Surveyor inspections will place a greater emphasis on infection control policies as officials and healthcare providers work to combat the coronavirus in the United States.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced the new approach Wednesday afternoon, saying it will “allow inspectors to focus their energies on addressing the spread of COVID-19.” Inspections will “exclusively” focus on infection control and prevention policies, and other serious health and safety threats.
The guidance is “clearer” for providers’ who are working to screen residents, employees and visitors, Mark Parkinson, president and CEO of the American Health Care Association, said during a call on Wednesday.
“It will make it very clear that we have the … the duty to exclude visitors from our facilities. There had been some confusion about that around the country,” he said. “This will clarify and allow us to better protect our residents and our employees.”
The guidance appears to “represent an opportunity for much-needed collaboration with surveyors to achieve our joint goals of infection containment and high-quality care,” according to LeadingAge President and CEO Katie Smith Sloan.
“We appreciate today’s effort by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to prioritize the needs of older adults who are at greatest risk. Nursing homes provide crucial care for older adults; the agency’s nimble response and attention to this public health emergency is welcomed,” Smith Sloan said.
Best ways to respond
The additional guidance includes several memos for surveyors and providers on how to respond and prevent the spread of COVID-19.
One memo specifically lays out how surveyors should conduct their inspections. Immediate jeopardy complaints, allegations of abuse and neglect and complaints alleging infection control concerns are the top two priorities for surveyors when inspecting facilities.
It also lays out protocols for how surveyors should handle the inspection process when coronavirus is identified or suspected.
The other memos provide additional guidance for all providers on how to improve their infection control and prevention practices to stop the spread of the respiratory disease, and what to do if someone is diagnosed with it.
“This is something we had asked them for and it was very helpful to see them be responsive on that,” added AHCA Chief Medical Officer David Gifford, M.D.
Gifford was among several long-term care and hospice executives and leaders who met with Vice President Mike Pence and CMS Administrator Seema Verma Wednesday to discuss the disease’s impact on the industry and best ways to respond.
Long-term plans
Parkinson also noted officials discussed long-term plans for the sector, which includes addressing Medicaid underfunding. He added that Washington state — the first site of a coronavirus outbreak in the United States — has the third-worst underfunding in the country.
“In the long-term, the policymakers in Washington state and those in other states that underfund Medicaid are going to have to ask the question: ‘What are our priorities and what are we going to do to take care of the elderly if they need additional long-term care,’” he asked.
