ALF Boss Notes from Today's AHCA Call:
Thursday, July 9th, 2020
Fhca.org for the recording
Highlights:
· Deadline TONIGHT to enter # of ALL Staff **including staff contracted by residents** into the ESS.
· Still no visitors – but they are 'trying'
· Surveyors are self-screening but not required to be tested (!)
· Expanding Covid Isolation Centers across the State
Surgeon General Rivkees opened the call to remind us that Covid-19 is much more transmissible than the flu with much greater consequences for elders, Up to 30-40% of infected people may not have symptoms but still can spread Covid-19, and our Staff should follow public health advisory issued 2 weeks ago: Wear a Mask! Avoid crowds. Avoid people who could be ill.
When can a Covid+ Employee return to work? If asymptomatic, wait 10 days.
For symptomatic, 2 options: 2 negative tests separated by 24 hr or wait 10 days from first diagnosis AND 72 years since all symptoms have resolved, without fever reducers.
AHCA Sec. Mayhew admitted that staffing continues to be a challenge across the state. There has been an increase in both cases + hospitalizations in last week. Over 10,000 new admissions. Hospitals are working closely to manage bed capacity.
Miami-Dade’s isolation facility opened this week with 150 bed capacity and AHCA looking to expand capacity of isolation facilities around the state.
Also looking at ways to make sure no barriers to timely discharge from hospitals of covid+ patients.
AHCA working to decompress our hospitals, support timely transfers back to facilities.
Conceded that staff testing in itself is stressful and presents its own challenges.
So far, 84% of facilities or 110,000 tests have been administered.
Some facilities have only just received their kits and they have until tomorrow to complete or work with AHCA on plan to get it done ASAP.
Curative working on developing kit #s to include contracted staff – your staff counts must be submitted into ESS TONIGHT.
When you are transferring to the hospital, critical that you are contacting EMS, DOH, notifying them and the hospital if you think resident could have Covid+. New transfer document is forthcoming.
If you are at full capacity and are concerned about your ability to isolate resident, you need to reach out to your local DOH to bring in resources or quickly transfer resident to isolation facility – to keep one case from becoming ten.
Community spread does increase hospitalizations so everyone wants to help you isolate covid+ residents.
Inconsistent policies from county to county may be affecting your operations and AHCA is working to resolve them now.
Lots of questions re: visitor restrictions. This is not ideal, a considerable amount of time for lack of contact with family and friends, State still considering but with increase in cases among staff, we’ve all got to maintain vigilance in guarding against the virus entering through friends & family.
In screening and testing for state surveyors, AHCA are following CMS Federal guidelines. Translation: Surveyors are self-screening but not required to be tested because they don’t provide direct care to residents.
**You still have to let them in.
ESS is critically important. Keep that info current and complete, even if info hasn’t changed.
Yes, even Sundays and holidays.
Through July 25th, State of Emergency continues and it is expected to be extended. 3-day stay remains waived.
On the FHCA Covid site, new template for staff disclosure of test results. Part of Curative Test requires both verbal and written consent to view the results so use this template if you don’t have one already.
A lot of providers are not able to take anyone because their isolation/observation unit is full. If you have open beds, look and see if you can expand that unit. There is a backlog of residents for SNFs and it sure sounds like they’d like to send those patients to ALFs.
[https://www.fhca.org/images/uploads/pdf/PDF_Fillable_TEMPLATE_FOR_LTC_FACILITY_EMPLOYEE_TESTING_DISCLOSURE_7-7-20.pdf](https://www.fhca.org/images/uploads/pdf/PDF_Fillable_TEMPLATE_FOR_LTC_FACILITY_EMPLOYEE_TESTING_DISCLOSURE_7-7-20.pdf)
