OSHA accepting new comments on healthcare worker COVID-19 protection rule
By
Lois A. Bowers
Mar 23, 2022
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is accepting additional comments as it establishes a final rule meant to protect long-term care workers and other healthcare providers from exposure to...
Exemptions, education avert mass employee exodus as vaccine mandate deadline passes
By
Danielle Brown
Mar 16, 2022
A major COVID-19 vaccine mandate deadline for nursing home workers hit Tuesday, and it did so without the major exodus of employees that many had warned would further threaten the staff-depleted industry.
Slow booster rollout could be stunting uptake at nursing homes
By
Danielle Brown
Mar 15, 2022
Little promotion and a lack of federal support for distribution could be suppressing COVID-19 vaccine booster rates in nursing homes, according to several experts.
OSHA vows more infection control monitoring at SNFs
By
Danielle Brown
Mar 10, 2022
Skilled nursing facilities and hospitals that treat or handle COVID-19 patients can expect more focused inspections in the coming weeks under a new initiative launched by the Department of Occupational...
Final vaccine mandate deadlines still in play, despite removal vote
By
Danielle Brown
Mar 04, 2022
The healthcare worker COVID-19 vaccine mandate remains in place, despite a vote by Senate Republicans to strike the regulation.
Researchers: Remote patient monitoring, telehealth saved lives during pandemic
By
Diane Eastabrook
Feb 28, 2022
Wider use of hospital-at-home and other acute-care programs has helped reduce patients’ exposure to the coronavirus and free up hospital beds for sicker patients. The technologies should be more...
These 10 steps needed to save skilled nursing, experts say
By
Kimberly Marselas
Feb 24, 2022
An ambitious, 10-pronged reform package that includes cash infusions and regulatory fixes is needed to head off another COVID-scale tragedy in long-term care, according to two leading healthcare researchers.
How SNFs ‘held their ground’ during omicron surge
By
Danielle Brown
Feb 23, 2022
Despite seeing record-breaking COVID-19 case counts during the omicron spike, skilled nursing facilities were able to weather the storm with minimal deaths among residents, according to new analysis from...
New York won’t enforce booster requirement for healthcare workers
By
Danielle Brown
Feb 23, 2022
Long-term care workers in New York won’t be forced to get a COVID-19 booster shot, the state’s top health official said.
CMS warns states: Survey fully or suffer consequences
By
Kimberly Marselas
Feb 10, 2022
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Wednesday sternly warned state survey agencies they must enforce all aspects of the federal program’s health and safety requirements by long-standing agreement.