NHSN New Capabilities for LTC, HCW Flu Vaccination, Electronic Submission of Dialysis Events

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announces new National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) capabilities for the following:

Dialysis Events Easing Time and Effort to Enter Data

NHSN is now able to accept Dialysis Event numerator and denominator data electronically via a Clinical Document Architecture (CDA) file import.  This electronic reporting capability will help to ease the time and effort burden of manual data entry for NHSN users. Dialysis facilities that are interested in reporting to NHSN using the CDA import should work with their parent organizations or electronic medical record software vendors to create properly formatted CDA files that can be submitted to NHSN. Questions about electronic reporting to NHSN via CDA can be sent to the NHSN CDA help desk at nhsncda@cdc.gov

Long-Term Care Facility Component

NHSN released a new tracking component allowing nursing homes and other long-term care facilities to monitor healthcare-associated infections. The new NHSN component allows facilities to track Clostridium difficile, drug-resistant infections such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), urinary tract infections, and healthcare worker adherence to basic infection control procedures including hand hygiene and glove and gown use.  NHSNs long-term care facility component is ideal for use by: nursing homes, skilled nursing facilities, chronic care facilities, and assisted living and residential care facilities.  To access or enroll your facility in NHSNs long-term care component, see CDCs website: http://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/LTC/index.html

Healthcare Worker Influenza Vaccination

Acute care hospitals participating in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting Program will be required to submit summary data on influenza vaccination of healthcare personnel via NHSN beginning on Jan. 1, 2013 for the 2012-2013 influenza season. Hospitals will be asked to report vaccinations received by healthcare personnel at the facility, vaccinations received outside the facility, medical contraindications and declinations. Data must be reported for all payroll employees, licensed independent practitioners (who are physicians, advanced practice nurses, and physician assistants affiliated with the hospital but not on payroll), and students, trainees, and volunteers age 18 or older. Only healthcare personnel physically working in the facility for at least 30 days between Oct. 1 and March 31 should be counted. Acute-care hospitals planning to report healthcare worker influenza vaccination summary data should refer to the operational guidance. The new Healthcare Personnel Influenza Vaccination Summary protocol, report form, and table of instructions are now posted on the HPS Vaccination Module page: http://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/hps_Vacc.html