If agencies are being cited for this, what tag # state or federal are they being cited under?
Barb January
Barbara January, RN, BSN, PHN, CCP
Director of Quality Management
Adara Home Health
25 1st Avenue NE – Suite 200
Buffalo, MN 55313
From: medicarewkgp@list.mnhomecare.org <medicarewkgp@list.mnhomecare.org>
On Behalf Of Toczek, Kay L.
Sent: Friday, May 8, 2020 3:57 PM
To: Karen Peterson <kpeterson@mnhomecare.org>; medicarewkgp@list.mnhomecare.org
Subject: RE: Covid-19 Survey Experiences
We had to have the log that they writing it down and the self reporting of symptoms that they handed in and needed supervisor’s to monitor.
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And I just heard from another member that they were written up for not having appropriate staff monitoring (they do q-shift temp checks but apparently that was not seen as sufficient – I’ve asked for more details).
This is distressing to me as the first couple of weeks we heard unanimous reports that agencies were being given guidance and tips for improvement, and NOT being written up, but now this week we are hearing of a lot of deficiency reporting.
Please keep sharing your experiences!
Thanks,
Karen
I just talked with the provider. The surveyor called in for the exit yesterday and is giving them 2 citations: one for not screening her on her entry into the office
and the other for a few of the many unlicensed staff she called who said they screened their clients after entering the home instead of before entering. Most of the staff said that they screen by phone before arriving or at the door before entering (as they
were taught to do).
My only survey experience with COVID is on the hospital side thus far. MDH did issue a deficiency for not masking every employee as they walked through the door regardless
of where they worked. They required a plan of correction with auditing. They wanted to cite a deficiency for not checking employee temperatures, but couldn’t do so because MDH had not given clear guidance on the expectation. I was told today that they expect
MDH to send the deficiency once the expectation is clear.
I am struggling to figure out a process for checking temps and having employees sign an attestation that they are symptom free when they do not report to the office.
Any suggestions?!
We are also struggling with PCA companies who are not providing their employees with proper PPE. We mutually care for these patients and they are very concerned,
but are afraid to call and complain.
From what I am hearing, the questions and depth of info looked at varies widely, depending on who the surveyor is – but I still am hearing a consistency of a helpful
attitude, not a punitive one, even as they might be letting the agency know they need to up their procedural performance related to COVID-19. I hope that was the case for this provider as well.
Masks are almost always an area of focus since that is tangible, and the state has required agency documentation of self-testing by all staff for a while, so it seems
to me that the surveyor was in line with what I’ve heard from others.
How about the rest of you? Is this consistent with what you are seeing / hearing about?
I just talked with a provider in northern Minnesota who had a surveyor onsite looking at their policies/procedures for Covid-19. They actually had updated the policies in mid-March. The surveyor wanted more recent updates. She also wanted documentation of
the temperature checks, even with field staff. And she asked how they educate staff for cleaning reusable masks and instructions on changing masks between clients. Based on the discussion at our last meeting, it seems she was asking for more information
and documentation.