Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDP                                                                                                                                        Clinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare The ACIP (Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices) approved the following recommendation by majority (13-1) vote at its December 1, 2020 emergency meeting: When a COVID-19 vaccine is authorized by FDA and recommended by ACIP, vaccination in the initial phase of the COVID-19 vaccination program (Phase…… Continue reading ACIP and CDC – Healthcare Personnel and LTC Residents to Receive COVID-19 Vaccine First

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDP                                                                                                                                      Clinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare CMS has posted COVID-19 county positivity rates for December 1, 2020.  Archived rates are also available. As a reminder, nursing homes are required to conduct testing of residents and staff.  These guidelines include testing staff on a certain frequency based on the COVID-19 positivity rate…… Continue reading CMS Updates County Positivity Rates – December 1, 2020

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare CMS posted 2 sets of nursing home data the week of Thanksgiving: County positivity rates: November 23, 2020NH rates for Week Ending November 15, 2020

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare I hope that everyone had a safe holiday week!   I’m putting these updates into a digest form so you can see what happened last week regarding COVID information. Updated Strategies for Optimizing the Supply of Facemasks (CDC)— This guidance has been updated to include the following:…… Continue reading COVID-19 Updates for Thanksgiving Week 2020

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare I know that you have a lot on your plate right now.  I just found an additional resource that I wanted to share with you.  It’s the CDC COVID Data Tracker.  It displays up-to-date data as well as other information in a bit different way than…… Continue reading CDC COVID Data Tracker

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare Wishing you a peaceful and healthy Thanksgiving holiday!  THANK YOU SO MUCH for everything you do every day but especially during the past 9 months +.   You and the work you do is absolutely priceless!  We are truly in the fight of our lives and you…… Continue reading Thanksgiving Wishes to Healthcare Personnel

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare AHCA/NCAL updated their Fact Sheet on November 19, 2020.  The Fact Sheet provides information regarding Medicare Part A PPS 3-Day Stays and Benefit Period Waivers. You’ll note that the text shown in green represents CMS updates since October 16, 2020.  There’s quite a bit of green…… Continue reading AHCA/NCAL Updates 3-Day Stay and Benefit-Period Waivers for Medicare Part A SNF PPS Fact Sheet

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare The CDC updated this toolkit on November 18, 2020.  It has a lot of great resources.  I encourage you to check it out.

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare On Thursday, November 19, 2020, CMS released the first episode in a series of short podcasts for frontline nursing home staff “CMS Beyond the Policy”. This first episode is titled “Nursing Home Series for Front Line Clinicians and Staff.” Dr. Shari Ling, Deputy Chief Medical Office…… Continue reading Nursing Home Podcast Series for Front Line Clinicians and Staff

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare CMS has updated this State-based toolkit to Version 14 – November 18, 2020.  The Toolkit is now 205 pages in length.