Visit this website daily for the latest information that AHCA has to share about COVID-19. As concerns arise with the emerging coronavirus, officially named COVID-19, we are working with our state partners, including Arkansas Department of Health and Arkansas Department of Human Services to ensure nursing centers receive necessary guidance to prevent the spread of this disease.
Questions? Email covid19@arhealthcare.com.
The PPE survey is closed. Additional responses are not required at this time. Please email COVID19@arhealthcare.com if you have questions regarding PPE.
Updates
ALERT: CMS Releases Revised Criteria for Conducting Focused Infection Control Surveys and Survey FAQs
CMS has released updated guidance on the frequency of focused infection control (FIC) surveys as well as providing frequently asked questions (FAQs) regarding health, emergency preparedness (EP), and life safety code (LSC) surveys. (01/04/2021)
ALERT: CMS Adds Six New COVID-19 ICD-10 Codes Effective January 1, 2021
In an off-cycle update to the 2021 ICD-10-CM Coding Guidelines posted in December in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) implemented six new diagnosis codes into the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM), effective January 1, 2021.
ALERT: Requirements for Facilities to Expand Visitation, Activities, and Communal Dining – REVISED
December 23, 2020
Click here to read full directive for SNFs, ALFs, RCFs, and ICFs. (Revised 12/23/2020)
Reminder – Staffing Waiver requests must be emailed to DHS at staffing.waiver.request@dhs.arkansas.gov. See page 8 of directive for complete instruction.
ALERT: #GetVaccinated
Click here to access vaccine information and resources.
ALERT: Holiday Guidance for Residents of Long-term Care Facilities and Residents' Families and Representatives
November 20, 2020
Click here to read full guidance for SNFs, ALFs, RCFs, and ICFs.
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AHCA
Guidance
- How to Prevent and Manage Outbreaks
- Assisted Living Communities: Taking Reasonable Efforts to Prevent COVID-19
- Guidance on Admissions from and Discharges to Hospitals
- Guidance on Communal Dining
- Guidance for Hospice Services
- Guidance for Therapy Personnel
- Guidelines for Residents' Personal Laundry During COVID-19
Well-Being of Residents & Staff
- Residents
- Staff
Visitor / Staff Screenings
- UPDATED: Sample Visitor Screening Form (10/6/2020)
- Screening Checklist Templates for Visitors & Personnel – English and Spanish versions
Confirmed Cases
- Cohorting Residents
- Nebulizer Treatment for COVID-19 Infected Residents with Severe Respiratory Symptoms
- COVID-19 Nursing Home Dashboard
Notifications & Reporting Cases
- Reporting to the Arkansas Department of Health
- The ADH Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI) Program has changed the process for reporting results as of 9/24/2020. This will replace the previous Resident and Staff excel sheet method of reporting. Please report cases to the HAI program as described below.
- All COVID-19 positive cases should be faxed attention to ADH HAI at 501-614-5425 within 48 hours of receiving the result.
- Fax “ADH HAI COVID-19 Coversheet” for any new positives.
- Attach “ADH HAI COVID-19 Demographic Report” if any new positive cases are residents.
- Fax the resident “ADH HAI COVID-19 Demographic Report” when a positive resident becomes symptomatic for COVID-19.
- Facilities must also report ALL (positive and negative) Antigen Point of Care (POC) results by:
- Request Antigen Reporting Account Activation by filling out the following link. (This can be done proactively)
- https://adhredcap.arkansas.gov/redcap/surveys/?s=LM79CNJJFH
- Once activated please use the link below to report ALL (positive and negative) Antigen (POC) results within 48 hours of receiving the result.
- Please see the portal instructions and Congregate Settings reporting forms, as well as link to a Zoom recording for reporting test results to ADH.
- Zoom recording: https://arkansas-gov.zoom.us/rec/share/7a9Z3hS0StTy8_ktQTIJ-7qLscDZN_oDCNeeXxfC4jRbMiQio1jQ7wlxl7Idnb61.XEfe9N3bDAuE4ZkD?startTime=1600801926000
- Password for Zoom recording: 4.Q0$6W1
- Use this survey link to sign up for a portal login: https://adhredcap.arkansas.gov/redcap/surveys/?s=LM79CNJJFH
- Click here to access ADH's portal instructions.
- Click here to access ADH's Residential Congregate Setting Reporting Form Cover Sheet.
- Click here to access ADH's Residential Congregate Setting Reporting Form.
- Facilities may reach the HAI team by email or calling 501-280-4368.
- The ADH Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI) Program has changed the process for reporting results as of 9/24/2020. This will replace the previous Resident and Staff excel sheet method of reporting. Please report cases to the HAI program as described below.
- NHSN Reporting
- Resources
- Regulatory Requirements
- CMS Interim Final Rule Updating Requirements for Notification of Confirmed and Suspected COVID-19 Cases Among Residents and Staff in Nursing Homes
- Summary of CMS Reporting Requirements of Confirmed or Suspected Cases
- Sample Independent Information Dispute Resolution (IIDR) Request
- Reporting Staff Cases to OSHA
Supplies
- Using and Conserving PPE
- N95 Respirators
- Video: Put on N95 Respirator
- Interim Clinical Guidance for Management of Patients with Confirmed Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)
- Interim Infection Prevention and Control Requirements for Patients with Suspected or Confirmed Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Healthcare Settings
- Strategies for Optimizing the Supply of N95 Respirators
- Strategies for Optimizing the Supply of N95 Respirators: Contingency Capacity Strategies
- Checklist for Healthcare Facilities: Strategies for Optimizing the Supply of N95 Respirators during the COVID-19 Response
- When N95 Supplies are Running Low: Personal Protective Equipment and Respiratory Protection (see page 3)
- Recommended Guidance for Extended Use and Limited Reuse of N95 Filtering Facepiece Respirators in Healthcare Settings
- N95 Mask Course
- This course covers the types of face masks in the healthcare setting, identifies features of N95 masks, and strategies for use of these masks.
- Video: Respirator Fit Testing from OSHA
- Video: How to Use a Filtering Facepiece Respirator
- OSHA
Signage
- AHCA Infection Procedures Activated/Visitor Poster
- CDC Infographic: Stop the Spread of Germs
- CDC Infographic: Airborne Precautions (English)
- CDC Infographic: Airborne Precautions (Spanish)
- CDC Infographic: Droplet Precautions (English)
- CDC Infographic: Droplet Precautions (Spanish)
- CDC Infographic: Symptoms of COVID (English)
- CDC Infographic: Symptoms of COVID (Spanish)
- CDC Infographic: Sick with 2019 nCoV Fact Sheet (English)
- CDC Infographic: Sick with 2019 nCoV Fact Sheet (Spanish)
- CDC Infographic: Contact Precautions (English)
- CDC Infographic: Contact Precautions (Spanish)
Testing
- General
- Regulatory Requirements
- Rapid Point-of-Care Antigen Tests
Additional Resources
- Pathway Health Resources - COVID-19 Resources including policies & procedures, leadership checklists, preparation and response strategies. Click to Download.
- Ecolab Resources - COVID-19 Cleaning and Disinfection. Click to View.
- Long-Term Care Nursing Homes Telehealth and Telemedicine Tool Kit
- Sample Housekeeping Handout on Cleaning - English
- Sample Housekeeping Handout on Cleaning - Español
