On October 19, 2020, the CDC updated guidelines on COVID-19 and said that public transportation operators “should refuse boarding” to passengers who don’t wear a face mask to stop the spread of the coronavirus. The CDC reemphasized current guidelines for wearing masks on planes, ships, ferries, trains, subways, buses, taxis and ride-shares and said masks should be worn in airports, …
Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited 37 establishments for violations resulting in proposed penalties totaling $484,069. OSHA inspections have resulted in the agency citing employers for violations including failures to: Implement a written respiratory protection program; Provide a medical evaluation, respirator fit test, training on the …
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently updated the way they determine the rate of COVID-19 positivity in counties. This has the potential to affect your facility, as the frequency that many long term care facilities must test their staff is based on the positivity rate in their county. Please read the memo from CMS below to understand what …
Despite substantial effort over the past 20 years, preventable harm in health care remains a major concern in the United States. Though many evidence-based, effective best practices related to harm reduction have been identified, they are seldom shared nationally and implemented effectively across multiple organizations. The National Steering Committee for Patient Safety released Safer Together: A National Action Plan to …
On September 21, 2020, the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs of Michigan posted a memo to licensed federally certified nursing homes. In the memo, they advised that they were seeking clarity between a conflicting order from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and guidance from CMS. Please read the full memo below:
The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is the lead agency for the federal government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and on January 31, 2020, declared the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) a public-health emergency for the United States. A key component of that response is rapidly expanding COVID-19 testing across America. Within HHS, the Office of the …
Respirators must be used in workplaces where employees may be exposed to hazardous airborne contaminants. When respiratory protection is required employers must have a respirator protection program as specified in OSHA’s Respiratory Protection standard (29 CFR 1910.134). Before wearing a respirator, workers must first be medically evaluated using the mandatory medical questionnaire or an equivalent method. Medical Evaluation and Questionnaire …
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspections are increasing and OSHA is using data related to SNF COVID-19 – that is reported to the National Healthcare Safety Network. As a reminder, OSHA requires all employers to report inpatient hospitalizations within 24 hours and fatalities within 8 hours when the event is work-related (OSHA Standard 1904.39). Facilities must do their best …
On August 25, 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced changes that will allow better tracking and control over the spread of COVID-19. The regulatory changes implemented by the Trump Administration will require nursing homes to test staff, offer testing to residents for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and report results. This will support efforts on both a …
Nurse staffing is a key contributor to the quality of care provided in nursing homes. A review conducted by the OIG (Office of the Inspector General) prior to COVID-19 pandemic, focused on staffing data from 2018 and was posted on 8-3-2020. Now, with the 2020 pandemic, it becomes more obvious that adequate staffing for nursing homes is critical as inadequate …
