MDH Expected to Post Cumulative COVID-19 Data to Website Next Week

Posted on January 6, 2021 by Jonathan Lips

As we shared in this Advantage story three weeks ago, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) intends to begin including COVID-19 data in its Situation Update that shows cumulative totals for the number staff cases, resident cases, and resident deaths, for all nursing homes and assisted living settings that have had an exposure to COVID-19 since the pandemic began.

We expected the data to go live this week, but publication has been pushed out because MDH is completing other website changes at the same time.  Our current projection is the data will go live on Thursday, Jan. 14, but we will continue to monitor the situation.

This delay gives providers additional time to prepare, and we recommend these steps:

• Pull together your cumulative data for the number of cases in staff, residents, and visiting service providers, as well as the number of resident deaths that have occurred, since the beginning of the pandemic, sorted by week or month. Having this data readily available will allow you to verify the accuracy of the MDH information when it is posted, and to address questions if you receive them.
• Prepare to communicate about this change, either proactively or in response to questions from residents, families, community members, media, or other stakeholders.  We have prepared some sample talking points and messages for you to consider and adapt to your own situation. Also, MDH has posted a COVID-19 Response Summary for Long-term Care Facilities template document that providers can use if you wish (this is voluntary) to make notes about the actions your team has taken to prepare for and respond to COVID-19, which may assist you in putting messages together.
• If you find errors in the data MDH posts, send an email with your concern to Health.LTC.COVID19.MDH@state.mn.us. Be sure to include your facility name and address, so that MDH will know exactly which setting’s data it needs to review.