National Nursing Home COVID-19 Action Network 

The University of Louisville Trager Institute is a part of the AHRQ ECHO National Nursing Home COVID-19 Action Network.

The initiative is a collaboration between the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Project ECHO and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) to advance improvements in COVID-19 preparedness, safety and infection control in nursing homes. Due to the rising cases within nursing homes, this initiative is currently underway.

Our team at the University of Louisville Trager Institute is participating in the Network as an official training center for nursing homes. We will serve as a virtual community of practice for nursing home staff to engage with experts and their peers and share cases for real-time discussion and advice.

We know that nursing home staff and professionals are dedicated to providing high-quality, safe care for residents in their facilities. Nursing home staff members who care for our seniors are among the most needed and most at-risk essential workers. Participating in the network provides nursing homes with practical information, skills and resources needed to protect both residents and staff from the virus.

Any Medicare or Medicaid-certified nursing home is eligible to participate at no cost.

Nursing homes that actively participate in the Network will receive $6,000 in compensation in recognition of the staff time involved. This reimbursement is available to those eligible to receive funding from the Provider Relief Fund and that have agreed to its terms and conditions. The vast majority of nursing homes are eligible. A Quality Improvement Certificate will also be issued to participating nursing homes to position them for a portion of the $2 billion provider relief funding incentive.

Registrations for the National Nursing Home COVID-19 Action Network are now closed.

Additional details and information:

Broadly, the Network aims to address the following goals:

• Keep the virus from entering nursing homes where it has not entered
• Identify residents and staff who have been infected with the virus early
• Prevent the spread of the virus between staff, residents and visitors
• Provide safe and appropriate care to residents with mild and asymptomatic cases
• Ensure staff have the knowledge, skills and confidence to implement best-practice safety measures to protect residents and themselves
• Reduce social isolation for residents, families, and staff during these difficult times

Network sessions will run for 16 weeks and use the ECHO model – an “all teach, all learn” methodology developed around case-based learning and active engagement. ECHO’s virtual guided practice approach has gained significant traction both nationally and globally as a core learning strategy for education and training in healthcare.

Between 2 - 4 members of your institution can participate on your team.

At the University of Louisville Trager Institute, we have assembled an experienced team of experts to help facilitate this community of practice and support participating nursing homes in areas of safety and quality improvement (QI). Our team includes:

Anna C. Faul, Project Director

Laura Morton, Nursing Home MD Specialist

Ruth Carrico, Infectious Disease Specialist