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Archive June 2024

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CMS Releases Revised Guidance for Facility Assessment

This week, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released updated guidance for the Long-term Care Facility Assessment regulation (QSO-24-13-NH), aligning with the federal staffing mandate finalized last month.

The regulatory requirements have been relocated from 42 CFR 483.70 to 42 CFR 483.71. Consequently, the existing regulations from 42 CFR 483.70(f) to 42 CFR 483.70(q) have been redesignated as paragraphs (e) to (p), respectively. The revised guidance emphasizes that surveyors should verify if a facility assessment includes all the required components as specified by the regulation, rather than evaluating the quality of the assessment.

The updated facility assessment regulation at F838 must be implemented by August 8, 2024

Click Here to Learn More
 
Staff contact: mcarland@mehca.org
 

C-Diff Collaborative Meeting June 27th

Maine CDC invites you to join the Maine Nursing Home C-Diff collaborative. 
To participate in the workgroup please do the following:
 
  1. Choose the opportunity for improvement you would like to work on at your facility. This can be ANYTHING you wish to work on to improve your IPC practices related to CDI. (This includes improving on any Standard Precautions such as hand hygiene, environmental cleaning, etc.).
 
  1. Fill out the very simple Phase 2 sign-up survey at: https://forms.office.com/g/eenJGRb9Hw
 
  1. Register in ADVANCE for the first workgroup meeting to be held June 27th at 1pm:
 
     https://mainestate.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0qfuGsqDwpG9QhxFLpD5tKQ7Xm120gbpjQ
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email
containing information about joining the meeting.
 
 
Staff contact: mcarland@mehca.org
 

CDC Issues Extreme Heat Alert

Maine CDC has issued a Health Alert Advisory for extreme heat this week.  They encourage all
residential and long-term care facilities monitor residents very carefully for signs of heat-related illness, especially if the facility is not air-conditioned.
 
Long-term care facilities with contingency plans for extreme heat should be prepared to implement those plans this week.  Floor fans can help improve air circulation, and internal cooling centers can provide short-term relief.
 
Residents may be disproportionately vulnerable to the effects of extreme heat exposure, due to factors like age, chronic conditions, certain medications, and limited mobility.
 
 
Staff Contact: mcarland@mehca.org

Mike McNeil Scholarship Applications Now Available

Applications for the Mike McNeil Scholarship Fund are now available on-line. The fund provides support to individuals pursuing careers in long term care. Applicants must be affiliated with an MHCA-member facility including nursing homes/ assisted living facility employees, their immediate family members, and/ or volunteers.
 
Application deadline to apply is August 9, 2024. Supporting documentation including school acceptance letter or current transcript, and written references can be sent to MHCA, 317 State Street, Augusta, ME 04330. Winners will be notified in writing by mid-October. This outline will help guide applicants.
 
Now in its 18th year, the fund has awarded $78,250 to 128 students to help them pursue careers in long term care! Contact Lori Vigue or Angela Westhoff at MHCA at 207-623-1146 with any questions.
 
Staff contact: awesthoff@mehca.org

Mark Parkinson, AHCA President & CEO to Keynote at MHCA Leadership Symposium

MHCA is extremely pleased to be bringing back the Long Term Care Leadership Symposium on June 27th at the Harraseeket Inn in Freeport. Mark Parkinson, President and CEO of the American Health Care Association, will be the symposium keynote speaker. He will provide a national update on the sector and will share the latest news on the CMS Staffing mandate. Don’t miss the amazing opportunity to hear from one of the nation’s most influential leaders in long term care! Register here by Friday, June 14th.
 
Mark’s vision and leadership has brought record membership to the association and is widely recognized as a thought leader and highly successful advocate. For 11 consecutive years, he has been named a top lobbyist and has been selected as one of the “100 Most Influential People in HealthCare” by Modern Health Care five times over! And in 2024, Mark was named as the recipient of the McKnight’s Pinnacle Career Achievement Award.
 
Mark has announced his retirement at the end of this year, so we are extremely proud to welcome him to Maine for what will likely be his last formal visit.
 
Register for the event here: https://www.mehca.org/leadershipsymposium.
 
A total of 6 CEUs will be provided and seats are still available. Registration deadline is close of business on Friday, June 14th.
 
Staff contact: awesthoff@mehca.org

Welcome New Member!

Join us in welcoming the following new member:
 
Claxton Dietetic Solutions, LLC: Contact: Marnie Claxton, CEO, 713 Westborough Road, Knoxville, TN 37909 T. 865-748-0449 E. mclaxton@claxtonsolutions.com, www.claxtonsolutions.com  
 
Claxton Dietetic Solutions, LLC was founded in response to healthcare communities seeking quality registered dietitians on a consultant basis.  We take pride in our diverse and talented team of Registered Dietitians. Our 100+ staff RDs and Leadership Team members have a range of experience, from those who have recently entered the field to those with over 40 years of experience practicing in Dietetics. We respect and understand the skills and knowledge that each of them brings to the team and their continued desire to learn and grow as clinicians.
 
Staff contact: dchicoine@mehca.org 

C-Diff Collaborative

A meeting to review the data from the Nursing Home Survey and an introduction to this group was held on June 7, 2024, the documents from that meeting can be accessed here. 
The Maine CDC invites you to the first Phase 2 Collaboration meeting on June 27th at 1pm where we will begin the work to address some of the C. diff prevention opportunities at Maine’s Nursing Homes.
 
Each facility will decide on their own what opportunity they wish to address during this collaborative effort. If you are interested in attending this first meeting please fill out the pre-meeting survey found at: https://forms.office.com/g/eenJGRb9Hw
 
Staff contact: mcarland@mehca.org

UTI Reporting Webinar- FREE

Beginning July 1, 2024, Nursing Homes in Maine have new reporting requirements under MHDO’s Chapter 270, UNIFORM REPORTING SYSTEM FOR QUALITY DATA SETS
 
Each nursing facility shall submit to the US CDC’s National Healthcare Safety Network a quarterly submission of data, separated by month, for Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) for all locations within facility scope of service in accordance with NHSN specifications. Each health care facility shall authorize both Maine CDC and Maine Health Data Organization, to have access to the NHSN for facility-specific reports of data.
 
To prepare for this, MHCA in collaboration with Maine CDC and Maine Health Data Organization (MHDO) will be offering a free webinar. We will provide you with an overview of the reporting guidance and highlight resources available to help your team prepare.
 
This is a very important webinar for anyone responsible for NHSN reporting in your center.
 
This webinar will be held on Wednesday June 26, 2024 from 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. ET.
 
Click Here to Register
  
Staff Contact: mcarland@mehca.org

Letter to LTC from Maine Immunization Program

As we near the end of the COVID-19, influenza (flu) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) season we want to remind long-term care facilities (LTCF) that it is not too early to begin preparing for the upcoming season. LTCF residents and staff continue to be particularly vulnerable to COVID-19, flu and RSV. In an effort to ensure our most vulnerable population is protected, we would like to remind staff of important announcements that may affect the upcoming season and the ability to access vaccine. In addition, we would like to encourage LTCF to make preparations now for the respiratory season ahead.
 
Bridge Access Program to end August 2024
On May 9, 2024, the U.S. CDC announced an earlier than anticipated end date for the Bridge Access Program (BAP). The BAP currently provides free COVID-19 vaccines to adults without health insurance and adults whose insurance does not cover all COVID-19 vaccine costs. The program, originally scheduled to end in December 2024, will now end in August 2024. The Maine CDC urges staff and their families who may be under or uninsured to get vaccinated now while this vaccine is available to them at no cost.
 
COVID-19 Vaccination Recommendation for adults 65 years and older
Older adults are the most vulnerable to severe illness from COVID-19 infection. A large proportion of hospitalizations and deaths that occurred last year were among those aged 65 and older. With COVID-19 continuing to circulate and protection waning among this age group, we encourage LTCF residents and staff 65 years and older to follow U.S. CDC recommendations to receive a dose of the updated 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine and get an additional dose administered ≥4 months after the initial dose from this 2023 - 2024 season. Although a new COVID-19 vaccine will be available for the upcoming 2024 - 2025 season, we encourage those who are not currently up to date to get vaccinated now, rather than waiting for the fall.
 
Planning for the upcoming respiratory season
A significant number of hospitalizations and thousands of deaths result from COVID-19, flu and RSV every year during the fall and winter virus season. Immunization against these three respiratory viruses continues to be the best way to protect against hospitalizations, long-term health issues, and death. It is not too early to start planning for the upcoming respiratory season. Now is the time to start procuring privately purchased vaccinations to cover all three respiratory viruses.
 
To protect your staff and residents we strongly encourage you to:
  • Continue to offer 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine at your facility to those who have not yet received it, as well as an additional dose to those 65 years and older. 
  • Offer updated 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine at your facility when it becomes available.
  • Strongly recommend COVID-19, flu, and RSV vaccines to all residents.
  • Encourage staff to stay up to date on vaccines recommended for health care personnel and to take advantage of the Bridge Access Program before it expires in August 2024 to access free COVID-19 vaccines. Remind staff that by getting vaccinated, they’re helping protect the residents and patients they care for.
For more guidance on respiratory viruses, please visit the U.S. CDC webpage.

If you have any questions, please contact the Maine Immunization Program at (207) 287-3746 or email: ImmunizeME.DHHS@maine.gov.

Thank you for all you do to help protect your staff and our most vulnerable population against serious respiratory viruses.
 
Staff contact: mcarland@mehca.org
 

CYMI: Bipartisan Group Of U.S. Senators Introduce Resolution To Overturn Federal Staffing Mandate For Nursing Homes / Senators ask the VA to study the mandate’s impact on veterans

In case you missed it, Senator James Lankford (R-OK) and Senator Joe Manchin (I-WV) introduced a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution of disapproval to overturn the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) federal staffing mandate for nursing homes. The mandate, which more than 90 percent of nursing homes would be unable to meet, threatens to displace nearly 300,000 residents. The resolution follows the U.S. House version introduced last month by U.S. Representatives Michelle Fischbach (MN-07) and Greg Pence (IN-06).
 
In a press release, Senator Lankford called the mandate “overly broad and unrealistic," while underscoring the impact on rural communities where access to care is already scarce. A bipartisan group of 29 senators joined the resolution, demonstrating the growing opposition on Capitol Hill against the misguided policy. The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) praised Senators Lankford and Manchin for introducing the resolution and their leadership:
 
“We applaud the introduction of the Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution against the Administration's staffing mandate in the U.S. Senate and appreciate the support and leadership of Senators Lankford and Manchin," said Clif Porter, Senior Vice President of Government Relations for AHCA/NCAL. “Whether through legislation or direct outreach to the Administration, the concern that lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have shown demonstrates that this outrageous and unrealistic rule must be overturned. This impossible mandate threatens access to care for seniors across the country, and we urge members of Congress to take action. Let's work together on more meaningful ways to boost our nursing home workforce and improve quality care."
 
Also this week, Senator Angus King (I-ME) and Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Veterans' Affairs, expressing their concern about the mandate's impact on veterans and requesting the department produce a report on the potential impact of the mandate. The senators wrote: 
 
“We all want our veterans, older adults, and disabled populations served by long-term care facilities to have adequate staffing to meet their needs. Considering the majority of long-term care facilities nationwide would currently be deemed out of compliance with this rule, and are already struggling to hire and retain staff while on the precipice collectively of needing to spend billions of dollars more per year, we have serious concerns the industry will realistically be able to meet the goals of the Rule, let alone prevent massive widespread closures."
 
AHCA/NCAL held their annual Congressional Briefing this week, which brought more than 600 long term and post-acute care professionals to Capitol Hill to advocate for the industry's legislative priorities – chief among them stopping the mandate from being implemented. The long term care sector will continue to sound the alarm over the potential consequences of this one-size-fits-all rule and ensure every senior has access to the high-quality care they need and deserve.
 
 
Staff contact: awesthoff@mehca.org 
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