The July 2024 issue of Alliant Health Solutions Cares & Shares: A monthly newsletter highlighting events and resources for those caring for Medicare beneficiaries.
- Register for Upcoming Events
- Leadership Lesson: Advice from the Frontlines
- Resources and Information on:
- COVID-19 and Emergency Preparedness
- Opioid Utilization and Misuse
- Patient Safety
- Training
- Chronic Disease
- Care Coordination and Partnerships for Community Health
- Immunization
- BFAC
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Events
Nursing Home Readmission Affinity Group: Taking a Deep Dive Into Your Facility Assessment: Assessing Your Facility’s Capacity for Behavioral Health Care
*NAB credits awarded* *CE for physicians and nurses available*
Thursday, July 11, 2024, at 1:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. CT
Behavioral health is a key component of a comprehensive facility assessment. Jacob Berelowitz, program manager at the Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health in Nursing Facilities, will discuss using a behavioral health needs assessment to identify training, staffing and resource requirements. This approach aims to facilitate the delivery of person-centered care that enhances safety and promotes overall well-being.
Learning objectives:
- Understand and discuss existing versus revised facility assessment requirements.
- Assess behavioral health care capacity and identify gaps using a behavioral health needs assessment.
- Explore ways to create an environment that prioritizes and recognizes behavioral health as a key component to physical health and functional outcomes.
*NAB credits awarded* *CE for physicians and nurses available*
Thursday, July 25, 2024, at 12:30 p.m. ET/1:30 p.m. CT
Get insights into the journeys of two communities that have successfully improved vaccination acceptance. Learn how they engaged community partners and consumers in the development and implementation of community-driven strategies. You’ll hear about a statewide project that used interviews, focus groups, and surveys to identify and address barriers to immunizations. We’ll also explore how another region, in partnership with the state nurses association, enhanced equitable access to COVID-19 vaccination through the implementation of mobile vaccination clinics. You’ll also learn about the newest updates to Alliant Health Solution’s seasonal immunization campaign.
Register Here | View Agenda
Give the Boost a Shot Event
Thursday, July 25, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. CT
*CME credit awarded*
Join us and invite your clinical colleagues to our Boost educational events. In this session, we'll take a deeper dive into your challenges and questions from our earlier office hours session.
Register Here
Were You Able to "Use Tomorrow" What You Heard During the LAN Events?
If Yes, Click Below.
Nursing Homes LAN Attendees: Click here
Partnership for Community Health LAN Attendees:Click here
Thursday, July 18 at 2 p.m. ET | 1 p.m. CT (60 min.)
**CME and NAB credit awarded**
Join the monthly Shop Talk sessions hosted by the Alliant patient safety team. Attendees will receive updates on the NHSN database and CMS requirements.
There will also be a live question-and-answer session to help with your immediate needs. Submitting data accurately into NHSN will help you more confidently plan your risk assessments and quality improvement initiatives.
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Join the Alliant Health Solutions-LTC NHSN Group!
Joining the group and conferring rights to Alliant Health Solutions-LTC to view NHSN data allows for seamless support and technical assistance.
View Step-By-Step Guide
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Leadership
Words of advice from leaders on the front lines.
This month’s leadership lesson is from Leighann Sauls, RN, CDN, Alliant’s deputy director/program director of Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, and Tennessee.
Summer Fun Is Not Just for Kids
It’s that time of year again! Summer is here, and vacations are in full swing. Let’s get our staff and residents involved and have some fun. Here are some summer fun ideas that all will love:
- Lemonade Breaks—Set up several lemonade stands throughout the facility. Encourage everyone to stop by, have a drink, and stay hydrated.
- Ice Cream Social—Have an afternoon ice cream social. Encourage staff, residents and family members to come and share stories of summers past and/or favorite vacation memories.
- Summer Bingo—Play different versions of bingo. Try fill-the-card bingo, pattern bingo, or swapping chairs mid-bingo. This will make it an enjoyable experience for all.
- Cookout Fridays—Coordinate with dining services to provide BBQ-type foods like hot dogs and hamburgers on Fridays. Everyone will look forward to Fridays!
- Indoor Camping—Set up chairs around an artificial campfire. Have residents share their best ghost stories and make S’mores. Get Recipe
- Stargazing—Invite residents to join you outside for cookies and juice, admire a lovely sunset, and gaze at the stars.
These are just a few ideas to shake it up and add fun to the summer. Happy summer! Keep cool and have fun!
Resources
COVID-19 and Emergency Preparedness
COVID-19 Vaccine Updates (Resource Guide)
Download this COVID-19 resource that has up-to-date information on COVID-19 Vaccine recommendations. Download Resource
COVID-19 Vaccine Myth-Busting Resource in English and Spanish
Alliant Health Solutions has created a resource to debunk COVID-19 vaccine myths and provide facts. Download and share the resource, available in English and Spanish, with everyone you know. Download English Version | Download Spanish Version
Emergency Preparedness: Cooling Centers by State
Cooling centers are an important resource during extreme heat and are especially critical for houseless individuals, older adults or those without adequate cooling in their homes. The National Center for Health Housing website provides a list of where to locate cooling centers in each state. You can also contact the state’s 2-1-1 number or check the local news. Learn More
Emergency Preparedness: Keep Firework and Outdoor Fire Safety in Mind
As we continue into the summer months and have the 4th of July, it is important to remember fireworks safety and outdoor fire safety. Unintentional actions are the leading cause of outside fires. Community residents need to keep fire safety in mind when enjoying summer vacations, camping, family reunions, grilling and the Fourth of July. View Safety Tips
Emergency Preparedness: Alliant Health Solutions Ready, Set, Go! Checklist – Cybersecurity
Alliant Health Solutions recently created a grab-and-go resource for providers with essential information and immediate actions to take when a cyber-attack happens at a facility. This resource also highlights tips to consider when a cybersecurity event occurs. Download Resource
Opioid Utliziation and Misuse
Federal Study Examines Care Following Nonfatal Overdose Among Medicare Beneficiaries; Identifies Effective Interventions and Gasps in Care
Researchers from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) worked together to identify issues and interventions with Medicare beneficiaries with non-fatal overdoses. More Information
Updated North Carolina Naloxone Distribution Toolkit
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services developed a Naloxone Distribution Toolkit for use in local health departments, coalitions and other community-based organizations. Download Resource
SAMHSA and HHS: Medications for Treating Opioid Use Disorder
The final rule from the Department of Health and Human Services was published on February 2, 2024, and will become effective on April 2, 2024, with a compliance date of October 2, 2024. View the Final Rule
Patient Safety
- Sepsis Alliance Summit – Learn how you can help better identify, diagnose, and treat this deadly condition in your practice. Mortality increases by 4-9% for every hour that treatment is delayed. You can help save lives and limbs by staying up-to-date on current recommendations and guidelines around sepsis by joining the 5th Annual Sepsis Alliance Summit. Register today.
- Sepsis Alliance Toolkit – Check out the Sepsis Awareness Month Website to download the free toolkit to help you spread awareness about sepsis.
- Alliant Health Solutions Tools – Alliant has many tools and resources including the new early recognition and response care pathway in the sepsis section of the Infection Control Webpage.
- CDC Print Materials – Request free printed materials from CDC here. Use keyword “sepsis” to order posters, brochures, infographics and factsheets now to have them available during sepsis awareness month.
Registration is now open for the 2024 Annual NHSN Post-Acute Care Training. This training will include Long Term Care Component, Dialysis Component, and Healthcare Personnel Safety Component (Healthcare Personnel Vaccination) and Analytics. Access this website for registration and CE information. Register Here
Training
Newly Updated CMS Training for Frontline Nursing Home Staff and Management Modules 5 and 8
Learn about the impact of dementia in caring for nursing home residents with COVID-19 and how to protect the emotional health of nursing home staff through this no-cost, updated Quality, Safety & Education Portal (QSEP) online training developed by CMS. View Training
Chronic Disease
Minority Mental Health Awareness Month provides an opportunity to emphasize the importance of mental health training as a tool in identifying and addressing mental health crises, especially for health care professionals serving individuals with chronic conditions who face barriers in accessing mental health care due to various social risk factors and ethnic disparities. Factors such as socioeconomic status, limited access to transportation, and inadequate social support networks can hinder their ability to seek and receive timely care. Moreover, ethnic minorities often encounter additional barriers rooted in cultural stigma, language barriers, and discrimination within the health care system. Addressing these disparities requires targeted interventions that prioritize culturally competent care, improved access to resources, and policies that promote equitable mental health services.
Training on mental health crisis intervention may enhance the ability to recognize early signs of distress and enable timely and appropriate support to mitigate the escalation of crises, improve patient outcomes, and foster a health care environment that is more responsive to the mental health needs of patients facing complex health challenges. By integrating mental health crisis management into provider training, health care systems can better support vulnerable populations and promote holistic care that addresses both physical and mental health concerns effectively. Learn More
Care Coordination & Partnerships for Community Health
“What Matters Most” conversations are a best practice intervention for person-centered care. Providers can share this new free guide, “My Health Checklist,” with patients before their appointments to support more efficient, effective, and productive conversations about what matters most to them. Click Here to learn more and download the checklist.
Immunization
Updated Toolkit and Seasonal Campaign Calendar: Essential Resources for Protecting Residents from Respiratory Illnesses
The Toolkit for Increasing Vaccination Rates in Nursing Homes and the Seasonal Immunization Campaign Calendar have been updated and are now available to help you continue preparations for the next respiratory season, including key information on creating a culture of immunization acceptance in your facility. Don’t “fall” behind! Take advantage of these essential resources today to help protect your residents from respiratory illnesses this season.
Spotlight on Additional Immunization Resources
To stay up-to-date on a broad scope of vaccination-related hot topics, click here to subscribe to the IZ Express weekly newsletter from Immunize.org. The CDC offers many useful printable influenza resources, including a fact sheet in English and Spanish titled “People 65 Years and Older Need a Flu Shot.” Click here to access the useful fact sheets.
Beneficiary & Family Advisory Council (BFAC)
Browse resources our council has worked on below:
Using the clinical decision support system Enhancing Quality of Prescribing Practices for Older Adults Discharged from the Emergency Department (EQUIPPED) significantly reduces inappropriate medication prescriptions for older adults discharged from the emergency department. Read Article
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