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National Nursing Home COVID-19 Action Network is recruiting skilled nursing facilities from across the country to participate in a virtual online peer community for improving COVID-19 infection control and better protecting residents and staff. The network is voluntary, and it puts a heavy emphasis on collaboration. Participating nursing homes receive hand-on technical assistance for preventing and reducing the spread of the novel coronavirus—which is even more important now, given that some federal provider relief payments will be tied to improved infection control through the end of the year.
It’s a partnership with the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), the government’s lead entity for improving health care quality, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), home to the country’s preeminent quality improvement experts, and Project ECHO, a global model for rapidly scaling up health expertise in communities.
The network offers a distinctive opportunity for staff to gain access to up-to-the-minute expert guidance on how best to protect residents and themselves from the virus while taking part in a larger community of practice. They not only learn alongside their peers but also share their insights with them and the expert team. Each training program will evolve to meet the needs of the local nursing home community and the curriculum will be updated weekly to reflect new evidence, innovations in best practices, and changes in the pandemic.
Nursing homes that complete the 16-session training will receive a $6,000 honorarium through the Provider Relief Fund, and staff will earn continuing education units (CEUs) for completing the training.