HHS Proposes to Improve Care and Safety for Nursing Homes Residents

HHS Proposes to Improve Care and Safety for Nursing Homes Residents

A proposal announced at the White House Conference on Aging would make major changes to improve the care and safety of the nearly 1.5 million residents in the more than 15,000 long-term care facilities or nursing homes that participate in the Medicare and Medicaid programs. If finalized, unnecessary hospital readmissions and infections would be reduced, quality care increased, and safety measures strengthened for the more than one million residents in these facilities.

One of the many proposed changes includes updating the nursing home’s infection prevention and control program, including requiring an infection prevention and control officer, and an antibiotic stewardship program that includes antibiotic use protocols and a system to monitor antibiotic use.

The recommended reforms have been published in proposed rule CMS–3260–P, in the July 16, 2015 Federal Register:

• Web Link: https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2015/07/16/2015-17207/medicare-and-medicaid-programs-reform-of-requirements-for-long-term-care-facilities
  
• PDF Version: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2015-07-16/pdf/2015-17207.pdf [PDF - 880 KB]

There is a 60 day comment period on the proposed revisions.  To submit a comment, visit www.regulations.gov, enter the ID number CMS–3260–P (with long dashes), and click on “Submit a Comment.”