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Friday, October 16, 2020

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Overcoming Staff Challenges During the Pandemic

Stefanie Corbett, owner of Corbett Healthcare Solutions, joins us today to talk about challenges that SNF staff have faced during the pandemic, and ways administrators can support and encourage staff throughout this difficult period.

Skilled Nursing Facility

HHS warns providers against use of antigen tests to determine COVID-19 cases

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) warned SNFs against using antigen tests alone to determine if residents have COVID-19. While these tests can be used, they should always be followed by a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for positive results. This warning comes after the state of Nevada banned point-of-care antigen testing completely …

Home Health

CMS waives some emergency training requirements due to PHE

CMS is waiving requirements for large-scale emergency preparedness testing for agencies that have activated their emergency plans during the public health emergency (PHE). But some agencies may still have to complete another important emergency training task before the end of the year. Agencies that were due for an “exercise of choice” (see below) in 2020 …

Featured Product

Monthly In-Service: October issue of CNA Training Advisor

Understand how to bathe prevent rehospitalizations. Get the latest issue to receive a new lesson plan, including course materials, a 4-page in-service, and a quiz targeted to address the unique needs, interests, and concerns of CNAs.

Skilled Nursing Facility

CMS halts production of COVID-19 tests from unqualified labs

A plethora of laboratories across the United States are rapidly producing COVID-19 tests, but a recent record check by CMS resulted in 171 cease and desist letters to labs, halting production of tests at labs without the proper qualifications. The record check found that those labs did not have up-to-date Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of …

Home Health

CMS issues new home health cost report forms

CMS released the new home health cost report forms in a transmittal released on October 2. The new cost report forms are effective for cost reporting periods beginning on or after January 1, 2020, and ending on or after December 31, 2020. The federal Medicare agency did make some changes to the forms that will require …

PPS Alert for Long-Term Care

Bloodborne pathogens and standard precautions

Bloodborne pathogens are something that many SNF staff members will encounter, and it’s imperative to protect yourself against them. Though they can’t be seen, there are hundreds of tiny organisms living in blood and other body fluids that can cause disease in humans. These are called bloodborne pathogens.