MDH Releases New Guidance on Electronic Monitoring

Posted on April 8, 2020 by Jonathan Lips

The Minnesota Department of Health has released new guidance to help congregate settings accommodate requests to install a camera during visitor restrictions due to COVID-19 and the Stay at Home Executive Order.  

The guidance is designed to provide clear direction for both providers and resident's representatives. However, we have concerns regarding one section of the guidance related to staff placing the camera on behalf of families to minimize the need for visitors if preferred.

While MDH recommends that provider installation and placement of cameras is advisable in order to limit visitation, and while some providers may choose to do so, we do not believe MDH intends for its guidance to mean that providers are required to install cameras.

We recognize the capacity at which and your staff teams are working, and the responsibilities that lie on each of you as you navigate service delivery, resident engagement and family communication during a time of visitor restrictions, social distancing and the Stay at Home order. 

As you will see, the MDH guidance does provide guidelines for resident representatives to follow when they want to install a camera, and we believe providers are entitled to follow that guidance for requests involving cameras.