An email summarizing the latest news and resources on COVID vaccination for nursing homes. ​​​​
 

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Questions for
 the Alliant Boost Team? Email Booster@allianthealth.org 

July 12, 2022​​​​​

 
*Give the Boost a Shot Program Update*
Starting in July, Give the Boost a Shot will host two events each month, on the first and last Thursdays. We will send this bulletin once monthly on the second Tuesday. You will receive short emails with registration information for the events on the Tuesday prior to each event. Thank you for all of the great work you are doing to keep residents and staff healthy. We are looking forward to watching your vaccination rates continue to grow!
 
In this Issue


Register for Upcoming Give the Boost a Shot Events *ANCC Contact Hours Awarded*

  • Thursday, July 21, 2022 from 2-3 p.m. ET/ 1-2 p.m. CT: 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 NHSN updates and host a live questions & answer session following. REGISTER
  • We want to hear from you on topics!

Best Practice of the Week/ Center Highlight of the Week

  • Boosting our Residents!
Latest Guidance/Updates
  • Boosters for Omicron
  • Omicron sub-variants BA.4, BA.5 make up more than 50% of U.S. COVID cases - CDC
  • CDC: 6 Things to Know about COVID-19 Vaccination for Children
  • **CDC NHSN Updates** Weekly HCP & Resident COVID-19 Vaccination
  • Choosing Your COVID-19 Booster
  • Know Your COVID-19 Community Level
Materials & Resources
  • *New Videos* 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
  • Understanding How COVID-19 Vaccines Work
  • When to Get Tested for COVID-19
  • 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

Best Practice/Center of the Week

Boosting our Residents!
Alliant Health Solutions is working with over 1,000 CMS-referred providers across the seven states to increase COVID-19 booster rates in residents. These facilities were all referred with booster rates less than 40%. Each facility has worked with Alliant to determine their root cause(s) and put action plans in place. Their success is evident... As of July 2022, over 45% of these facilities have increased their rates to greater than 80% and continue to move forward! We congratulate each of these facilities for their hard work and dedication to vaccinating their residents.

If your facility needs assistance with increasing your COVID-19 booster rates, please reach out to us at Booster@allianthealth.org.

Latest Guidance/Updates
  • Boosters for Omicron
    The Food and Drug Administration said on Thursday [June 30, 2022] that it had advised coronavirus vaccine manufacturers to update their booster formulations to target the fast-spreading Omicron subvariants known as BA.4 and BA.5, which are now estimated to account for more than half of new virus cases in the United States. Read More 
  • Omicron sub-variants BA.4, BA.5 make up more than 50% of U.S. COVID cases - CDC
    June 28 (Reuters) - The fast-spreading BA.4 and BA.5 sub-variants of Omicron are estimated to make up a combined 52% of the coronavirus cases in the United States as of June 25, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Tuesday. The two sublineages accounted for more than a third of U.S. cases for the week of June 18. They were added to the World Health Organization's monitoring list in March and designated as variants of concern by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Read More
  • CDC: 6 Things to Know about COVID-19 Vaccination for Children
    Talk with your family about getting the little ones vaccinated. In case you missed it, CDC now recommends COVID-19 vaccines for everyone 6 months and older, and boosters for everyone 5 years and older. Read More
  • **CDC NHSN Updates** Weekly HCP & Resident COVID-19 Vaccination
    Below is a summary of new resources and updated files available on the CDC NHSN Weekly HCP & Resident COVID-19 Vaccination website.
    • Training slides from the June 2022 Webinar are now available. ​​​​​​
      • Up to Date Vaccination Status: Surveillance Definition Change Training Slides
      • NHSN Event-Level/Person-Level Vaccination Forms: Office Hours and FAQs
      • Key Change: Date of birth is a required field for all individuals in the facility & HCP as of June 27th, since age (> 50 yrs. old) is part of the new up to date vaccination definition.
      • Download the new templates here; they are titled as follows. 
        • Variable description and file layout for event-level (person-level) vaccination forms [PDF – 145 KB] – June 2022
        • CSV templates and examples files for residents of Long-term Care Facilities (LTCFs)
          • .CSV File Template for LTCF Residents [XLS – 10 KB] – June 2022
          • Example .CSV File for LTCF Residents [XLS – 11 KB] – June 2022
        • CSV templates and examples files for healthcare personnel of Long-term Care Facilities (LTCFs)
          • .CSV File Template for LTCF HCP [XLS – 10 KB] – June 2022
          • Example .CSV File for LTCF HCP [XLS – 11 KB] – June 2022
    • Note from NHSN: Based on feedback that the green rows were causing confusion, NHSN removed the feature that turned modified rows green. You can still see which weeks have modified data using the reporting summary and the reporting week drop-down menu. However, it is extremely important that you only select weeks and submit data using the event-level/person-level reporting summary for weeks that you have entered complete person-level data. Submitting data to the Weekly COVID-19 Vaccination Module from the event-level/person-level form for a given week overwrites any data you previously entered for that week, including data previously entered using the weekly summary form. This is true for all methods of entry into the Weekly COVID-19 Vaccination Module, for any given week the NHSN application will only save the data provided to the from the last method of upload.
    • Please join the Alliant team on July 21st, for the Alliant Health Solutions NHSN Shop Talk to hear NHSN updates and a live questions & answer session. REGISTER HERE
  • Choosing Your COVID-19 Booster
    This CDC website page provides guidance for individuals on which boosters to select based on certain criteria. Read More
  • Know Your COVID-19 Community Level 
    CDC's COVID-19 Community Levels are a 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

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! Watch them here.
    • 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? - 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?" - watch
    • Take 5: Overcoming Concerns - watch
    • Take 5: Additional Precautions for the Unvaccinated HCP - watch
    • Take 5: Walkthrough Care Compare - Finding Public Data - watch
    • Take 5: How to stay UTD with Trusted Sources - watch
    • Take 5: How does it affect my operations? - watch
    • Take 5: Boosters and Variants - watch
    • Take 5: Vaccination for Short Stay Residents - watch
    • Take 5: Cohorting - watch
  • Understanding How COVID-19 Vaccines Work
    This website page provides resources and information about how vaccines work. Visit Website
  • 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.
  • 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.


Upcoming Give the Boost a Shot Events *ANCC Contact Hours Awarded* ​​​​​​
​​​​​​ 
July    
Thursday, 7/21/22
2-2:45 ​​​​p.m. ET/ 
1-1:45 p.m. CT
NHSN Shop Talk 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 for the live event and for the recording for 30 days following the live event*
Register
Thursday, 7/28/22
2-2:45 ​​​​p.m. ET/ 
1-1:45 p.m. CT
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*
Register

August 
Thursday, 8/4/22
2-2:45 ​​​​p.m. ET/ 
1-1:45 p.m. CT
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*
Register
Thursday, 8/18/22
2-2:45 ​​​​p.m. ET/ 
1-1:45 p.m. CT
NHSN Shop Talk 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*
Register
Thursday, 8/25/22
12-12:30 ​​​​p.m. ET/ 
11-11:30 a.m. CT
**Join us for a combined event**
Community Coalition & Nursing Home Learning and Action Network Event: 

In recognition of Immunization month, please join us for a 30-minute educational presentation on Immunizations

*ANCC Contact Hours Awarded for the live event and for the recording for 30 days following the live event*
Register

 
Give the Boost a Shot Event Recordings ​​​​​​
  
All Give the Boost a Shot Recordings are available at this YouTube Playlist. The latest recordings are listed below. 
 
Thursday, 7/7/22 BOOST Education & Office Hours Event: 
A 30-minute educational presentation, The Latest Treatment Options Against Omicron: Therapeutics and More… followed by a 15-minute interactive discussion hosted by Swati Gaur MD, MBA, CMD, AGSF, Medical Director, Post Acute Care, Northeast Georgia Health System. 
Watch
Thursday, 6/23/22 BOOST Education & Office Hours Event:
A 30-minute educational presentation, How can our Nursing Home Start Storing, Administering, and Reporting COVID-19 Vaccinations, by Matthew Burnette, PharmD, Director of Clinical Operations and Customer Care for Gayco Healthcare: A Long-Term Care Pharmacy, 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. 
Watch
Thursday, 6/16/22 NSHN Shop Talk:
With 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 Alliant Health SolutionsWatch
Thursday, 6/9/22
BOOST Education & Office Hours Event Recording:
Look How Far We Have Come – Booster Update and More… hosted by Jeremy Bischoff, LHNA, BS, Quality Improvement Initiative Advisor at Alliant Health Solutions. Watch
Thursday, 6/2/22 BOOST Education & Office Hours Event Recording:
My facility is in Outbreak... featuring Lisa Davies, CPHQ, LNHA, RD, LD, Quality Improvement Initiative Manager and Jeremy Bischoff, LHNA, BS, Quality Improvement Initiative Advisor at Alliant Health Solutions. Watch
 

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 program includes the following services and activities:

  • Second Tuesday: 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.
  • Twice monthly 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. 

Watch event recordings and bite-size learnings on Alliant's YouTube channel.

For more information about Alliant Health Solutions, visit the website: quality.allianthealth.org.

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This material was prepared by Alliant Health Solutions, a Quality Innovation Network – Quality Improvement Organization (QIN – QIO) under contract with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Views expressed in this material do not necessarily reflect the official views or policy of CMS or HHS, and any reference to a specific product or entity herein does not constitute endorsement of that product or entity by CMS or HHS. 
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