Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare TMF QIN Networks shared this infographicthat certainly provides food for thought: TMF QIN Networks has also developed and shared this Fuel Versus Friction Tip Sheet. The table below offers fuel-based interventions intended to increase vaccine uptake and friction-based interventions that respond to hidden barriers that hold…… Continue reading Who Stays Well – Who Gets Sick – Who Dies of COVID-19? Fuel Versus Friction Tip Sheet

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare The Iowa Department of Human Services issued IL 2315-MC-FFS-CVD on Sunday, February 20, 2022.  The Informational Letter is directed to Iowa Medicaid Providers, but it contains a message that I thought was worth sharing.  The message in the paragraph beneath the bolded Please note is what…… Continue reading Public Health Emergency (PHE) COVID-19 Regulations

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare CMS has posted the nursing home COVID-19 data for the week ending February 6, 2022: Comparing the February 6th data to the January 30th data shows these differences: Resident vaccination rate is down 0.1% from the previous weekResidents with booster doses (new last week) increased by 0.9%Staff vaccination…… Continue reading Latest CMS, CDC and NHSN COVID-19 NH Data

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare February 11, 2022…CDC updated Interim Clinical Considerations for Use of COVID-19 Vaccines Currently Approved or Authorized in the U.S.: There is a huge amount of information and resources on this landing page, including all previous updates (24) in the past year. 

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare CDC updated the Underlying Medical Conditions Associated with Higher Risk for Severe COVID-19: Information for HC Professionals website on February 15, 2022. “This webpage provides an evidence-based resource for healthcare professionals caring for patients with underlying medical conditions who are at higher risk of developing severe outcomes of…… Continue reading CDC Updates Underlying Medical Conditions Associated with Higher Risk for Severe COVID-19: Information for Healthcare Professionals

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare CMS has posted the nursing home data for the week ending January 30, 2022. Note that CMS/NHSN is now providing information on resident and staff booster doses. Comparing the January 30th data to the January 23rd data shows these differences: Resident vaccination rate remains unchanged from previous weekResidents…… Continue reading Latest CMS, CDC and NHSN COVID-19 Nursing Home Data

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDP Clinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare CMS has revised QSO-21-08-NLTC with the date of February 4, 2022, and the same title as the title of the blog. There’s a lot of red in the entire 4-page Memorandum beyond the Memorandum Summary (above). Note also that the Memorandum now includes Providers and Suppliers…… Continue reading CMS Revises COVID-19 Focused Infection Control Survey Tool for Acute and Continuing Care Providers and Suppliers

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare Thursday, February 3, 2022… “DES MOINES – Governor Reynolds signed the final extension of the state’s Public Health Disaster Emergency Proclamation today, announcing it will expire at 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, February 15, 2022. The signed proclamation can be found here.  (Be sure to review the expanded information – 16 sections – including the HC system, education workforce licensure and state agency…… Continue reading Iowa Governor Announces Expiration of Public Health Proclamation and Changes to COVID-19 Data Reporting

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure has penned a letter dated February 1, 2022 to Health Care Facility Administrators. Here are a couple of excerpts from her letter: “It is paramount to the health and safety of America’s patients for health care facility workers to be vaccinated against…… Continue reading CMS Administrator’s Letter to HC Facility Administrators – Vaccines

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare CMS has posted nursing home COVID-19 data for the week ending January 23, 2022. Comparing the January 23rd data to the January 16th data shows these differences: • Resident vaccination rate increased 0.1% from previous week • Staff vaccination increased 0.5% from previous week (same as the week prior…… Continue reading Current CMS, NHSN and CDC COVID-19 Nursing Home Data