Is Your NH Ready to Handle the Demands of COVID-19? Assessing Readiness: Advice from the CDC 

In this session, CDC staff discussed the COVID-19 Infection Control Assessment and Response (ICAR) tool that was developed to support nursing homes preparing for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Health departments, QIN-QIOs and other partners can use this tool to help assess infection prevention practices and guide quality improvement activities through technical assistance to providers. During the discussion, the CDC shared examples of ways that providers and partners have worked together to identify opportunities and strategies to improve Infection Prevention Control (IPC) implementation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Session objectives included:
-Review key COVID-19 Prevention Strategies for nursing homes
-Describe frequently identified concerns and challenges identified during implementation of IPC practices
-Discuss opportunities to strengthen prevention activities based on provider feedback and experiences