The purpose of this letter is to inform you of changes NHSN made to the data you must report. Below is a summary of significant modifications for the LTCF COVID-19 Manual, which went into effect on November 23, 2020.

Modifications Impacting the Resident Impact and Facility Capacity and Staff and Personnel Impact Pathways:

1. Suspected removed as a data field and no longer a reporting option.
2. Confirmed data field name changed to Positive Tests. This change represents a data field/variable name change only. LTCFs must continue to report based on the current NHSN guidance, which is to count a newly positive SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) viral test result from an antigen or PCR test performed on a resident and/or staff and personnel regardless of test results from additional viral testing.
3. Test Type added as a sub-set of Positive Tests. This additional data field will capture the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) viral test method(s) used. For example, the method used to identify the submitted Positive Test, as well as subsequent viral testing methods and results when performed within two days of the submitted Positive Test.
4. Re-Infections added as a sub-set of Positive Tests.
5. Additional data fields added to capture Influenza and other acute respiratory illness symptoms in presence and absence of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19).

Modifications Impacting the Resident Impact and Facility Capacity pathway only:

1. Removed questions related to COVID-19 viral testing and in-house point-of-care (POC) machines.
2. SARS-CoV-2 testing questions added to capture counts of COVID-19 POC and NON-POC viral tests (POC) performed on residents and staff and personnel. DSHS has updated the state reporting portal questions to mirror the changes NHSN made, for those facilities choosing to use the state portal to report to NHSN. The NHSN questions, including those newly added, will only appear if you have opted to have DSHS share your facility data with DOH for NHSN upload.

See full letter here

Questions?

Contact:

Laura Hofmann, MSN, RN – Director of Clinical and Nursing Facility Regulatory Services
c: 425-231-4804