Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare While we recognize that the COVID-19 vaccine program is in a transitional phase, we would like to remind providers that the COVID-19 Vaccine Provider Agreement is still in effect until the new vaccine formulations are available. Providers signed this agreement stating they would adhere to the…… Continue reading COVID-19 Vaccine Provider Agreement Still in Effect

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare As part of CDC’s ongoing effort to improve communications on COVID-19, a new, refocused CDC COVID-19 website has been published. The updated site was created to meet the needs of the public so they can easily find the most up-to-date information on COVID-19, especially as we…… Continue reading CDC Launches New Streamlined COVID-19 Website 

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare July 13, 2023 … CMS Administrator Brooks-LaSure Letter to Payors Regarding Coverage of COVID-19 Vaccines Post Commercialization To Medicare Plans, Private Insurance Plans, and State Medicaid and CHIP Programs: Thank you for your continued efforts to address the effects of COVID-19, even after the end of…… Continue reading CMS Administrator Brooks-LaSure Letter to Payors Regarding Coverage of COVID-19 Vaccines Post Commercialization

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare CMS has posted the nursing home COVID-19 data for the week ending June 25, 2023. If you’ve been following my weekly posts with this data, you’ll see the above reporting is quite abbreviated! The only reference to staff data is the national percentage of staff who…… Continue reading Most Recent CMS-CDC-NHSN COVID-19 Nursing Home Data

Mary Madison, RN, RAC- CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare I am a fan of post-incident analysis … looking in the rear-view mirror when we’re moving away from a crisis. Consider such analysis as also learning from what we’ve experienced so it doesn’t happen again. Here’s an op-ed that I believe all of us should…… Continue reading Lessons From COVID-19 for Protecting Workers in the Next Pandemic

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare CMS has posted the nursing home COVID-19 data for the week ending June 11, 2023. Comparing the June 11, 2023 data to the May 28, 2023 data shows these changes: Resident primary vaccination completion rate decreased 0.2% again these past 2 weeks; Residents up to date…… Continue reading Latest CMS, NHSN and CDC Nursing Home COVID-19 Data 

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare CMS has posted the NH COVID-19 data for the week ending May 28, 2023. Comparing the May 28, 2023 data to the May 21, 2023 data shows these changes: Resident primary vaccination completion rate decreased 0.1% again this past week; Residents up to date with vaccines…… Continue reading Most Recent CMS, CDC and NHSN COVID-19 Nursing Home Data

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare Long COVID can affect multiple organ systems creating a myriad of different symptoms that may require treatment and affect returning to work. Clinicians play a critical role in evaluating and supporting patients in their return to work. Tailored support and workplace accommodations are an important part…… Continue reading Evaluating and Supporting Patients with Long COVID in Returning to Work

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare CMS has posted the nursing home COVID-19 data for the week ending May 21, 2023. Comparing the May 21, 2023 data to the May 14, 2023 data shows these changes: Resident primary vaccination completion rate decreased 0.1% this past week; Residents up to date with vaccines…… Continue reading Most Recent CMS, CDC and NHSN COVID-19 Nursing Home Data

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare Late afternoon on Wednesday, May 31, 2023, CMS filed Final Rule 2023-11449 to be published in the Federal Register on Monday, June 5, 2023.   The official title is Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Policy and Regulatory Changes to the Omnibus COVID-19 Health Care Staff Vaccination Requirements; Additional…… Continue reading CMS Policy and Regulatory Changes to the Omnibus COVID-19 Health Care Staff Vaccination Requirements