Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare I’m a big fan/follower of NETEC (National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center), especially these past 2+ years. If you haven’t heard of them, attended a webinar or listened to their podcasts, I encourage you to do so – you’ll learn a lot. Provide your…… Continue reading NETEC Webinar and Podcasts: The Hidden Cost of COVID + FLURONA

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare The OIG (Office of Inspector General) posted this 19-page report with the same title as this blog on March 15, 2022. (OIG) based this analysis on Medicare fee-for-service claims data and Medicare Advantage encounter data from March 1, 2020, to February 28, 2021, and from the…… Continue reading Telehealth Was Critical for Providing Services to Medicare Beneficiaries During the First Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDP Clinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare NIH (National Institutes of Health) updated the COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines on March 24, 2022. Testing for SARS-CoV-2 InfectionPrevention of SARS-CoV-2 InfectionPrioritization of Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Therapies for the Treatment and Prevention of COVID-19 When There Are Logistical or Supply ConstraintsGranulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor Inhibitors    The full guidelines (395-page PDF)…… Continue reading Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Treatment Guidelines Updated

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDP  Clinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare CMS has posted COVID-19 nursing home data for the week ending March 13, 2022. Comparing the March 13th data to the March 6th data shows these changes: Resident vaccination rate remained unchanged from the previous weekResidents with booster doses (new the week of 2/6) increased by 1% this past…… Continue reading Latest CMS, CDC and NHSN COVID-19 Nursing Home Data

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare On June 21, 2021, OSHA published an interim final rule establishing an emergency temporary standard (ETS) to protect healthcare and healthcare support service workers from occupational exposure to COVID-19 in settings where people with COVID-19 are reasonably expected to be present (86 FR 32376). The ETS…… Continue reading OSHA COVID-19 Healthcare Rulemaking

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare Masks can help protect you and others from COVID-19. This sign (CDC) is designed for facilities to print out and place on their entry doors to remind everyone to wear masks in the facility. Learn more about infection prevention and control recommendations for healthcare personnel during…… Continue reading New Mask Sign for Facilities: Masks Help Protect Everyone

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDP Clinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare OIG (Office of Inspector General) has just added COVID-19 Vaccination Status of Nursing Home Staff to its work plan. Residents of long-term care facilities (nursing homes) have been severely impacted by COVID-19 and are disproportionately represented in the number of COVID-19-related deaths in the United States.…… Continue reading OIG Adds COVID-19 Vaccination Status of Nursing Home Staff to Work Plan

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare CMS has posted nursing home data for the week ending March 6, 2022. Comparing the March 6th data to the February 27th data shows these changes: Resident vaccination rate rose 0.2% from the previous weekResidents with booster doses (new the week of 2/6) increased by 1.1% this past weekStaff vaccination…… Continue reading Latest CMS, CDC and NHSN Nursing Home COVID-19 Data

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDP Clinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare CMS has posted COVID-19 Nursing Home data for the week ending February 27, 2022. Comparing the February 27th data to the February 20th data shows these differences: Resident vaccination rate rose 0.1% from the previous weekResidents with booster doses (new the week of 2/6) increased by 1.2% this past weekStaff…… Continue reading Latest CMS, CDC and NHSN Nursing Home COVID-19 Data

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDP Clinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare As part of President Biden’s National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan to help America move forward safely, the Biden-Harris Administration is launching a nationwide Test to Treat Initiative this week so Americans can rapidly access needed COVID-19 treatments. Through this program, people who test positive for COVID-19 will be able…… Continue reading Biden Administration Launches Nationwide Test-to-Treat Initiative Ensuring Rapid ‘On the Spot’ Access to Lifesaving COVID Treatments