News

In a Nov. 17 news release CMS urges nursing homes to take advantage of targeted COVID-19 training and highlights facilities that have already done so. This is the free course available on QSEP that offers modules for both front-line staff and management staff (access training here); it is separate from the longer QIO training offerings and from Project ECHO.

For those tracking the COVID-19 test positivity rate by county, particularly care centers using that data to determine their staff testing protocol, the accelerated community spread in the last few weeks has had a huge impact. CMS test data for the two weeks ended 9/30 showed Minnesota with 35 green counties (positivity less than 5%), 46 yellow counties (5-10%) and 6 red counties (over 10%). In the most recent data, for the two weeks ended 11/11, virtually all MN counties are now red, with only four rural counties (Cook, Fillmore, Lake and Lake of the Woods) with yellow status and none in green.

As a sign of hope in the battle with COVID-19, the new multi-media Pandemic Playbook: Moving From Fear to Action from LeadingAge features a 10-minute video documenting a New Jersey nursing home’s victory over COVID-19 in the early days of the pandemic.

CDC has announced two more training session opportunities on the new point-of-care testing tool on NHSN. Trainings will be held this week on Thursday, November 12 at 2:00 PM Central Time and Friday, November 13 at 11:00 AM Central Time. Register for these training sessions here. The slides have been posted here. CDC has promised to post a recording of the training session in the future.

As COVID-19 cases continue to surge throughout the state, many providers are again experiencing PPE shortages – especially with gloves – and we thought it would be helpful to remind members of the process for requesting supplies from the State.

On Friday, the Minnesota Department of Health released its Long-term Care COVID-19 Response: November 2020 Update and provided some updates regarding benchmarks with respect to how COVID-19 is impacting senior care providers and the people they serve.

As staff, residents, and families plan for the Thanksgiving holiday, the CDC has published winter holiday guidance and recommendations for COVID-19 safe practices. Members may want to link to this page on your organization’s website and post it in your employee publications in the coming weeks. This guidance includes tips for hosting gatherings, attending events, and traveling safely if necessary.

As community spread of COVID-19 continues at a rapid pace in Minnesota, it has consequences for care centers under the CMS staff testing mandate. The most recent CMS data, for the period from 10/15 through 10/28, has 29 counties with red status, due to a test positivity rate of over 10%. That’s up from 13 counties just a week before. Care centers who are using the CMS data to determine their testing practice and who are now in a red county will have to implement twice a week staff testing.

Antigen tests are a rapid test used to determine whether or not an individual has a current infection. Multiple antigen testing methods are available in long-term care settings including the BD Veritor antigen test machine, the Sophia Quidel antigen test machine, and the Abbot BinaxNOW card tests.

A national survey of senior housing providers by LeadingAge finds COVID-19 cases in a majority of communities, and that financial strain and resident social isolation are key concerns.

In LeadingAge Minnesota’s weekly Huddles and Clinical Coaching Rooms, we continue to get questions about the length of quarantine and when staff can be back at work.

The LTC Imperative recently wrapped up our most recent short survey, this one on testing practices using questions developed in consultation with MDH to give them a view into what is happening with testing in long-term care.

The State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) may be able to assist your organization with emergency staffing needs related to COVID-19.

Today, the Minnesota Department of Health published two new resources to assist members with testing and reporting requirements. 

Registration opened this week for nursing homes to join a 16-week online learning collaborative on COVID-19 care and prevention—led by Hennepin Healthcare Systems and the University of Minnesota

Testing continues to be an ongoing issue and challenge during the COVID-19 pandemic.

When we are in a situation that brings chronic stress such as COVID, it is difficult to think about anything other than surviving at times.

The LTC Imperative is continuing a series of quick surveys to take the pulse of members on key issues.

Effective last Friday, Oct. 16, the CDC’s National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) enables nursing facilities and assisted living providers to report COVID-19 point-of-care test results to the NHSN system. 

DHS recently amended temporary licensing requirements which now allow ADS clients to attend the ADS center for up to six hours per day.