Friends:
Thank you and your healthcare heroes for providing quality care to Marylanders in need. You and your teams are saving lives and making a difference during this most recent COVID-19 surge.
Even with some of the best vaccination and booster rates in the nation, we are seeing large increases in the positivity rate in communities. And in some jurisdictions (Prince George’s County, for example) we’ve seen County-ordered bans on admissions to skilled nursing and rehabilitation centers.
At a time when emergency departments are overflowing and hospital beds are in short supply, the staffing crisis and local admission bans are limiting our ability to help with the patient overflow in acute care settings. That said, the situation on the ground varies throughout Maryland and we are helping with care capacity as much as possible and where clinically appropriate.
We are at a critical point in our fight against COVID-19. I know all of our frontline healthcare heroes are tired, and they are frustrated for any number of reasons. Trust me, we all are. At the moment it is important to remember what is in our control, and what is not. Dating back to the start of this pandemic we’ve all been driven by a commitment to quality care and our passion for caring for Marylanders in need. The number one thing in our control right now is to get vaccines and boosters into the arms of residents, patients, and employees in our settings as fast as we possibly can. And all this said, our SNFs must remain a resource to our hospital partners, especially during times of COVID-19 surge.
Staffing in healthcare generally and in long-term care specifically was highly problematic even before the COVID-19 pandemic. Workforce recruitment and retention dramatically worsened in 2020 with the onset of the pandemic and subsequent COVID-19 surges. Today, we are currently in a predicted workforce crisis that we have long been trying to prevent and raise the alarm about. Tens of thousands of Maryland healthcare workers have left the workforce putting both full-time and part-time workers are in short supply. Please know we are working steadfastly and constantly with MDH leaders on possible staffing solutions.
Updated CDC Guidance:
The CDC now indicates that health care workers who have tested positive for COVID-19 can return to work depending on the severity of their COVID-19 infection, but should monitor for symptoms after returning to work and seek testing, should symptoms develop. Also, Antigen testing is preferred for symptomatic health care personnel (HCP) and for asymptomatic HCP who have recovered from COVID-19 infection in the prior 90 days. For contingency and crises staffing situations shorter time frames can be used (see CDC site for contingency and crisis staffing). Please see this summary from AHCA on the updated guidance and be sure to review the guidance in its entirety on the CDC’s website.
ARPA Nursing Home Grants:
Today the Maryland Department of Health rolled out its plan to distribute the $25 million in ARPA funded grants that Governor Hogan identified and announced last week. Please note that there will be a grant agreement with each nursing home or nursing home system that will contain the conditions and timing of the grant dealing with staffing, testing, vaccinations, and therapies. The grants will be distributed in two parts: 75% of the amount during January 2022 and 25% in April 2022 upon receipt of a report from each nursing home detailing how the first amount was spent. Based on preliminary findings, each center will receive approximately $100,000 on average. The minimum payment is approximately $30 and the maximum payment is approximately $500,000.
As Always:
- Focus on what is in your control and not what is out of your control.
- Let’s get those boosters and the flu vaccine in the arms of people.
- Overcommunicate – with residents, patients, families, staff, and government partners.
- Adapt and innovate.
- Rely on your partnerships.
- Speak up when you need help.
- Double efforts on infectious disease protocols, training, and operations.
- Take and document your action; keep a timeline.
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CLICK HERE for the Dr. Katz Video, and please see the Donning and Doffing Checklist we have been sharing.
Be well,
