Coronavirus Update #92
General Updates, Testing & Workforce, In the Media, and a Reminder on Proper Use of PPE
Here is the situation report from what I am hearing:

  • More and more people are recovering from COVID-19 in Maryland skilled nursing and rehabilitation centers.

  • The National Guard is dropping off more test kits, which will be sufficient for one-time resident and patient testing.

  • Employee testing remains complicated given the sheer number of working healthcare heroes, the need for employee re-testing, and managing workforce issues.

NOTE:  Please see our press release on HFAM Associate Member AMS Onsite for key messages on testing and workforce (which date back to March 12).

  • With increased testing, we are still seeing COVID-19 hotspots in Maryland skilled nursing and rehabilitation centers.

  • In an AHCA/NCAL call this week, Dr. Gifford reported that there is data indicating a relationship between the COVID-19 “hotness” in a community and skilled nursing and rehabilitation centers in that community.

  • COVID-19 hospital discharges are happening routinely and efficiently to COVID-19 isolation units in Maryland skilled nursing and rehabilitation centers.

  • Hospital transfers of non-COVID-19 patients to nursing homes are beginning to back up because of unknown COVID-19 status, a shortage of observation beds in skilled nursing and rehabilitation centers, and the lack of universal testing in hospitals.

NOTE : Given the often asymptomatic nature of COVID-19, universal testing of patients in hospitals, across healthcare settings, and in communities with people most clinically at risk is increasingly important. Hospitals are now considering standing up post-acute care beds to handle non-COVID-19 and urgent elective procedures that will now resume in hospitals —which is not ideal.

  • Finally, another point on something I shared a couple of days ago: we will see pressure to resume visitation, which is concerning given the current state of the battle against COVID-19 and the potential clinical vulnerability of patients, residents, and staff.

While you and your healthcare heroes are fighting to save lives and combat COVID-19, we at HFAM continue to communicate and advocate on your behalf with government leaders, our outstanding hospital partners, the media and other stakeholders. 
Proper Use of PPE Reminder

We encourage you to review with your teams the appropriate way to apply and remove all PPE, including gloves, gowns, masks, and eye protection. Performing observations yourself can be helpful to prepare staff for surveyor observation and to quickly correct any practices needing improvement.

  • These documents can be printed and posted in your center to ensure your staff are aware of how to appropriately don PPE. 

  • These documents can be printed off and posted in your center to ensure your staff are aware of how to appropriately doff PPE.  

  • The following video explains how to do hand hygiene and donning/doffing PPE appropriately. 



Be well,
Joe DeMattos
President and CEO
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Thank you.

We cannot thank you enough for the dedication and diligence in doing all that you can for the residents in your communities. HFAM continues to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic with our state and national partners and will do all we can to support you during this time.