The balance of prescriptive and dynamic regulatory policies in nursing homes: Lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic
March 23, 2023
IMPACT funded investigator, Sarah Berry, MD, MPH, is among authors that published and article exploring nursing home regulatory policy implications during the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the 1987 the Omnibus Reconciliation Act (OBRA 87) established that governs nursing home (NH) healthcare services. This included establishing federal standards that NHs must follow in order to receive CMS funding, including minimum nursing coverage and periodic medical assessments
The COVID-19 pandemic had a devastating impact on NH residents because of their medical vulnerabilities and congregate settings. Regulations that ensure adequate infection prevention and control practices have been critical in responding to COVID-19, including regulating the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), testing, vaccination, and quarantine procedures. However, regulations were inadequate to prevent the tragic outcomes experienced by many facilities. As the U.S. embarks on a commitment to improve the quality of care provided in all NHs, it is important to reflect on lessons learned from regulations imposed on NHs during the pandemic.
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