHCA/NCAL’s online training titled Functional Outcomes Improvement is designed for all staff who have a role in improving patient functional outcomes quality and services, including nurses, CNAs, therapists, activities staff and recreational therapists. As the nation moves beyond the devastating COVID pandemic, more patients and residents are arriving with the goal of improving their mobility and independence levels.
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The American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living offers an instructional webinar titled “ Pioneering Solutions to the Workforce Crisis.” This 45-minute webinar developed in collaboration with PHI delivers practical action steps and strategies assisted living and nursing facilities of all shapes and sizes can take to improve their employee and retention efforts. The webinar also covers ways to improve the hiring process and explains supportive supervision and coaching methods that positively impact employee retention.
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Three out of four long term care facilities are being overcharged for one or more of their utilities. Those overpayments don’t come with better service or any other benefit. It is just unnecessary money being given away at a time when every dollar counts. The good news is that putting an end to the overpayments is easy.
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