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Questions for the Alliant Boost Team? Email Booster@allianthealth.org
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May 24, 2022
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In this Issue |
Register for Upcoming Give the Boost a Shot Events *ANCC Contact Hours Awarded*
- Thursday, May 26, 2022 from 2-2:45 p.m. ET/ 1-1:45 p.m. CT: BOOST Event: Join us for an educational presentation, Surveyor’s Here – Is Your Vaccine Data Ready?, followed by an interactive discussion hosted by Swati Gaur MD, MBA, CMD, AGSF, Medical Director, Post Acute Care, Northeast Georgia Health System and Jeremy Bischoff, LHNA, BS, Quality Improvement Initiative Advisor at Alliant Health Solutions. REGISTER
- We are now booking Boost events into June.
Best Practice of the Week/ Center Highlight of the Week
- Team Work @ The Village at Germantown in Tennessee leads to 100% Booster rate!
Latest Guidance/Updates
- U.S. to extend COVID-19 public-health emergency past mid-July
- Latest Covid-19 Wave Expands to More of U.S.
- CDC Strengthens Recommendations and Expands Eligibility for COVID-19 Booster Shots
Materials & Resources
- **NEW** Take 5 Video Playlist with Swati Gaur, MD, MBA, CMD, AGSF, Medical Director, Post Acute Care, Northeast Georgia Health System and Jeremy Bischoff, LHNA, BS, Quality Improvement Initiative Advisor at Alliant Health Solutions
- When to Get Tested for COVID-19
- Know Your COVID-19 Community Level
- COVID-19 Quarantine and Isolation Calculator
- The Adult Vaccine Assessment Tool
- Flyer: Visitor Talking Points
- Poster: Attention Vistors
- Poster: Why I Got Vaccinated
- Click HERE or visit https://bit.ly/GiveTheBoostAShot to download helpful resources and materials.
Check in: How are we doing? Are you finding the events and materials helpful?
Give the Boost a Shot Event Recordings
About Give the Boost a Shot
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Best Practice/Center of the Week |
Team Work - Making it Work @ The Village at Germantown!
The Village at Germantown in Germantown, Tennessee has boosted 100% of their residents – the DON states their success comes from increased vaccine education, incentives, and team work!
If you would like to share your success story, please email Leighann Sauls at Booster@allianthealth.org. We want to hear from YOU!
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Latest Guidance/Updates |
- U.S. to extend COVID-19 public-health emergency past mid-July
Bloomberg (5/16, Griffin) reports, “The U.S. government will extend the COVID-19 public-health emergency past mid-July, continuing pandemic-era policies as the nearly 2 1/2-year outbreak drags on.” Last week, several health organizations “wrote to HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra urging the Biden administration to maintain the emergency ‘until it is clear that the global pandemic has receded and the capabilities authorized by the PHE are no longer necessary.’” Read More
- Latest Covid-19 Wave Expands to More of U.S.
The latest Covid-19 case surge is expanding beyond the Northeast, with places from the Midwest to Florida and California under rising pressure. Read More
- CDC Strengthens Recommendations and Expands Eligibility for COVID-19 Booster Shots
Following the May 19, 2022 meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ (ACIP), CDC is expanding eligibility of COVID-19 vaccine booster doses to everyone 5 years of age and older. CDC now recommends that children ages 5 through 11 years should receive a booster shot 5 months after their initial Pfizer-BioNTech vaccination series. Since the pandemic began, more than 4.8 million children ages 5 through 11 have been diagnosed with COVID-19, 15,000 have been hospitalized and, tragically, over 180 have died. As cases increase across the country, a booster dose will safely help restore and enhance protection against severe disease. In addition, the CDC is strengthening its recommendation that those 12 and older who are immunocompromised and those 50 and older should receive a second booster dose at least 4 months after their first. Over the past month we have seen steady increases in cases, with a steep and substantial increase in hospitalizations for older Americans. While older Americans have the highest coverage of any age group of first booster doses, most older Americans received their last dose (either their primary series or their first booster dose) many months ago, leaving many who are vulnerable without the protection they may need to prevent severe disease, hospitalization, and death. Read More
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Materials & Resources |
- Take 5 Video Playlist with Swati Gaur, MD, MBA, CMD, AGSF, Medical Director, Post Acute Care, Northeast Georgia Health System and Jeremy Bischoff, LHNA, BS, Quality Improvement Initiative Advisor at Alliant Health Solutions
These short videos cover some of the frequently asked questions and common concerns we've from nursing homes across the states we serve related COVID-19 and vaccination. These videos provide quick, to-the-point information and advice to tackle questions and concerns. We will update the list of modules each week!
- Take 5: Welcome Message: The purpose of the modules (~5 minutes) - watch
- Take 5: Vaccine Eligibility Part 1: CDC Recommendations as of 5/19/22. What does it mean to be up-to-date with COVID-19 vaccinations? (~3 minutes) - watch
- Take 5: Vaccine Eligibility Part 2: Jeremy and Swati discuss some tough questions like "what if I got COVID between the primary and booster?" or "what if I'm recovering from cancer? or received monoclonal antibodies?" (~6 minutes) - watch
- When to Get Tested for COVID-19: The Coronavirus Self-Checker is an interactive clinical assessment tool that can help you decide when to seek testing or medical care if you think you have COVID-19 or have come into close contact with someone who has COVID-19.
- Know Your COVID-19 Community Level: CDC's COVID-19 Community Levels are a new tool to help communities decide what prevention steps to take based on the latest data. Levels can be low, medium, or high and are determined by looking at hospital beds being used, hospital admissions, and the total number of new COVID-19 cases in an area. COVID-19 County Check
- COVID-19 Quarantine and Isolation Calculator: CDC’s COVID-19 Quarantine and Isolation calculator takes the stress out of deciding when, and for how long, people with COVID-19 and close contacts need to stay home, get tested, and wear a well-fitting mask.
- The Adult Vaccine Assessment Tool: CDC’s Adult Vaccine Quiz helps you create a list of vaccines you may need based on your age, health conditions, and more. Click here to take the quiz now!
- Flyer: Visitor Talking Points: This one-page flyer outlines how to talk to visitors about ensuring the safety of nursing home residents and staff while visiting. Download
- Poster: Attention Visitors: This poster outlines practices to help visitors keep nursing homes residents and staff safe. Download
- Poster: COVID-19 Vaccine Booster: Why Should I Get Boosted? Download | In Spanish
- Click HERE or visit https://bit.ly/GiveTheBoostAShot to download helpful resources and materials.
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Upcoming Give the Boost a Shot Events *ANCC Contact Hours Awarded* |
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Thursday, 5/26/22
2-2:45 p.m. ET/
1-1:45 p.m. CT
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BOOST Education & Office Hours Event:
Join us for an educational presentation, Surveyor’s Here – Is Your Vaccine Data Ready?, followed by an interactive discussion hosted by Swati Gaur MD, MBA, CMD, AGSF, Medical Director, Post Acute Care, Northeast Georgia Health System and Jeremy Bischoff, LHNA, BS, Quality Improvement Initiative Advisor at Alliant Health Solutions.
*ANCC Contact Hours Awarded* |
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Register |
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Thursday, 6/2/22
2-2:45 p.m. ET/
1-1:45 p.m. CT
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BOOST Education & Office Hours Event:
Join us for a 30-minute educational presentation followed by a 15-minute interactive discussion hosted by Swati Gaur MD, MBA, CMD, AGSF, Medical Director, Post Acute Care, Northeast Georgia Health System and Jeremy Bischoff, LHNA, BS, Quality Improvement Initiative Advisor at Alliant Health Solutions.
*ANCC Contact Hours Awarded* |
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Register |
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Thursday, 6/9/22
2-2:45 p.m. ET/
1-1:45 p.m. CT
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BOOST Education & Office Hours Event:
Join us for a 30-minute educational presentation followed by a 15-minute interactive discussion hosted by Swati Gaur MD, MBA, CMD, AGSF, Medical Director, Post Acute Care, Northeast Georgia Health System and Jeremy Bischoff, LHNA, BS, Quality Improvement Initiative Advisor at Alliant Health Solutions.
*ANCC Contact Hours Awarded* |
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Register |
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Thursday, 6/16/22
2-3 p.m. ET/
1-2 p.m. CT
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BOOST Education & Office Hours Event:
Join Marilee Johnson MBA, MT (ASCP), Alliant Technical Advisor, Infection Prevention, Donald Chitanda, MPH CIC, Technical Advisor, Infection Prevention & Amy Ward, MS, BSN, RN, CIC, Alliant Infection Prevention Specialist for NSHN Shop Talk.
*ANCC Contact Hours Awarded* |
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Register |
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Thursday, 6/23/22
2-2:45 p.m. ET/
1-1:45 p.m. CT
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BOOST Education & Office Hours Event:
Join us for a 30-minute educational presentation followed by a 15-minute interactive discussion hosted by Swati Gaur MD, MBA, CMD, AGSF, Medical Director, Post Acute Care, Northeast Georgia Health System and Jeremy Bischoff, LHNA, BS, Quality Improvement Initiative Advisor at Alliant Health Solutions.
*ANCC Contact Hours Awarded* |
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Register |
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Thursday, 6/30/22
2-2:45 p.m. ET/
1-1:45 p.m. CT
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BOOST Education & Office Hours Event:
Join us for a 30-minute educational presentation followed by a 15-minute interactive discussion hosted by Swati Gaur MD, MBA, CMD, AGSF, Medical Director, Post Acute Care, Northeast Georgia Health System and Jeremy Bischoff, LHNA, BS, Quality Improvement Initiative Advisor at Alliant Health Solutions.
*ANCC Contact Hours Awarded* |
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Register |
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Give the Boost a Shot Event Recordings |
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Recorded
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Event
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Recording Link
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Give the Boost a Shot Kick Off Event: Learn the why behind this 12-week program.
With Leighann Sauls, RN, CDN, Program Director (Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, and Tennessee), Alliant Health Solutions, JoVonn Givens, MPH, Program Director (Alabama, Florida, and Louisiana), Alliant Health Solutions, Jeremy Bischoff, LHNA, BA, Quality Advisor, Alliant Health Solutions, and Lisa Davies, CPHQ, LNHA, RD, LD, Quality Improvement Initiative Manager, Alliant Health Solutions
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Recording |
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Thursday, 1/20/22
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BOOST Office Hours: BOOST Office Hours & Shop Talk: Clinician Office Hours: NSHN Shop Talk (audience NSHN users)
With Marilee Johnson MBA, MT (ASCP), Alliant Technical Advisor, Infection Prevention
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Recording |
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BOOST Education Event: COVID-19 Vaccine Booster and Health Equity
With Rosa Abraha, MPH, Health Equity Lead, Alliant Health Solutions
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Recording |
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Thursday, 1/27/22
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BOOST Office Hours: Clinician Office Hours: Focus on Primary and Booster Uptake - (audience MD, PA, Advance Practice staff)
With Swati Gaur MD, MBA, CMD, AGSF, Medical Director, Post Acute Care, Northeast Georgia Health System
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Recording |
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BOOST Education Event:
Join Stacy Hull, LPC, MAC, CPCS, Aim Lead, Behavioral Health, Alliant Health Solutions for part 1 of a presentation on Using Motivational Interviewing to Increase COVID-19 Vaccinations
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Recording |
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Thursday, 2/3/22
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BOOST Office Hours:
Join Jeremy Bischoff, LHNA, BA, Quality Advisor, Alliant Health Solutions for Clinician Office Hours: Focus on Primary and Booster Uptake. This Office Hours session is geared toward NH Admins, DONs, and Direct Care Staff. The format will be a brief presentation followed by Q&A session (30-minute timeframe)
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Recording |
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BOOST Education Event:
Join Stacy Hull, LPC, MAC, CPCS, Aim Lead, Behavioral Health, Alliant Health Solutions for Using Motivational Interviewing to Increase COVID-19 Vaccinations Part 2: Practical Application. Participants will hear scenarios using the skills of Motivational Interviewing.
Objectives:
- Define Motivational Interviewing
- Understand the OARS in Motivational Interviewing
- Understand interviewing skills and strategies
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Recording |
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Thursday, 2/10/22
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BOOST Office Hours: Clinician Office Hours: Focus on Infection Prevention (Audience – Facility IPs)
Led by Amy Ward, MS, BSN, RN, CIC – Alliant Infection Prevention Specialist
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Recording |
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Wednesday, 2/16/22
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BOOST Education Event:
Join Darcy J. Watson, BSN, LNHA, Quality Consultant, Alliant Health Solutions for a session on Vaccine Clinics.
Objectives:
- To demonstrate the recent statistical evidence of booster efficacy
- To ascertain the current challenges with booster uptake (will have polling questions)
- To understand and mitigate the challenges with LTC providers obtaining the booster To assist facilities in conducting efficient and ongoing onsite clinics
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Recording |
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Thursday, 2/17/22
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BOOST Office Hours & Shop Talk:
Clinician Office Hours: NSHN Shop Talk
Audience: NSHN users
Led by Marilee Johnson, MBA, MT (ASCP) – Alliant Technical Advisor, Infection Prevention
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Recording |
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Wednesday, 2/23/22
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BOOST Education Event:
Join Diane Sanders-Cepeda, DO, CMD, Senior Medical Director, UnitedHealthcare Retiree Solutions to learn more about Long COVID and Boosters.
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Recording |
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Thursday, 2/24/22
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BOOST Office Hours:
Clinician Office Hours: Focus on Primary and Booster Uptake
Audience: MD, PA, Advance Practice staff
Led by Swati Gaur, MD, MBA, CMD, AGSF
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Recording |
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BOOST Education Event:
Vaccines: A Glimmer of Hope? Morality or Mandate?
Since the pandemic began, the search for an effective vaccine was thought to be the best way for us to get back to normalcy. In this presentation, Deke Cateau, CEO of A.G. Rhodes, a group of three Atlanta non-profit nursing homes and author of BRUSH FIRE: Covid-19 and our Nursing Homes, reflects on his organization’s techniques and strategies in promoting the COVID-19 vaccine among its staff and residents. Hear lessons learned and practical realities encountered as the organization went from widespread vaccine hesitancy to over 90% staff and resident vaccination. Learning Objectives: At this session, participants will: Learn different strategies for effectively promoting the COVID-19 vaccine Be able to encourage hesitant staff, families, and other stakeholders through a variety of messages and communications Take away practical data to compare COVID-19 activity before and after the organization achieved such a high vaccination rate.
Objectives:
- To demonstrate the recent statistical evidence of booster efficacy
- To ascertain the current challenges with booster uptake (will have polling questions)
- To understand and mitigate the challenges with LTC providers obtaining the booster To assist facilities in conducting efficient and ongoing onsite clinics
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Recording |
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Thursday, 3/3/22
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BOOST Office Hours:
Clinician Office Hours: Focus on Primary and Booster Uptake
Audience: NH Admins, DONs, Direct Care Staff - all are welcome!
Led by Jeremy Bischoff, LHNA, BA – Alliant Quality Improvement Initiative Advisor
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Recording |
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Wednesday, 3/9/22
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BOOST Education Event:
Join Darcy J. Watson, BSN, LNHA, Quality Consultant, Alliant Health Solutions for Give the BOOST a Shot - Don't Take "NO" for an Answer. Objectives:
- Review COVID-19 & variant(s) Booster Significance and Eligibility
- Discuss COVID-19 & variant(s) Booster Consent Challenges
- Spotlight COVID-19 & variant(s) Booster Clinic Best Practice Champions
- Provide COVID-19 & variant(s) Booster Clinic Resources
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Recording |
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Thursday, 3/10/22
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BOOST Office Hours:
Clinician Office Hours: Focus on Infection Prevention
Audience: Facility IPs - all are welcome!
Led by Amy Ward, MS, BSN, RN, CIC – Alliant Infection Prevention Specialist
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Recording |
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Wednesday, 3/16/22
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BOOST Education Event:
Join Carolyn Brill, Senior Improvement Advisor at Comagine Health for a session on COVID-19 Vaccine High level considerations. Carolyn will share her personal story about getting COVID after her booster and will discuss the related science. Topics covered include:
- Review a few points from March 1 webinar and booster schedule
- Share a personal story
- New England Journal of Medicine study (March 2, 2022) Covid-19 Vaccine Effectiveness against the Omicron (B.1.1.529) Variant
- What can we do to prioritize resident boosters
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Recording |
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Thursday, 3/17/22
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BOOST Office Hours & Shop Talk:
Clinician Office Hours: NSHN Shop Talk
Audience: NSHN users
Led by Amy Ward, MS, BSN, RN, CIC – Alliant Infection Prevention Specialist
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Recording |
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Wednesday, 3/23/22
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BOOST Education Event:
Join Carol O'Connell, Assistant Vice President of Long Term Care and Support Services at Wellstar Paulding Hospital & Nursing and Rehabilitation Center to learn how they managed the roll-out of the vaccines and what they are doing to encourage the booster.
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Recording |
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Thursday, 3/24/22
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BOOST Office Hours:
Clinician Office Hours: Focus on Primary and Booster Uptake
Audience: Facility leadership, MD, PA, Advance Practice staff - all are welcome!
Led by Swati Gaur, MD, MBA, CMD, AGSF
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Recording |
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Wednesday, 3/30/22
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BOOST Education Event:
Join Sherri Creel, Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Quality Advisor supporting Alliant's work within the National COVID-19 Resiliency Network (NCRN) and Shanika Jones, LMHC, MA and Quality Advisor for the National COVID-19 Resiliency Network (NCRN) for a session on Effective Ways to Manage the Traumatic Experience of COVID-19.
Objectives:
- Have a better understanding of trauma and trauma responses.
- Learn ways a person's culture may impact their response to trauma.
- Learn ways leadership can support staff who are experiencing trauma.
- Learn practical ways to manage personal trauma and distress.
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Recording |
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Thursday, 3/31/22
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BOOST Office Hours:
Clinician Office Hours: Panel Discussion with the Alliant Boost Team
Audience: All are welcome!
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Recording |
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Wednesday, 4/6/22
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BOOST Education Event:
Join Nimalie Stone, MD, MS, Medical Epidemiologist for Long-term Care in the Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for a special session to look at all we’ve accomplished as a spring board to positively transforming the experiences of residents and staff in nursing homes.
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Recording |
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Thursday, 4/14/22
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BOOST Education & Office Hours Event:
Join us for a 15-minute educational presentation titled, Changing Behaviors by Tommy Barnett of North Highland followed by a 30-minute interactive discussion led by Swati Gaur MD, MBA, CMD, AGSF, Medical Director, Post Acute Care, Northeast Georgia Health System.
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Recording |
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Thursday, 4/21/22
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BOOST Education & Office Hours Event:
Join Marilee Johnson MBA, MT (ASCP), Alliant Technical Advisor, Infection Prevention & Amy Ward, MS, BSN, RN, CIC, Alliant Infection Prevention Specialist for NSHN Shop Talk.
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Recording |
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Thursday, 4/28/22
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BOOST Education & Office Hours Event:
Join us for a 30-minute educational presentation on Short Term Rehabilitation Facilities – Best Practices in Vaccinating/Boosting followed by a 15-minute interactive discussion led by Swati Gaur MD, MBA, CMD, AGSF, Medical Director, Post Acute Care, Northeast Georgia Health System. |
Recording |
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Thursday, 5/5/22
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BOOST Education & Office Hours Event:
Join us for a 30-minute educational presentation, Vaccine Effectiveness against Variants: Omicron and More, followed by a 15-minute interactive discussion led by Swati Gaur MD, MBA, CMD, AGSF, Medical Director, Post Acute Care, Northeast Georgia Health System. |
Recording |
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Thursday, 5/12/22
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BOOST Education & Office Hours Event:
Join us for an interactive webinar event, I don't have time for this!
Before COVID your plates were full, now they are overflowing. This session will dive into these issues and provide a forum for Nursing homes to share in a safe place how to learn and grow from one another. Hosted by Jeremy Bischoff, LHNA, BS, Quality Improvement Initiative Advisor at Alliant Health Solutions and featuring commentary by Swati Gaur MD, MBA, CMD, AGSF, Medical Director, Post Acute Care, Northeast Georgia Health System. |
Recording |
| Thursday, 5/19/22 |
BOOST Education & Office Hours Event:
Join Marilee Johnson MBA, MT (ASCP), Alliant Technical Advisor, Infection Prevention, Donald Chitanda, MPH CIC, Technical Advisor, Infection Prevention & Amy Ward, MS, BSN, RN, CIC, Alliant Infection Prevention Specialist for NSHN Shop Talk. We will review the recent updates to the Weekly Vaccination Module & COVID-19 Event Level Forms. |
Recording |
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About the Give the Shot a Boost Program |
Alliant Health Solutions received a direct change order from CMS to provide support to nursing homes to help accelerate resident vaccination rates. This intensive 12-week program includes the following services and activities:
- Tuesdays: You will receive a weekly email bulletin dedicated to this program with the latest updates and tools you can use to help increase vaccination and booster rates.
- Weekly educational events and dedicated time to ask questions.
- A dedicated website page with resources and materials.
- Access to experts in epidemiology, quality improvement, and infection control.
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For more information about Alliant Health Solutions, visit the website: quality.allianthealth.org.
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