- Register for Upcoming Events
- Leadership Lesson: Advice from the Frontlines
- Resources and Information on:
- Health Equity
- 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
*NAB credits awarded* *CE for physicians and nurses available*
Wednesday, October 10, 2023, at 2 p.m. ET
Join Medical Director Dr. Swati Gaur, MD, MBA, CMD, AGSF, for this interactive nursing home affinity group session where she will share a nursing facility’s experience with their Patient at Risk (PAR) Programs and how it impacted avoidable readmissions and ED visits. Bring your questions and best practices to share! Register Here
Nursing Home Readmission Affinity Group: Reducing Facility-Associated Infections and Hospitalizations Related to UTIs
*ANCC credits will be awarded*
Wednesday, October 18, 2023, at 1:30 p.m. ET
This healthcare-associated infection (HAI) prevention webinar will discuss interventions to reduce urinary tract infections (UTIs) in nursing facilities. The session will specifically discuss evidence-based clinical and infection prevention strategies to prevent UTIs in residents. This session will also provide resources to improve multidisciplinary collaboration between the infection preventionist, nursing staff, clinicians, and medical directors. Register Here
Recorded on July 27, 2023
This session discussed the latest changes in weather patterns that can impact emergency planning. Participants also learned about integrating Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) principles into emergency preparedness and got a sneak peek at the AHS online TIC training module for frontline staff.
View Recording | View Materials
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, October 19 at 2 p.m. ET | 1 p.m. CT (60 min.)
**ANCC 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. This month, we will discuss COVID-19 updates, definition changes for what is considered up-to-date for COVID-19 vaccination, updates to annual influenza vaccination reporting, and NHSN updates. 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 Amy Ward, MS, BSN, RN, CIC, FAPIC, Alliant Health Solutions Patient Safety Manager.
International Infection Prevention Week Highlights the Importance of Leadership in IP Programs
International Infection Prevention Week is coming up the week of October 15th-21. This year’s theme is “Celebrating the Fundamentals of Infection Prevention.” In this month’s leadership lesson, we will discuss leadership as a fundamental practice for infection prevention (IP).
According to the CDC’s Core Infection Prevention and Control Practices for Safe Healthcare Delivery in All Settings, leadership support is critical for the success of the IP program. Leadership support core practices include:
- Accountability from the governing body for the success of the IP program
- Allocation of resources to remove and mitigate risk
- Assignment of qualified and trained individuals to manage the IP program
- Empowerment and support of the authority of those managing the IP program
While many IPs do not hold formal leadership roles within the health care organization, their collaboration with leaders and their influence on others in the facility has a great impact. The APIC Competency Model is made up of six domains, one of which is leadership. The IP acts as a leader in the organization by establishing a vision for the IP program and working with other leaders and colleagues to ensure the goals of the IP program align with the organization’s goals and strategic vision. The IP will develop leadership skills as they advance through their career; however, they will thrive when they have support and mentoring from health care leaders and are empowered to act on their knowledge, skills, and abilities.
During International Infection Prevention Week, I encourage those of you in a leadership capacity in any health care setting to view your infection prevention plan with your facility’s IP. The IP plan should include a description of how leadership supports the IP program, how the IP will continue to expand their knowledge of IP practices and their leadership capacity, and how the IP is a trusted expert and decision-maker through a statement of authority.
Alliant Health Solutions' health equity lead, Rosa Abraha, curated the following health trainings, events and resources related to health equity. Check out the resources listed below.
AHRQ Stats: COVID-19 Visits and Age-Related Disparities in 2020
In 2020, 3.8% of civilian, noninstitutionalized Americans had a COVID-19-related medical visit or prescribed medicine purchase. Adults between the ages of 18 and 64 were more likely to receive treatment for COVID-19 (over 4.5%) than children ages 5–17 (1.5%). Learn More
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Podcast AHSCAST - Making Health Care Better
 | Everyone deserves quality health care. Tune into the Alliant Health Solutions Making Health Care Better podcast every other Thursday as they interview guests committed to making health care better. If you are a health care consumer, provider, insurer, system or consultant, this is the podcast for you. View All Podcast Episodes |
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Resources
COVID-19 and Emergency Preparedness
View All COVID-19 News & Resources
The CDC recommends everyone six months and older get an updated COVID-19 vaccine to protect against the potentially serious outcomes of COVID-19 illness this fall and winter. Updated COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna will be available later this week. Learn More
Impacts of Planned and Unplanned Power Disruption
Planned and unplanned power outages have occurred during, or even because of, other emergencies, such as wildfires and the COVID-19 pandemic. There are many challenges that your organization can face when responding to loss of power or other utility problems. This ASPR Tracie webinar highlights important key pieces to help you plan. View Webinar
Additionally, ASPR Tracie has information on utility failures on their website to better assist before, during or after the situation. View Website
Hurricane Season Predicted to be ‘Above-Normal’
The 2023 Atlantic hurricane season is projected to have an "above-normal level of activity," according to the annual forecast update by scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
The above-normal prediction is a change from NOAA's May outlook, which showed a "near-normal" number of storms for the first time in eight years. Earlier in the season, NOAA forecasted 12 to 17 named storms. Now, the agency projects 14 to 21 storms. The prediction includes tropical storms and hurricanes. About half of those are expected to be full-blown hurricanes. Read Article
Opioid Utliziation and Misuse
National Drug Take Back Day is a Drug Enforcement Agency initiative to properly dispose of unwanted and expired medications. For more information or to find a location near you, visit Take Back Day
Engaging Community Coalitions to Decrease Opioid Overdose Deaths Practice Guide 2023
A product of the HEALing Communities Study (HCS) and informed by the Communities That HEAL (CTH) Intervention Manual, this guide includes tools and examples that can be used to decrease opioid deaths. Download Guide
Opioid-Overdose Reduction Continuum of Care Approach (ORCCA) Practice Guide 2023
This guide provides evidence-based strategies and direction for the implementation of the ORCCA menu strategies. Download Guide
The 2022 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Clinical Practice Guideline is intended to help clinicians:
- Improve communication with patients about the benefits and risks of pain treatments, including opioid therapy for pain
- Improve the safety and effectiveness of pain treatment
- Mitigate pain
- Improve function and quality of life for patients with pain
- Reduce the risks associated with opioid pain therapy (including opioid use disorder, overdose, and death)
View the Guideline
Prevent Opioid Overdose With Naloxone
Clinicians play an important role in raising awareness about naloxone, a medication that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose when given in time. Visit the CDC’s naloxone website to learn how to talk with patients about naloxone and reduce their risk of opioid overdose. You can also earn free continuing education credits. Visit Website
Opioid Resources:
Medication Reconciliation Tips for Providers & Staff – Use this resource as a guide to completing med rec. Download Resource
Medication Review Tip Sheet for Patients – Email or print this resource to give to your patients. Download Resource
Medicine Disposal - Use this resource to safely dispose of unused, unwanted and expired medications. Download Resource
Do’s & Don’ts of Pain Medicine - Use this resource to learn how to safely use pain medicine. Download Resource
My Med Bags:
Patient Safety
Infection Preventionists (IPs) play a crucial role in keeping the public safe and healthy. In addition to fighting a global pandemic, the infection prevention and control community protects us from surges in healthcare-associated infections, measles outbreaks, flu season, and other day-to-day infectious battles.
International Infection Prevention Week (IIPW) aims to shine a light on infection prevention each and every year. Last year’s IIPW focused on highlighting the past 50 years of infection prevention and looking forward to a bright future. IIPW 2023’s theme is “Celebrating the Fundamentals of Infection Prevention,” which highlights getting back to the basics of infection prevention for everyBODY. Read More
Urine Culture Stewardship Bite-Sized Learning
Watch this short video to learn about urine culture stewardship and urine culture stewardship implementation considerations for long-term care facilities. Watch Video
Support Infection Prevention With Alliant's Urine Specimen Collection Resource
Alliant’s Urine Specimen Collection resource supports infection prevention and control initiatives for urinary tract infections. IPs, nursing administrators and clinicians can use this tool to support urine culture stewardship in their facilities. Download Collection Tool
Training
CMS Recommends IP Trainings for Nursing HOme Staff
CMS seeks to improve nursing home care and provide opportunities to expand training for infection prevention for all frontline and clinical staff. CMS has suggested the following list of trainings:
- CMS QSEP Targeted COVID-19 Training for Frontline NH Staff
- CDC Project Firstline
- HealthStream
- Health care Academy
- Relias
Scan the QR code below and complete the assessment to let us know what training you may provide in your facility. We can offer assistance with training program implementation as well. Visit https://bit.ly/NHIPAssessment.
Got questions? Need help? Want more information? Contact Rainmakers Strategic Solutions at 800-950-5636 or email NHIPTraining@rainmakerssolutions.com.
Chronic Disease
With the increased buzz around drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy, there is a lot to be said about what seems to be a quick fix for the obesity epidemic. While typically prescribed for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, these drugs have shown unprecedented potential for weight loss, with some patients seeing 15% or more in weight loss.
While there may be dramatic weight changes related to the use of these new drugs, diet quality is a crucial piece of long-term success with their use. The goal of using one of these drugs involves working towards a healthy weight and a healthy diet.
Patients who experience side effects, including nausea or disinterest in foods, may need to pay more attention to their diet quality to combat the increased risk of malnutrition related to taking one of these medications. Patients should know that the foods they consume are as important to their health as those they avoid. Registered Dietitians Nutritionists (RDNs) can provide counseling to patients to achieve and sustain their weight loss goals while maintaining optimal nutritional status using customized healthy eating and physical activity guidance.
There are still a lot of unknowns when it comes to these medications. It is unclear how long a patient may need to be maintained on these new weight loss drugs in addition to if or how there will be an off-ramp. If there's a chance of discontinuing the medication, it’s crucial that the patient has established and maintained a healthy pattern of eating to maintain their weight loss and their overall health. Providers should refer patients to an RDN for Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) to maximize the benefits of the safe use of these medications. Find a Nutrition Expert | Download Handout
Care Coordination & Partnerships for Community Health
CMS released a list of 34 prescription drugs for which Part B beneficiary coinsurances may be lower between October 1–December 31, 2023. Some people with Medicare who take these drugs may save between $1 and $618 per average dose starting October 1, 2023, depending on their coverage. The Medicare Prescription Drug Inflation Rebate Program is one of the many tools Medicare has to address rising drug costs. By reducing coinsurance for some people with Part B coverage and discouraging drug companies from increasing prices faster than inflation, this policy may lower out-of-pocket costs for some people with Medicare and reduce Medicare program spending for costly drugs. Learn More
Patient and Care Partner Education: Oxygen Therapy
Check out You and Oxygen Therapy, an animated guide to oxygen therapy for lung disease developed by the American Thoracic Society, COPD Foundation and Mechanisms in Medicine Inc. Providers are encouraged to use this resource to supplement their patient and care partner education. This guide can help patients make informed decisions and encourage them to partner with health care professionals for optimal outcomes. View Animated Guide
Become Part of an Age-Friendly Health System
The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) and the American Hospital Association (AHA) are enrolling nursing homes for the upcoming Action Community to help health care systems adopt Age-Friendly care through the 4Ms. The 4Ms (What Matters, Medication, Mentation, and Mobility) is a framework that helps to make complex care of older adults manageable. Participants will have access to coaching and resources, monthly webinars, and health care experts. Click Here to sign up for the Fall 2023 Action Community.
Immunization
Updated COVID-19 Vaccine Guidelines
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) updated the clinical consideration for the COVID-19 vaccines and protection for the circulating Omicron variants and Immunize.org summarized the ACIP meeting recommendations. The CDC posts updates on all the respiratory illness season every week. View Weekly Updates
New Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Vaccination Information Sheet
The CDC published an English and Spanish translation of the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) Vaccine Information Statement (VIS) that reflects the 2023 ACIP recommendations for RSV vaccination for adults age 60 years or older using shared clinical decision-making. Remember, Federal law requires a health care professional to provide a copy of the current VIS to all patients before vaccinating with vaccines. Download English Version | Download Spanish Version
Updated Influenza Vaccine Guidelines and Standing Orders
The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) updated the recommendations for the influenza vaccine. The composition of flu vaccines has been updated for egg-based and cell or recombinant-based vaccines. People with an egg allergy may get any vaccine (egg-based or non-egg-based) that is otherwise appropriate for their age and health status. All vaccines should be given in settings where allergic reactions can be recognized and treated quickly. Immunize.org has created a flyer and standing orders along with the Ask the Experts: influenza webpage for these updated recommendations.
Updated Pneumococcal Vaccine Guidelines
The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) updated the use of the pneumococcal vaccine for adults aged ≥19 Years in the United States on September 8, 2023. This included the recommendation for the use of PCV15 or PCV20 for adults who have received PPSV23 but have not received any PCV dose, adults who have received any PCV (PCV7) only and adults who are hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients. View Pneumococcal Vaccine Updates
Seasonal Immunization Campaign Calendar – READY SET GO
Have you started vaccinating patients/residents and staff and tracking your vaccination rates yet? Pulse checks for October key milestones include ensuring patients/residents and staff are being screened for vaccinations and tracked. Meet with your team and ask them for feedback, recommendations, and acknowledging their contributions. Review trends with the medical director to identify any gaps. So, let’s Go! The Seasonal Immunization Campaign Calendar has resource links for planning and easy reference to meet your goals. In addition, the comprehensive Toolkit for Increasing Influenza Vaccination Rates in Nursing Homes is a great resource.
Beneficiary & Family Advisory Council (BFAC)
Browse resources our council has worked on below:
Many falls happen at home, where we spend much of our time and tend to move around without thinking about our safety. There are many changes you can make to your home that will help prevent falls and better ensure your safety. Learn More
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