Don't Forget to Dial In to the Daily DOH Aging and Vulnerable Populations Conference Call
Please plan to participate on the daily Department of Health's Vulnerable Populations Conference Call at 4:15 p.m. EDT every day. The call in number and pass code are below:
Call in number: 1-888 585 9008
Pass code:. 208 305 233
Guidance on Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers
“If you work in a critical infrastructure industry, as defined by the Department of
Homeland Security, such as healthcare services and pharmaceutical and food supply, you have a special responsibility to maintain your normal work schedule.”-- Donald Trump, President
COVID-19 Press Releases and Emergency Advisories
Access to Hospice Workers
FSLA is hearing from the Florida Hospice Association that some Assisted Living Facilities are prohibiting Hospice workers from entering the ALF based on the Visitor Restriction
(
Emergency Management Order # 20-006
). Hospice or palliative care workers caring for residents in end-of-life situations are among the exceptions outlined in the order with proper PPE.
Infection Control Survey Tool
CMS issued a new Memo (3/23/20) that reiterates their
Survey Prioritization
(to the following survey types for three weeks which began on 3/13:
- Complaint/facility-reported incident surveys: State survey agencies (SSAs) will conduct surveys related to complaints and facility-reported incidents (FRIs) that are triaged at the Immediate Jeopardy (IJ) level. A streamlined Infection Control review tool* will also be utilized during these surveys, regardless of the Immediate Jeopardy allegation.
- Targeted Infection Control Surveys: Federal CMS and State surveyors will conduct targeted Infection Control surveys of providers identified through collaboration with CDC and HHS. They will use a streamlined review checklist* to minimize the impact on provider activities, while ensuring providers are implementing actions to protect the health and safety of individuals to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Self-assessments: The Infection Control Streamlined Review Checklist* referenced above will also be shared with all providers and suppliers to allow for voluntary self-assessment of their Infection Control plan and protections.
* There are
2 Focused Infection Control Survey Tools
that are appended to the end of the 3/23/20 CMS Memo; these are the Infection Control Streamlined Review Checklist.
Neither
are specified for ALFs but are likely to be used by the Agency for Health Care Administration if they are conducting an Infection Control review of an ALF.
FDOH COVID-19 Surveillance Dashboard
As of today, Florida is reporting more than 2,300 number of confirmed cases;
- 22,000 tested so far with an estimated 8% positive rate
- 295 cases increased from Wednesday
- 23 deaths
- 1044 cases in Broward and Miami-Dade County
- 123 cases in Hillsborough County
Preventing the Spread of COVID-19 in Retirement Communities and Independent Living Facilities (Interim Guidance)
On recent conference calls, AHCA and DOH have been referring to the CDC's Guidance to Residential Facilities regarding communal dining and activities. FSLA tracked down the
Interim Guidance here.
Florida Community Mitigation (CDC)
Independent Living Communities
According to AHCA and DOH, all communal activities in Independent Living should cease immediately. This includes discontinuing communal dining and postponing all community events until further notice. Read more about the Independent Living restrictions on the Agency’s COVID-19 site
