Please keep reading our information because it changes every day. Below is the latest information provided to the association -- please note that we will continue to send updates as soon as we receive any new information.
COVID-19 UPDATE 64
Friday, November 20, 2020
Please, Mr. Postman... Bring Me My FSLA Membership Renewal or New Application!

What better way to celebrate 2020 being ALMOST OVER than by renewing your FSLA membership for 2021? It's certainly been a challenging year, and we've been so honored to work alongside many of you to provide the resources and information necessary to weather this pandemic.

We have lots more planned for 2021, including our legislative agenda, weekly calls, publications, conference and more training and professional education opportunities exclusively for our members. Join the only statewide association that focuses specifically on senior living communities.
How did it happen that Thanksgiving is next week? This year has been one of the most difficult for us all. Shutdowns, illnesses, job situations, and the loss of loved ones immediately comes to mind. But, the one common factor is that we have all been going through this together. 

We want to express our heartfelt thanks and gratitude to you for hanging in there, protecting your residents and staff, and being an amazing colleague and friend. Your friendship is so important, now more than ever! FSLA will be here to help if and when you need us.

Wishing you and yours a very Happy Thanksgiving!


 November 20, 2020

CMS Holiday Guidance for Long Term Care Facilities 
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As the holiday season approaches, the Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) has released a Holiday Leave Recommendation Letter to help keep Long Term Care facilities, residents, and their families safe for the upcoming holidays. These recommendations are addressed to nursing homes but are appropriate for assisted living facilities and other long term care facilities. Additionally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has created a webpage on holiday celebrations, which has more suggestions for preventing the spread of COVID-19.
 
Please continue to follow the guidance provided by the Florida Department of Health and the CDC to keep our facilities, residents, and their families safe this holiday season and beyond.
AHCA Reminds Us to Continue Posting Daily to ESS

This week, AHCA asked the associations to make phone calls to about 350 communities that have not been submitting data into the Emergency Status System. They are now citing communities for noncompliance.

Please continue posting into the ESS every day by 10:00 a.m. until there is an end to any COVID spread in communities,

If for any reason you are not able to post to ESS, please let us know at info@floridaseniorliving.org.

 
November 18, 2020
 
Long Term Care Facilities Update
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ESS Reporting Requirements
It is imperative that facilities continue to report daily in the Emergency Status System (ESS) to maintain up to date, accurate information. The Agency is citing deficiencies for any facility that is not complying with daily 10 AM reporting deadline.
 
ESS Reporting Changes
Effective November 18, 2020, the event tab for long term care facilities labeled “Add’l Info” has been updated. Descriptions are available at http://ahca.myflorida.com/COVID-19_Facilities.shtml#facility for each question for reporting correctly.  
 
COVID19 Test Results Reporting
All facilities conducting COVID-19 testing must report results within 24 hours of results to the Department of Health.  Laboratories and waived labs MUST report all positive, negative, and indeterminate test results for Florida residents.
 
Per Department of Health Emergency Rule 64DER20-34, FAC, all test results must be submitted electronically, using one of the electronic reporting methods listed below:
  • Electronic laboratory reporting: generation of an electronic commaseparated value (CSV) or Health Level 7 (HL7) formatted message.
  • National Healthcare Safety Network COVID-19 module for Centers for Medicare and Medicaid-certified long-term care facilities.
  • COVID-19 Reporting Portal: for entities that perform COVID-19 testing that are unable to generate an electronic CSV or HL7 formatted message​

Registration in one of these methods, must be completed within 7 days of the effective date of the Emergency Rule 64DER20-34 (11/12/2020), or within 7 days of obtaining the ability to conduct testing. 
 
The Florida DOH has created a COVID-19 Reporting Portal to assist facilities with electronic submission of test results. Please review the COVID-19 Reporting Portal Facility Registration Process for instructions on utilizing the portal. 
 
Facilities currently reporting COVID-19 Point of Care testing results to the Center for Disease Control's National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) are NOT required to report in the Florida DOH COVID-19 Reporting Portal. However, facilities must still report positive cases to the County Public Health Department for outbreak reporting​.
 
AHCA administers the CLIA program on behalf of CMS and will conduct onsite investigations for cases of non-compliance. To request assistance with reporting, please email provider.covid19@flhealth.gov.
 
Infection Control Information
The Agency is sharing training materials and other guidance provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to assist facilities and other providers in infection control and prevention.
 
When providers are administering care to patients and residents in their homes or at a health care facility, appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) must be used, including facemasks and gloves. It is key that providers are following infection prevention and control protocols when putting on and taking off PPE.
 
To assist providers in ensuring they are following infection prevention and control protocols, the Agency recommends review of trainings available on the CDC website. The CDC also offers COVID-19-related training through the TRAIN Learning Network.
 
Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations: https://emergency.cdc.gov/coca/calls/2020/callinfo_031320.asp
 
If you require additional assistance with ESS, please contact your AHCA licensing unit:
  • Assisted Living Unit, 850-412-4304
  • Long Term Care Services Unit, 850-412-4303
  • Hospital Unit, 850-412-4549
Vaccines Could Be Here Soon . . .
If Your Community Has Not Opted In to Receive Vaccines, DOH is Finalizing their List Now

Florida's Department of Health is working to make sure that all assisted living providers have signed up for the on-site COVID-19 vaccination services for residents (and staff) of nursing homes and assisted living facilities. To date, 100% of all Florida skilled nursing homes have signed up and now the CDC is focusing on signing up assisted living providers.

Five hospitals throughout Florida have been designated to pre-position the vaccines to make it quicker to get them out to the Phase 1A (hospitals and EMS) and Phase 1B (long term care residents and staff).

If you did not register, please send an email to FSLA at info@floridaseniorliving.org and we will work with DOH to get you signed up.