COVID-19 Update #270
Reminders and Updates on Guidance

As you know, the most recent MDH orders for nursing homes:

  • Aligns testing/visitation policy for facilities to federal guidance.

  • Allows fully vaccinated new residents/readmits to bypass quarantine upon admission.

  • Changes to CRISP reporting - weekly vaccination data for residents and staff. Vaccination data is to be entered each Wednesday into CRISP. This data should include the number of staff, the patient census, the number of residents and staff that are fully vaccinated, and the number of residents and staff that have had only one dose. Please see this FAQ document from MDH about reporting vaccination data into CRISP for nursing homes.

  • Adds to requirements of the facilities vaccination contact to:
  • Ensure the vaccination data is updated weekly and posted in the facility for the public.
  • Ensure that their facility establishes a relationship with a vaccine provider by May 30.

Action Item Reminders:
 
  • ACTION ITEM #1As we have previously shared, it is a state priority for all nursing homes to register with ImmuNet. Once centers are registered, they can receive vaccines directly. 
 
  • ACTION ITEM #2: It is urgent that clients of Remedi, OmniCare, and the MHA Pharmacy Collaborative finalize agreements as soon as possible to provide vaccines in the near term.
 
  • ACTION ITEM #3: The updated MDH order for nursing homes requires each facility to identify a vaccination point of contact. In order to assist with this effort, please ensure your centers fill out this brief SURVEY as soon as possible. Again, this contact is responsible for ensuring that vaccination data is updated weekly in CRISP and posted in the facility for the public, as well as ensuring that the facility establishes a relationship with a vaccine provider by May 30.

Important Reminder on Reporting: On May 11, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published an Interim Final Rule on COVID-19 Vaccine Requirements. This rule applies to residents, clients, and staff of Long Term Care (LTC) facilities and Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ICFs-IID). CMS also published a QSO memo to state survey agencies on how to operationalize this new requirement. This federal rule, which is scheduled to go in to effect on May 21, specifies that LTC facilities must report to the CDC via NHSN certain data regarding vaccination status for residents and staff as well as any therapeutic treatments (e.g., monoclonal antibody) use. It is our understanding that MDH and CRISP are working to incorporate this new module into the daily-post-acute capacity reporting form and, for those facilities who have elected to have MDH report NHSN for them, it will be sent to NHSN. While this federal reporting requirement has not yet gone in to effect, all facilities must still report their vaccination data each Wednesday into CRISP, per State requirements.
The 2021 HFAM Conference “Together We Re-Imagine” will be held in person October 4 – 7, 2021 at the Maryland Live Hotel and Casino in Hanover, Maryland. Hundreds of long-term care leaders will connect, share best practices and discuss actionable insights on how we can reflect, reform, rebuild, and revolutionize quality care. You and your teams will not want to miss this opportunity as we come together again.

Visit the conference website to learn more and register.
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