You're receiving this email because of your relationship with the Office of Inspector General, Division of Health Care. Thank you for your continued commitment to serving the citizens of our Commonwealth!
Cabinet for Health and Family Services
Office of Inspector General
Division of Health Care
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Long Term Care Provider Newsletter
November 2022
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Utilization of CDC COVID-19 Data Tracking Maps
for Source Control Decision Making
CDC recommends the use of COVID-19 Community Level and Community Transmission maps when making infection control decisions and/or implementation of interventions for example source control.
There might be some confusion related to the CDC Community Levels and Community Transmission maps, and their use, when making source control decisions. Below is information taken from the CDC webpage and we hope you find it beneficial.
Community Transmission Levels is used to describe the amount of COVID-19 spread within each county. Health Care Providers should use this map to direct infection control interventions such as source control.
It is important to note if both maps have your county in red, source control and other infection control interventions are recommended.
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Free Minimum Data Set Training
Minimum Data Set training, hosted annually by the Kentucky Office of Inspector General and presented by Myers and Stauffer LC, is still available on TRAIN. These webinars review the RAI Manual with an emphasis on PDPM items:
To supplement those trainings, the following courses are also available in TRAIN for 2022-2023 :
- OIG DHC The Importance of Diagnosis Coding on the MDS 2022 1105628
- OIG DHC MDS Interview Tips 2022 1105701
- OIG DHC Medications and Related MDS Coding Items 2022 1105785
- OIG DHC MDS Resources 2022 1105727
The Kentucky Board of Nursing has approved contact hours for Kentucky RNs and LPNs upon completion, assessment, and evaluation of each individual session. Kentucky LTC Administrators will also receive contact hours. (Please note that you must have an individual TRAIN account in order to receive credit.)
Please contact Darlene Cox with any questions by email or at 502-564-7963 x.3308.
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Getting to Know Your Northern Enforcement Branch
Human Services Branch Manager - Pat Hinson
Beginning February 1, 2012, Pat Hinson's service within the Office of Inspector General’s Division of Healthcare has brought expansive knowledge and appreciation for the role of surveyors and the vulnerable persons they serve throughout the Commonwealth. Pat has worked for the Northern and Eastern Enforcement Branches within the Division of Healthcare. She is certified to survey Long Term Care (LTC) facilities, End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) facilities, Home Health Agencies (HHA), and Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ICF/IID).
Pat believes serving within multiple levels of care, investigating, and discerning complaints, and managing peers, and others through multiple circumstances have contributed to valuable bases of understanding used daily in her work.
Pat has been a Registered Nurse (RN) since April 1980. She started as a medical surgical (med-surg) nurse at Baptist Health Louisville, and then moved to Georgia where she worked at Georgia Baptist Hospital on the IV therapy team. In addition, she worked at a psychiatric hospital and was employed at the Georgia Department of Public Health, and the Kentucky Department for Public Health. Since Fall 2021, Pat has served as the Human Services Branch Manager for the Northern Enforcement Branch in Louisville.
Pat is married, has four grown children, and two young grandsons that she thinks are very special. In her spare time, Pat enjoys crocheting, knitting, and reading good books.
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Stories in Mind
Stories in Mind is an outreach program funded by a CMP grant and conducted by the Frazier History Museum that uses stories and objects from Kentucky history and the Frazier’s collection as the starting point for creative exploration. Each session is led by a Stories in Mind facilitator from the Frazier with a focus of encouraging imaginative responses and socialization through an activity involving art, music, theater, or storytelling. This program is designed for residents in certified nursing and long-term care facilities.
Participants may benefit in the following ways:
- Reduced feelings of isolation and loneliness
- Increased creativity
- Increased sense of accomplishment
Information on the program:
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A facilitator from the Frazier History Museum will lead Stories in Mind for a group on location
- Each group session will last approximately 60 minutes
- Each session will include an art, music, or storytelling activity
- Consistency in scheduling up to three times per week each month
- Provided at no cost to facility – CMP grant funded
Requirements:
- Facility must be certified by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
- Space to allow for group programming with up to 20 participants
- Primary staff contact at facility
- Participation in evaluation surveys and feedback to customize and improve ongoing programming
The Stories in Mind program is currently available to certified nursing facilities in Jefferson County and the surrounding area. Facilities interested in participating in the outreach program may contact Kevin Bradley, Stories in Mind Administrator, for more information at kbradley@fraziermuseum.org, or (502) 412-2280.
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Division of Health Care Contact Information
Central Office
Belinda Beard, Director
Marissia Izlar, Assistant Director
275 E. Main St., 5E-A Frankfort, KY 40621
Phone: 502-564-7963
Fax: 502-564-6546
Western Enforcement Branch
Darlene Fryar, Human Services Program Branch Manager
901 B South Main Street, Hopkinsville, KY 42240
Phone: 270-889-6052
Fax: 270-889-6089
Northern Enforcement Branch
Patricia Hinson, Human Services Program Branch Manager
L & N Building 10-W, 908 W. Broadway, Louisville, KY 40203
Phone: 502-595-4958
Fax: 502-595-4540
Southern Enforcement Branch
Marissia Izlar, Acting Human Services Program Branch Manager
116 Commerce Ave., London, KY 40744
Phone: 606-330-2030
Fax: 606-330-2054
Eastern Enforcement Branch
Will Hendrickson, Human Services Program Branch Manager
455 Park Place, Suite 120A, Lexington, KY 40511
Phone: 859-246-2301
Fax: 859-246-2307
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Create Circles is seeking residents to participate in the
Engage With Your Community Project
Create Circles Corporation is currently recruiting CMS certified nursing facilities (CNF) to participate in a unique resident engagement program funded by Kentucky’s Civil Money Penalty (CMP) Fund. The 3-year Engage With Your Community project matches trained volunteers with CNF residents based on hobbies, likes, interests and other factors. These volunteers meet with their matched resident twice a week, over at least 12 weeks, to complete a long-term shared project, or multiple mini projects, that are then shared with the resident and their family.
The goal of the Engage With Your Community project is to increase the quality of life for CNF residents by reducing loneliness and isolation through cognitive engagement, companionship, and crafting a sense of purpose.
The program is free to CMS Certified Nursing Facilities!
For more information on how to participate in the project please contact Anish Reddy, Director of Operations, at info@createcircles.org, or 502-276-5264.
Additional information on the program, including requirements, can be found here.
CNFs that are interested in participating, but do not have the necessary virtual meeting technology (i.e. tablets, iPads) may be able to utilize the CMP COVID-19 Communication Technology Emergency grant to purchase the necessary equipment. Please contact Lena Mullins-Datko, Grants Administrator, at lena.mullinsdatko@ky.gov for more information.
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Grant Opportunity for Purchase of Aids to Increase or
Improve Air Quality for In-person Visitations
As of February 2, 2022, certified nursing facilities may apply for up to an additional $3,000 of Civil Money Penalty (CMP) Nursing Home Visitation Aid Grant funds for the purchase of indoor portable fans and/or indoor portable air cleaners with high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA, H-13 or -14) filters, to increase or improve air quality to aid in-person visitation for residents. Expenses incurred on or after the release of Memorandum QSO-20-39-NH FAQ Revised, February 2, 2022, are eligible for reimbursement.
CMP Nursing Home Visitation Aid Grant funds are still available for the purchase of tents or other shelter for outdoor visitation and/or clear dividers, installation, installation materials and shipping costs for in-person visitation aids. All eligible expenses incurred on or after September 17, 2020, are eligible for reimbursements, up to a maximum of $3,000.
For more information and to apply for CMP Nursing Home Visitation Aid Grant funds:
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Kentucky's Top 10 Citations
for Nursing Homes
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Informal Appeal of Survey Findings
Interested in Serving on an IDR Panel?
Kentucky requires one member of the IDR panel to be "a person currently engaged in the provision of Long Term Care services who has no affiliation with the provider disputing a deficiency." Typically, a Long Term Care Administrator is on each IDR panel. There is no payment or travel reimbursement for an Administrator serving on a panel. Administrators will be rotated. If a Long Term Care Administrator is interested in serving on a panel, a confidentiality statement must be signed prior to the participation in the first IDR panel.
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Jennifer Smith, RN
RAI/Oasis/IDR-IIDR Coordinator
Office of Inspector General
Division of Health Care
275 E. Main St., 5E-A
Frankfort, KY 40621
Fax: (502) 564-6546
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MDS/RAI CONTACT INFORMATION
For questions regarding MDS Assessment, Coding, Transmission or
Please do not send any identifiable patient information through e-mail. This includes patient names, SSNs, dates of birth, or any other data items considered identifiers or Protected Health Information (PHI) under HIPAA. Please redact any PHI prior to sending.
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All certified nursing facilities must sign up for ePOC. Please be diligent about keeping your account and password up to date. All correspondence is handled in the ePOC system, including the plan of correction. Furthermore, if there is a change in administrator, it is incumbent upon the facility to update the system.
If your facility is not yet signed up, see the Account Setup instructions.
Not sure if your facility has any ePOC accounts or have other questions? E-mail ePOC.Support@ky.gov or Melissa Richard, Training & QA Branch Manager, or call 502-564-7963 x.3310.
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Have you notified your residents?
Click the link below to download and/or print the contact list for various agencies.
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Which Branch is Serving You?
To provide the highest level of service, the Division of Health Care operates through four regional offices. Knowing the appropriate Branch to contact with questions and concerns will ensure you receive maximum service in minimum time. Review links below for detailed information.
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CMS Survey and Certification memoranda, guidance, clarifications and instructions to State Survey Agencies and CMS Regional Offices.
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Transfer/Discharge Hearing Appeals
Please submit your requests for transfer/discharge hearing appeals to Secretary Eric C. Friedlander, Cabinet for Health and Family Services, by emailing:
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LTC Facility Self-Reported
Incidents & Complaints
New email addresses have been established for communications regarding LTC Facility Self-Reported Incidents and for use by residents and the general public to report possible violations of regulatory requirements. Click Here for the email addresses and additional contact information.
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Quality, Safety & Education Portal
CMS's QSEP provides the full curriculum of surveyor training and guidance on health care facility regulations. All training is available on-demand on a top-notch self-service portal. 24/7 access means you have the freedom to learn what you want, where you want, when you want.
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Employment Opportunities
To search and apply for positions within the Office of Inspector General, please visit the Kentucky Personnel Cabinet's web page by clicking below.
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DHC Leadership Team:
Inspector General
Deputy Inspector General
Director
Assistant Director
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Want to Sign Up for This Newsletter?
If you have received a copy of this newsletter from a friend or co-worker, you can click here and enter your information to join our mailing list, or contact MelissaD.Richard@ky.gov.
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Commonwealth of Kentucky | Office of Inspector General | 275 East Main St., Frankfort, KY 40621 |
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The Office of Inspector General is the regulatory and licensing agency for all health care, day care and long-term care facilities and child adoption/child-placing agencies in the commonwealth.
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