Due to the recent outbreak that hit nursing homes especially hard, new regulations regarding enhanced infection control procedures are being enforced and come with stiff penalties for non-compliance.
Addressing New Enhanced Infection Control Requirements in Nursing Homes
COVID-19 has been devastating for residents of nursing homes who account for more than half of the reported coronavirus deaths in 17 States, reportedly due, in part, to staffing issues combined with the absence of effective infection prevention and control procedures.
According to PBS News;
Nursing homes across the country are facing a desperate situation during the coronavirus pandemic.
In 17 states, more than half of reported COVID-19 deaths have been at these facilities.
Chronic staffing shortages, made worse by the virus, and inadequate infection control procedures exacerbate the threat amid the population that is the most vulnerable.
Why American nursing homes have been hit so hard by coronavirus
In response to this, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced additional regulations regarding enhanced infection prevention measures based on current positive trends in pathogen control.
According to CMS.gov;
The enhanced and targeted accountability measures are based on early trends in the most recent data regarding incidence of COVID-19 in nursing homes, as well as data regarding the results of the agency’s targeted infection control inspections.
CMS is increasing enforcement (e.g., civil money penalties (CMPs)) for facilities with persistent infection control violations, and imposing enforcement actions on lower level infection control deficiencies to ensure they are addressed with increased gravity.
The enhanced enforcement of these new regulations comes with stiff financial penalties depending on the nature of the violation, violation history, and how widespread any outbreak becomes.
Fines increase for providers that consistently perform poorly on infection control measures, according to CMS.
Per a CMS memo, the fines are up to $5,000 for a provider found not in compliance with infection control requirements that’s also been cited once in the last year if the deficiencies are not widespread.
If the deficiencies are widespread, the provider would face a fine of up to $10,000.
The fines go higher from there — up to $15,000 for providers that have been cited twice or more in the last two years and found non-compliant with infection control regulations where deficiencies are not widespread.
The fines can reach $20,000 in that same situation if the infection control deficiencies are widespread.
Providers face fines up to $20K for infection control deficiencies, CMS says
The current guidelines pertain to:
- Monitoring and notification of COVID-19 illness and outbreaks.
- Maintaining adequate staffing levels.
- Ensuring social distancing and restricting access to essential personnel.
- Provisioning proper personal protective equipment.
- Routine screening, including COVID-19 testing and temperature checks, and;
- Maintaining adequate supplies of cleaning and sanitization products to ensure facility hygiene.
Ensuring Nursing Home Facility Hygiene
Guidelines aside, the presence of adequate cleaning and sanitization products and supplies is insufficient for ensuring nursing home facility hygiene and occupant health.
How a facility is cleaned and maintained throughout the day will have a significant impact on the presence of viral pathogens and, given the toxic nature of many of the products currently approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the method in which these products are deployed can adversely impact occupant health and safety.
To ensure the health and safety of everyone and maintain a pathogen-free facility:
- Assign zones to the various areas of your facility.
- Assign colors to each zone.
- Determine the correct cleaning and sanitization products needed for each zone based on surface type, occupancy, and use.
- Establish a cleaning and sanitization plan that leverages color-coded equipment based on zone color assignments, and routes that move custodial staff from the cleanest to the dirtiest parts of the facility, limiting overlapping foot traffic.
- Use modern equipment designed to eliminate cross-contamination, direct contact with sanitization products, and dilution guesswork, such as touchless cleaning and sanitization appliances, chemical management systems, two-bucket systems, and disposable smart microfiber.
- Identify high-contact touchpoints throughout your facility and assign a porter to regularly wipe down these areas to reduce the detectable levels of pathogens and bacteria.
- Provision your facility to allow for high-levels of hand hygiene compliance and encourage regular hand washing.
References & Resources
- Nursing Homes Subjected To Enhanced Infection Control Enforcement
- COVID-19 Survey Activities, CARES Act Funding, Enhanced Enforcement for Infection Control deficiencies, and Quality Improvement Activities in Nursing Homes
- Nursing Home Reopening Recommendations for State and Local Officials
Takeaway
The COVID-19 virus hit nursing and long-term care facilities in several states especially hard and the government is now stepping in to stem the tide of repeat non-compliance issues with facility health and hygiene to protect vulnerable elderly citizens.
The penalties range from 5-20K dollars per incident, depending on several criteria.
Compliance requires the administration of proven deterrent methods, including social distancing, wearing PPE, and routine cleaning measures.
To ensure the highest standards of facility cleanliness and safety, infection prevention and control measures should be undertaken by trained and experienced service providers familiar with the ins and outs of cleaning for health around vulnerable residents, avoiding cross-contamination, and competent in the use and disposal of dangerous cleaning products and potentially contaminated protective equipment.
If you would like more information regarding the effectiveness of high-performance infection prevention and control measures, or if you would like to schedule a free, no-obligation onsite assessment of your facility's custodial needs, contact us today for a free quote!
In Bakersfield CA, call (661) 437-3253
In Fresno CA, call (559) 206-1059
In Valencia CA, or Santa Clarita CA, call (661) 437-3253
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