September 13, 2024

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The Latest News

Join CDC Webinars on Respiratory Virus Updates – Monday, September 16!

Join the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Monday, September 16, 2024, for two important webinars focused on preparing long term care providers for the upcoming respiratory virus season.

NEW CDC Briefing: Risk Less. Do More. Fall Respiratory Virus Campaign

Time: 2:30 PM – 3:00 PM Central Time
Details: CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen and leaders from the Department of Health and Human Services will present an overview of the Risk Less. Do More. public education campaign, which aims to increase awareness of, confidence in, and uptake of vaccines that reduce severe illness from flu, COVID-19, and RSV, particularly in at-risk populations.
Register for the 2:30 PM briefing here.

CDC Webinar: 2024-2025 Respiratory Virus Season Updates for Long Term Care Providers

Time: 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Central Time
Details: The CDC’s Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion will provide the latest guidance on COVID-19, flu, and RSV vaccines, testing, treatment, and infection prevention strategies for long term care facilities.
Register for the 12:00 PM webinar here.

Don’t miss these valuable opportunities to stay informed and prepare your facility for the fall and winter respiratory virus season.

Feel free to share this information with your networks.

For additional resources, visit GetVaccinated.us.

AHCA/NCAL Launches Campaign To Boost Respiratory Virus Vaccination Rates Among Seniors In Care Settings

McKnight’s Long-Term Care News (9/12, Towhey) reports AHCA/NCAL "has launched a major campaign to get seniors in care settings vaccinated against respiratory viruses that hit at this time of year." The organization’s "#GetVaccinated campaign...complements what nursing homes are already doing to boost vaccination rates even as fatigue and barriers to access continue to plague this effort." AHCA/NCAL Chief Medical Officer David Gifford, MD, MPH, said, "It is a challenge, and I think if the country is committed to making sure older adults have easy access to vaccines, they need to figure out how to solve the problem and not let the free market handle it." The campaign "includes a provider checklist with best practices, factsheets that can be distributed to residents, their families, and staff, and in-depth resources about vaccine administration, reimbursement policies, documenting vaccines, and frequently asked questions."

National Assisted Living Week September 8-14

This week, we celebrate National Assisted Living Week® and its theme “Inspiring Generations.” Officially sponsored by Select Rehabilitation, National Assisted Living Week encourages communities to highlight the dedication of staff, the individuality of residents, and the deep connections formed in these settings. It is also a time to both look back at where assisted living has been and look ahead to where we’re going as a profession.

The staff of KHCA/KCAL are honored to represent Assisted Living Communities and we

are excited to celebrate this week with you! #NALW

The Countdown is on until Convention!

Will you be joining us?

Provider details & registration: https://conta.cc/3XhEKbK

Exhibitor details & registration: https://conta.cc/3TslIhR

KHCA Annual Business Meeting

The Annual Business Meeting, held during the Kansas Health Care Association’s 74th Annual Convention and Trade Show is scheduled as follows:

Friday, September 27, 2024

10:00- 11:00 AM

Kansas Star Event Center

785 Kansas Star Drive

Mulvane, KS 67110

Please plan to attend.

Click here to view reports as they become available. The member password is required.

In Case You Missed It

Kansas Nurse Aide Registry (KNAR) Outage Notification

The Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) would like to inform stakeholders that the Health Occupation Credentialing (HOC) database and websites will undergo a migration from Thursday, September 12, 2024, at 5 PM CST to Sunday, September 15, 2024. During this time, the Kansas Nurse Aide Registry (KNAR) and related links will not be accessible, and KDADS staff will not have access to verify certification or background statuses. However, background check submissions will not be affected.

Additionally, the KNAR link will change to https://ksdadsv7prod.glsuite.us/glsuiteweb/clients/ksdads/public/main.html. While you may be able to access the system on Sunday, September 15, full access should be restored by Monday, September 16, 2024.

We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your understanding as KDADS works to modernize these systems.

September 17 at 1:00PM

National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) reporting is the top citation for long-term care facilities and potentially one of the costliest for your facility.

Please make sure to set aside an hour on September 17 at 1:00PM CT where you will learn ways to ensure accurate, timely NHSN reporting to avoid citations and Civil Money Penalties (CMP).