The state launches a nursing home testing initiative. COVID19

“We use all the tools we need to support COVID-19,” said NCDHHS Secretary Mandy Cohen. “Based on North Carolina’s early positive behavior, to protect residents living in long-term care environments, DHHS paid for all preventive testing of staff and residents in nursing homes and COVID -Delays the spread of -19.”

NCDHHS has already recommended testing all staff and residents in nursing homes with one or more cases. This initiative will make the test available to all nursing homes and provide a baseline test for all residents and staff.

“Testing is a key component of our COVID response strategy, but it’s important to remember that the actions we take as a result of that test are paramount,” said NCDHHS Chronic Illness and Trauma Director. Susan Kansagra said. “The test will enable our skilled nursing facilities to identify positive cases early and better determine the additional infection prevention and control measures needed to limit the spread of the infection.”

Omnicale chairman Jim Love says the effort to test CVS Health in a nursing home is just one example of the support his company provides to help respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Masu

“With the understanding of experts in the long-term care industry, we are deploying solutions that help these critical healthcare facilities address the most important challenges that arise from pandemics,” says Love. ..

CVS Health claims insurance wherever possible, and NCDHHS covers the additional costs of testing. The facility must follow recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for repeat testing and work with community and private vendors to support ongoing testing needs.

“We continue to work closely with the state to protect the inhabitants and staff of skilled nursing facilities. This testing initiative is about how the state provides our facility with valuable tools and resources. Is another example,” said Adam Sholar, chairman and CEO of NC Healthcare Institute.

These actions are based on previous steps taken by North Carolina to protect residents and staff at long-term facilities, including:

• Issuance of Executive Order 138 codifying public health and safety requirements for long-term care facilities. This includes requiring staff to wear surgical masks and daily screening of all staff and residents for signs and symptoms of COVID-19.
• We distribute personal protective equipment to more than 3,000 state-approved long-term care facilities. The equipment included 14 days of gloves, surgical mask and face shield.
• Conduct remote infection prevention and control consultations with skilled nurses and other long-term institutions throughout the state through partnerships with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the North Carolina Statewide Program for Infection Control and Epidemiology.
• Providing targeted funding to support nursing homes and adult care homes, providing intensive care that requires COVID-19 for residents and spreading the virus to other residents and staff. Limit
• Provide a tool kit to support nursing care facilities to respond to COVID-19 outbreaks at facilities. The toolkit includes infection control assessments, infection staffing worksheets, infection control education resources, and other tools.
• Through partnerships with the University of East Carolina Nursing School, shortage of staff in long-term care facilities and other health care facilities with the aim of matching registered nurses and certified nursing assistants with facilities, especially long-term care facilities, and seeking to hire staff urgently. Helps make up for temporary, part-time, or full-time roles. Interested medical professionals nc.readyop.com/fs/4cjq/697b..
• We will implement some temporary regulatory changes to help providers take care of their population during the COVID-19 outbreak. This includes the adoption of urgent rules that reciprocally assist nursing assistants certified in other states to work as nursing assistants in North Carolina, and temporary provision to properly care for the population at COVID-19. This included allowing the facility to exceed the number of licensed beds if shelter and services needed to be provided.
• Provides virtual training to over 2,000 staff working in nursing homes. Training is available online