Deeper collaboration between regulators and providers should be a primary goal of the new federal COVID-19 nursing home commission.
That’s the belief of at least several of the 25 members of the Coronavirus Commission for Safety and Quality in Nursing Homes, who were named in late June.
“I envision a concept of shared accountability,” said Janet Snipes, executive director of Holly Heights Care Center in Denver. “I had the opportunity to participate in two very different infection control surveys, one that was collaborative and focused on systems/practices and another which focused on the ‘gotcha!’ mentality. I learned that the spirit of collaboration in the first survey was truly helpful.
“I feel surveyors and QIOs alike should be held accountable for achieving and meeting the needs of the resident, helping us secure PPE and testing, working collaboratively to answer questions, [and] consulting with our staff on alternate practices when conventional standards are not available,” she told McKnight’s.
From the July/August 2020 Issue of McKnight's Long-Term Care News
