The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has informed LeadingAge that changes are coming to the weekly NHSN COVID-19 Vaccination Data Collection Forms for Long-Term Care Facilities that will require Level 3 access for reporting.

While we have very little information about what these changes may be and whether they impact all required reporting or only some, these changes are scheduled to appear in NHSN on Sept. 18 and will be required beginning with the reporting week ending Oct. 3.

As LeadingAge works with CDC to learn more and to advocate on behalf of providers to prevent any unnecessary burden and barriers to reporting, we urge nursing homes to do the following:

• Attend the announced CDC webinar on Sept. 23 at 1 p.m. that will review these changes. Register for the webinar here.
• Double-check that at least one person in your nursing home has SAMS Level 3 access and will be available to complete required reporting on the week ending Oct. 3.
• Work now to upgrade enrollment for other NHSN users in your nursing home so that you have multiple people with SAMS Level 3 access in the event of illness, vacation, staff turn-over, and so on.

Remember, the SAMS Level 3 access is specific to the individual, not to the nursing home. When an individual with SAMS Level 3 access leaves your facility, the SAMS Level 3 access goes with them. To initiate the process for upgrading NHSN users to SAMS Level 3, email nhsn@cdc.gov with the subject line “Enhancing Data Security,” then follow the instructions here: Information on how to add users to NHSN.