Nursing homes have until today to sign up for a free service linking health experts with staff at the long-term care facilities.
Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) is offered through the University of Kansas Health System and KU Medical Center to assist long-term care facilities with information and training. Training is online.
According to Dr. Shawna Wright, licensed psychologist at KU Medical Center, about a fourth of all COVID-19 patients have been in nursing facilities, which has put a strain on already overworked staff.
This program teaches the best practices and best ways to implement rules sent out by different governing agencies. The program also has a technical support staff to help nursing facilities with broadband connection problems.
Nursing home administrators and those who work in the homes may call 913-588-2226 for information and registration. The home has to register in order for employees to participate.
Dr. Jessica Kalendar-Rich, who is one of the experts advising nursing facilities, said the facilities don’t always know how to handle all of the available information and she helps take the regulations and put them into practice to improve conditions for residents.
Dr. Kalendar-Rich, national member of the Coronavirus Commission for Safety and Quality, said the basics of infection prevention can keep residents safe but many times the problem is staff who unknowingly bring the virus into the facility from the community.
For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/kuhospital/videos/4752294311479704.