A Better Future IPCWell is advocating to improve patient outcomes in nursing facilities BY KAMALA KIRK Since the COVID-19 crisis, approximately one-third of all coronavirus-related deaths in the United States have been nursing home residents or workers. But even prior to the pandemic—for decades—nursing homes were severely lagging in infection-prevention standards. After working in hospital and health care settings for more than 20 years, Buff y Lloyd-Krejci founded IPCWell in 2017 to advocate for a better future for nursing homes and to reduce the rate of infections. “This is my platform and mission,” she says. “What the public doesn’t realize is that before the pandemic, approximately 1,000 nursing home residents were dying every day as a result of serious infections, such as pneumonia and UTIs. Nursing facilities have become coronavirus hotspots due to their density and close proximity between residents and workers. The biggest challenge is when workers go into the community and then return to the facility, bringing the virus in. Nursing homes also don’t have the supplies they need to care for these types of sicknesses. It sets up an impossible situation.” While working with more than 500 nursing homes in four states for a national pilot study in 2016 for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Lloyd-Krejci discovered the infection-control practices in nursing homes were nearly nonexistent. This inspired her to start IPCWell to provide much-needed resources and support to these facilities. “Since 2011, hospitals have been required to report their infections,” Lloyd-Krejci points out. “But there’s no federal mandate for nursing homes, so these infections go unreported. Just recently, the CDC and CMS started requiring nursing facilities to report COVID-19 infections, which is a step in the right direction. It is my hope that after the pandemic ends, these places will continue to make infection tracking and control a priority. Without proper tracking, measuring and reporting, we will not know the true extent of infections and how to solve the problem. A lot of these infections can be www.LovinLife.com
ship programs,” she says. “Once they begin to track infections, we’ll be able to monitor and see them go down based on the implementation of these practices. Because hospitals report their public data, they’re forced to work on these issues in order to maintain a good reputation. As consumers, we make decisions based on how many infections a nursing home has—no one wants to go to a facility with a high infection rate.” During COVID-19, IPCWell continues to offer support for clients and holds weekly calls for the nursing homes and critical access hospitals with which it works. In addition, it hosts free monthly national webinars that cover various infection-control topics Buff y Lloyd-Krejci founded IPCWell in 2017 to advocate for a better and has started offering weekfuture for nursing homes and to reduce the rate of infections. ly “Office Hours” on Thursdays (Photo courtesy Buff y Lloyd-Krejci) where it answers questions and prevented if better practices are imple- provides guidance for coronavirus-related challenges and solutions. It has also mented.” IPCWell visits different health care set- launched a new advocacy group to suptings and nursing facilities to conduct an port health care settings that anyone can assessment of the infection control pro- sign up to join—even those not working grams that are in place, examining every- in health care. “I’m passionate about helping and thing from the food and environmental services to hand hygiene. It helps bridge supporting those that don’t always have the gap and create solutions for bet- a voice,” she says. “I want to prevent unter infection-control practices, working necessary harm and death by creating with the facilities over time to train their change in this industry that will help supstaff, develop and implement policies as port our vulnerable patients and health well as antibiotic stewardship. Its clients care workers.” For more information, visit ipcwell. include nursing homes, critical access hospitals, acute surgical centers for out- com. patients, and small hospitals in rural areas that lack resources. “The places we work with tell us all the time that spending a day with us is like having a year’s worth of training,” Lloyd-Krejci shares. The Hospital Improvement Innovation Network (HIIN) has created measures that successfully reduce the number of infections in hospitals—and Lloyd-Krejci wants the same for nursing homes and other health care settings. “A lot of these infections can be prevented if they implement good practices such a hand hygiene, environmental cleaning and strong antibiotic steward-
Get your copy today!
Hon-Dah Resort Casino & Conference Center
Come play our 50 new Slot Machines 11th Annualthe White Mountain Bike Rally including Walking Dead!
Friday June 26th & Saturday June 27th, 2020 On Site Registration: Friday 4pm - 8pm Saturday Starting at 8am $20 per rider -$10 per passenger
This is a rain or shine event Poker Run on Saturday with $3,000. in prize money Bike Show on Saturday with $3,000. in prize money
After a day of exploring the High Country, hiking,
Gardens Give Aways boating or fishing, come in from theBeer outdoors and
play in our 24 hour Casino on 800 plus “HOT” 800-Way-Up-Hi slot machines or try your- 928-369-0299 hand at live Blackjack 777orHighway 260 - 3a Miles S of Pinetop www.hon-dah.com Poker. Enjoy meal from Indian -Pines Restaurant and re-energize in the Timbers Lounge with live entertainment 6 days a week. After a fun filled day, relax in our heated outdoor pool or hot tub. Dream of your next adventure in one of our 128 oversized Hotel rooms. Bring your RV to the Park in theID White MustLARGEST showRVMilitary orMountains. DD214 Now with over 500 spaces.
Free Lunch Buffet for a Veteran plus 1 11am until 3pm
Reserve your spot in the largest RV Park on the Mountain with over On Friday September 28, 2018 Hon-Dah500 Resort Casino & Conference Center RV spaces.
will host the The Run to the Pines pre-car show.
There will be a parade of pre-1970 vehicles. In the evening there will be a BBQ dinner, entertainment and giveaways. Open to the public. The BBQ dinner is hosted by the Run to the Pines Car Club.
Located at 777 Highway 260 3 miles Located at 777 south Highway 260,of3 miPinetop, les south of PinAz etop, Az For more information go to For more information go to “Hon-Dah.com” www.hon-dah.com or cal1-800-929-8744 l 800-Way Up Hi (800-929-8744) 928-369-0299 JUNE 2020
|
13
