COVID-19 Update #271
HFAM Update - Reminder on CRISP Reporting

Friends,

Thanks for all you continue to do to provide quality care to Marylanders in need in your centers and on your campuses. I am back in the office after being out the first couple of days this week to observe holidays with my family. 
 
As you know, the most recent MDH orders for nursing homes:
 
  • Aligns testing/visitation policy for facilities to federal guidance. 
  • Allows fully vaccinated new residents/readmits to bypass quarantine upon admission. 
  • Changes to CRISP reporting - weekly vaccination data for residents and staff. Vaccination data is to be entered each Wednesday into CRISP. This data should include the number of staff, the patient census, the number of residents and staff that are fully vaccinated, and the number of residents and staff that have had only one dose. Please see this FAQ document from MDH about reporting vaccination data into CRISP for nursing homes.  
  • Adds to requirements of the facilities vaccination contact to:
  • Ensure the vaccination data is updated weekly and posted in the facility for the public.
  • Ensure that their facility establishes a relationship with a vaccine provider by May 30.
 
Since the new Maryland State Orders have been issued, we have several times alerted our HFAM Board, membership, and the sector with our colleague associations. Additionally, we have worked collaboratively with our state colleague leaders. We all want to get public reporting right. We also want to have actual data on vaccine availability for residents, patients and staff in our sector relative to LTC pharmacy partners, hospital partners, and National Guard Bridge Teams. As I draft this message we are reviewing real-time, early data of the reporting with our state colleagues. 
 
We need SNFs to accurately report via CRISP – we all want to get public reporting right. Earlier today, MDH sent a list of all SNF current reporting data to their SNF listserv. This list contains the vaccination data pulled from the Post Acute Care Form in CRISP after 11:00 AM today (5/19/21). Please ensure that any highlighted fields next to your facility is corrected in CRISP by 11:00 AM on 05/20/21 (tomorrow) to ensure that facility data is reported correctly. If the identified issues are not addressed then the public online dashboard will note- DNS (Data Not Sufficient/Submitted) next to your facility name. 
 
Note on the SNF reporting data:

  • Boxes highlighted in RED means no data was submitted for this category and needs to be updated in CRISP. 
  • Boxes highlighted in YELLOW we request that you make sure that it is correct that for this week there are no Residents or Staff who have received ‘FIRST DOSE ONLY’.

The early data breakdown shows only 72 centers do not need to update their data; the remaining 155 centers need to review and/or update their data in CRISP no later than tomorrow at 11:00 AM. Here is the rest of the topline initial reporting data:
 
  • 3 centers did not report # of residents for the week
  • 93 centers did not report # of staff for the week
  • 36 centers did not report # of residents fully vaccinated for the week
  • 35 centers did not report # of staff fully vaccinated for the week
  • 99 centers did not report or potentially misreported # of residents receiving first dose
  • 84 centers did not report or potentially misreported # of staff receiving first dose
 
Additional Action Item Reminders:
 
  • ACTION ITEM #1: As we have previously shared, it is a state priority for all nursing homes to register with ImmuNet. Once centers are registered, they can receive vaccines directly. 
 
  • ACTION ITEM #2: It is urgent that clients of Remedi, OmniCare, and the MHA Pharmacy Collaborative finalize agreements as soon as possible to provide vaccines in the near term.
 
  • ACTION ITEM #3: As stated above, the updated MDH order for nursing homes requires each facility to identify a vaccination point of contact. In order to assist with this effort, please ensure your centers fill out this brief SURVEY as soon as possible. Again, this contact is responsible for ensuring that vaccination data is updated weekly in CRISP and posted in the facility for the public, as well as ensuring that the facility establishes a relationship with a vaccine provider by May 30.
 
As Always:

  • Focus on what is in your control and not what is out of your control.
  • Overcommunicate.
  • Adapt and innovate.
  • Rely on your partnerships.
  • Speak up when you need help.
  • Double efforts on infectious disease protocols, training, and operations.
  • Take and document your action; keep a timeline.
  • CLICK HERE for the Dr. Katz Video, and please see the Donning and Doffing Checklist we have been sharing.

Onward together!
 
Be well,
Joe DeMattos
President & CEO
Nursing Home Media Toolkit
Check out the new Nursing Home Media Toolkit from the Maryland Department of Health. The password to access the materials is Vaccine2021.
 
Please use the materials in this media toolkit to spread the word about vaccination with staff.

You'll find flyers, ads, social media posts, videos, and posters. 
Action Required!

Survey to Collect Vaccination Point of Contact
The updated MDH order for nursing homes requires each facility to identify a vaccination point of contact (more details above on the order).

In order to assist with this effort, please fill out this brief SURVEY as soon as possible.
The 2021 HFAM Conference “Together We Re-Imagine” will be held in person October 4 – 7, 2021 at the Maryland Live Hotel and Casino in Hanover, Maryland. Hundreds of long-term care leaders will connect, share best practices and discuss actionable insights on how we can reflect, reform, rebuild, and revolutionize quality care. You and your teams will not want to miss this opportunity as we come together again.

Visit the conference website to learn more and register.
Thank you to our current sponsors!
#Get Vaccinated
With support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the AHCA/NCAL Get Vaccinated campaign now has a dedicated website –getvaccinated.us – to help educate and encourage caregivers and staff at long-term care facilities to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

The website includes credible information from medical professionals, public health officials, and scientists to help answer common questions about the vaccines among staff members and other individuals.
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from our federal and state partners.
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