Infection control updates from CMS

This article was originally published by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on 8 April 2020.

CMS issued a series of updates focused on infection control to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in a variety of inpatient and outpatient are settings. The updated guidance is designed to help hospitals and care facilities expand capacity to isolate and treat patients infected with COVID-19.

The update, based on guidance from the CDC, helps ensure infection control in the following contexts:

• Patient triage, screening and treatment settings
• Usage of alternative testing and treatment sites as well as telehealth
• Drive-through screenings
• Cleaning and disinfection guidelines in care settings

The update is timely for dialysis facilities and are designed to protect patients with immunocompromised conditions who are more susceptible to complications from COVID-19. These temporary changes allow facilities to treat patients with COVID-19 in separate locations in order to protect those who are not currently infected. The updated guidance relating to dialysis facilities includes:

• Usage of home dialysis training and support services for patients
• Creation of special-purpose renal dialysis facilities to isolate vulnerable or infected patients

Stay up-to-date with CMS guidance here.  

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