»Company promotes disposable pads, NPWT incontinence care
Cardinal Health™ reports two simple changes in incontinence care when combined with negative pressure wound therapy can supplement skilled nursing facilities’ infection control efforts.
The company says it has seen many customers move from reusable underpads to its disposable premium underpads, as a way to help limit the risk of cross-contamination.
Since COVID-19 live virus has been found in fecal matter, this simple change allows caregivers to “contain and dispose, rather than launder and re-use,” the company reported in late October. Utilizing single-use products has also been seen for residents requiring NPWT.
»Reusable N95 respirator inches closer to market
Developers are reportedly designing a mask that, like the N95 respirator, can filter out 95% of airborne particles, while being easier and more cost-effective to reuse.
Their Injection Molded Autoclavable, Scalable, Conformable (iMASC) system prototype is made of clear silicone rubber and has two circular filters located near the mouth, according to a September 14 article in Smithsonian Magazine. The prototype passed a recent fit test following government safety standards. Ninety-five percent of participants rated the breathability of the iMASC as either excellent or good, the article said.
Current testing is in the works on filtration efficiency and breathability of different filter materials, according to the magazine.
»Nearly half of residents with COVID-19 asymptomatic: study
A multistate study recently found that more than 40% of nursing home residents with COVID-19 are asymptomatic. Moreover, investigators discovered that facilitywide testing was more successful in detecting these infections than unit-only surveys.
Genesis HealthCare, which operates approximately 350 skilled nursing facilities nationwide, provided the study data. The study was published in JAMA Internal Medicine.
»Post-acute tool allows for SNF performance comparisons
Casamba, which provides electronic medical record products, recently released its national benchmarks to users of its analytics platform.
The firm’s leaders said its novel post-acute care program will allow customers to compare their organization’s performance with that of their skilled nursing peers in over 60 clinical and operational categories, including length of stay, therapy minutes, outcomes, labor costs, mode of therapy and productivity.
CEO Billie Nutter said that because of the Patient Driven Payment Model, providers across the skilled nursing spectrum are looking for useful data to help them understand how they’re performing during the pandemic.
»PointClickCare joins COVID-19 Research Database
PointClickCare recently joined the COVID-19 Research Database, a pro-bono, cross-industry collaborative composed of several organizations. In joining the database, the company said it will provide senior care insights derived from Lighthouse, the company’s initiative aimed at providing organizations with de-identified data from consenting providers regarding older adults.
In other news, PointClickCare, in partnership with the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists, has unveiled a new tool to help screen patients who may be experiencing Parkinson’s Disease Psychosis. The tool is programmed to ask patients a handful of research-based questions covering topics such as hallucinations and delusions, and provides care planning suggestions.
»CenTrak names David Minning president and CEO
CenTrak, a developer of locating, sensing and security services for the healthcare industry, announced the appointment of David Minning as president and chief executive officer. Minning will spearhead CenTrak’s efforts to streamline and expand the use of real-time location solutions to improve healthcare business operations and transform patient care. Minning brings more than 30 years of healthcare experience to the role.
From the December 2020 Issue of McKnight's Long-Term Care News
