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.

Updates

ALERT: CMS and CDC Update Guidance on Visitation at ICFs/IID and PRTFs (June 3, 2021)

CMS QSO Memo 21-14-ICF/IID & PRTF

ALERT: CMS and CDC Update Guidance on Testing, Visitation, and Activities in Response to COVID-19 Vaccination (April 27, 2021)

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated guidance for long term facilities today in response to COVID-19 vaccination. The following key changes have now been made:

• Residents and visitors may visit without distancing and source control masks if alone in the resident’s room and the resident and visitor are fully vaccinated. If the visitor is not vaccinated, they can visit with a fully vaccinated resident alone in the resident’s room without distancing while wearing well-fitting source control masks.
• Communal dining and activities may occur without physical distancing if all residents are vaccinated.
• Vaccinated health care personnel no longer need to undergo routine testing, but should continue to be tested after exposure, during an outbreak, or if experiencing symptoms.

AHCA/NCAL has provided a detailed summary of these updates. 

The new guidance can be found here:

• CDC Updated Healthcare Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations in Response to COVID-19 Vaccination 
• CMS QSO Memo on Nursing Home Visitation
• CMS QSO Memo on Testing 

The CMS press release on this revised nursing home visitation guidance can be found here: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cms-updates-nursing-home-guidance-revised-visitation-recommendations

A Fact Sheet can be found here:  https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/cms-updates-nursing-home-guidance-revised-visitation-recommendations

  CLICK TO READ LATEST COVID-19 NEWS

AHCA

• AHCA Letter to Media Partners (Mar. 22, 2020)

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.
      • https://covid19reportingtool.adh.arkansas.gov/
    • 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.
• NHSN Reporting
  • LTCF COVID-19 Module
• Resources
  • Notification Guidelines for Confirmed COVID-19 Cases in Assisted Living
  • Template Letter to Residents and Families
  • Communication Strategies for Keeping Families Up to Date
  • Quality Assurance: 7 Ways That Data Quality Can Fail
• 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