February Updates:

Free Live Webinar: How SNFs Can Combat Burnout and Improve Nurse Retention
​February 26, 2024
McKnight Long-Term Care News and Inovalon are offering a free podcast-style discussion where actionable tips are presented to address staff burnout and turnover that can be implemented today. This discussion will help identify how — with the right technology in place — SNFs can be best positioned to meet 2024 goals.
Regulated staffing levels are likely to impact quality care scores and reimbursements in SNFs in the future. And with a CMS Minimum Staffing Rule looming on the horizon, SNFs are looking for answers on how to get ahead of the curve.
Among the top strategies to address nurse burnout, many themes continue to stand out: improving communication, increasing flexibility, and supplementing staff.
Learning objectives:

• Identify 3 areas that can be addressed to prevent staff burnout and turnover. 
• Learn how technology can assist SNFs increase staff scheduling efficiency and overall ease of use.
• Identify areas of action where technology can save time and increase accuracy.
• Discuss CMS’s proposed minimum staffing rule and how this likely will impact SNFs.

Speaker: 
Laurie Laxton, RN,BSN,CMAS,CCFA,RAC-CT,IP-BC,QCP, Principal Clinical Trainer at Inovalon.
Register for the Webinar


Meet the CMS Requirement: Virtually Facilitated Tabletop Exercise for Skilled Nursing Facilities
Superior Health Quality Alliance is hosting a series of facilitated, virtual, tabletop exercises with functional elements will meet the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) requirement for one annual, full-scale, community-based exercise. The scenario will focus on a cybersecurity threat with information technology failure, a commonly identified hazard in a facility Hazard Vulnerability Analysis. Participants will be encouraged to take action to test a functional element of their plan, such as testing their communications plan (internal or external), completing the Incident Action Plan Quick Start form, or contacting community partners for clarification on their roles and responsibilities. The exercise will be controlled virtually while participants gather in their own skilled nursing facility with their leadership team and invited community partners.

There are a number of opportunities to attend one of these exercises from now until September 2024. Please share with your skilled-nursing facilities. For more information and registration click the link below. 


​NIST SP 800-66 Rev.2: Implementing the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Security Rule: A Cybersecurity Resource Guide
NIST published the final version of Special Publication (SP) 800-66r2 (Revision 2), Implementing the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Security Rule: A Cybersecurity Resource Guide. This publication, revised in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights, provides guidance for regulated entities (i.e., HIPAA-covered entities and business associates) on assessing and managing risks to electronic Protected Health Information (ePHI), identifies typical activities that a regulated entity might consider implementing as part of an information security program, and presents guidance that regulated entities can utilize in whole or in part to help improve their cybersecurity posture and assist with achieving compliance with the HIPAA Security Rule. 
Dates and Registration


State Plans Available in MIHAN for Review
During 2023 and 2024, the Bureau of Emergency Preparedness, EMS and Systems of Care has been working hard to complete plans and training for Healthcare Coalitions and other partners to use in their own planning and training. Please review the documents in the MIHAN for resources that may be useful.  Currently, all documents are found under “Resource Sharing”, “Operational Guidelines/Plans/Regions”.  Updated documents with their titles are found in the picture below:
Please contact Jessica Gould or Lauren Korte if you have questions about the documents.


Reusable Health Care Textiles for Personal Protective Equipment
March 4 and 5, 2024
The National Academies will host a public workshop to examine opportunities to increase the use of reusable health care textiles (HCTs) for personal protective equipment (PPE) used in health care settings. Technical experts, policy makers, manufacturers, PPE users in health care, and others will have the opportunity to explore the potential benefits and feasibility of integrating more reusable HCTs into health care operations. 
Learn more on the project page.
Register Now


Assessing the Burden and Potential Strategies to Address Antimicrobial Resistance
March 4 and 5, 204
The National Academies Forum on Microbial Threats will host a virtual public workshop to address the development and spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Millions of infections and deaths are associated with AMR annually, including resistant bacterial infections that are the leading causes of neonatal mortality worldwide. But there is a critical need to fully understand and consider how to quantify the impact of AMR throughout medical practice and everyday life, from treating cancer to optimizing food production. Speakers will touch upon current clinical hindrances and economic burdens of AMR, data availability and analytical methods, and emerging scientific breakthroughs. Discussions will reflect on potential new strategies that incorporate these insights to reduce the burden of AMR. Learn more on the event page.
Registration Link


27th Annual Rural Health Conference
April 25 and 26, 2024
The 27th Annual Michigan Rural Health Conference will take place Thursday, April 25, and Friday, April 26 at Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort in Mt. Pleasant. This year's agenda is nearing the final stages, packed with dynamic presenters and programming, to deliver the best Rural Health Conference to date!
View the draft agenda here. 
Register for the Conference


2024 Great Lakes Homeland Security Training, Conference, and Expo - Registration Now Open!
May 7-9, 2024
The 2024 Great Lakes Homeland Security Training, Conference, and Expo will be held May 7 - 9 at the DeVos Place in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  It is hosted in partnership by the Michigan State Police, Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

Plan to attend for a dynamic three-day event packed full of presentations, panel discussions, keynote speakers, and networking as we work to enhance the capabilities of those who protect our homeland. This conference presents an opportunity to choose from 30 breakout sessions, visit over 40 vendors, and to collaborate with more than 1,000 professionals across multiple disciplines including, emergency management, law enforcement, fire, schools, and community health. ​