Long-term care providers in Connecticut will be subject to a “top-to-bottom review” of their response to COVID-19, according to state officials.
Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont (D) announced Tuesday that the state has selected Mathematica Policy Research, a New Jersey-based policy research group, to conduct an independent, third-party review of nursing homes’ and assisted living facilities’ COVID-19 response. The state has experienced more than 4,300 coronavirus-related deaths, with about 60% of them coming from long-term care, the CT Examiner reported.
The analysis will assess the overall impact of COVID-19 on the state’s long-term care facilities and their preparation and response to the virus. The investigation also will focus on identifying significant circumstances that may have impacted the severity of the outbreak, like availability of personal protective equipment and testing, staffing challenges, rate of transmission within facilities and the establishment of COVID recovery facilities.
In addition, the review will assess the state’s response to the pandemic in long-term care facilities, which includes an analysis of its guidance, communication, payment policies and regulatory framework for infection control, surveys and certification.
“We must learn everything we can from our experience over the last few months so we can apply that knowledge to implement best practices in our long-term care facilities as we prepare for a possible second wave of the virus,” Lamont said in a statement.
The research group’s report is expected to provide its final report by the end of September. The findings will be made public.
