Focused Infection Control Surveys Offer Learnings for Nursing Homes

Posted on June 24, 2020 by Jonathan Lips

Earlier this month the Minnesota Department of Health shared with LeadingAge Minnesota the results from Focused Infection Control surveys of Minnesota nursing homes during April and May.  As we reported earlier, 120 facilities were cited for deficient practice(s), all of those at F880 and with only 4 being cited at scope and severity level G or above. 

Our regulatory and Safe Care for Seniors teams have dug into the details and prepared a resource for members: Safe Care in the Age of COVID: Learnings from Focused Infection Control Surveys in Nursing Homes – Overall Findings, Themes and Contributing Factors. You’ll also find it in the Infection Control section of our Coronavirus Disease 2019 webpage.

Although organizations have improved many of their COVID-related processes since the virus arrived in Minnesota, it is even more important now than ever, as we begin to move into re-opening, that providers closely examine your base infection control practices to ensure that you have well-defined, effective practices that are being consistently implemented across your organization.  This new resource offers data on the categories of deficient practices most commonly cited by MDH and identifies general themes we observed in the survey reports, along with contributing factors and suggestions to consider as you examine your practices and procedures.

This is the first of two “looks” at the survey data we will provide for members. Our next step, which we will share with you in next week’s Advantage newsletter, is to add specific examples of the deficient practices MDH identified within the most common categories, such as screening, PPE usage, and others.

We hope you find the information helpful, and please contact me if you have any questions or feedback.