Arkansas City PMMA scores well on infection control surveys 2020

Arkansas City Presbyterian Manor received zero deficiencies, or a perfect score, on its focused infection control surveys for health care and assisted living conducted June 23 and July 9.

The Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) conducts nursing home surveys in Kansas on behalf of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The state agency also sets licensing requirements and quality standards for adult care homes, which includes assisted living communities, and conducts adult care home surveys.

The assisted living focused infection control survey is one of more than 160 state licensed adult care home and home plus inspections completed as ordered by the Kansas Legislature in early June. All adult care homes in Kansas will have a focused infection control survey by September 30, 2020.

The health care survey is one of more than 320 nursing home infection control surveys completed so far in Kansas at the direction of CMS. The federal agency, which oversees licensing and quality measures for nursing homes, announced in March that priority would be given to focused infection control surveys and required state surveyors to complete the surveys by July 31, 2020.

“I am so proud of the Arkansas City Presbyterian Manor team. Everyday, our employees live out our mission to provide quality senior services guided by Christian values,” said Sarah Griggs, executive director. “These surveys are proof of the hard work our employees have put in throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Annual surveys for both nursing homes and adult care homes were delayed in an effort to ensure nursing homes and adult care homes were prepared to respond to the threat of disease caused by the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).

Surveyors hone in on a facility’s adherence to Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and CMS guidance for infection control practices to prevent disease at the community. The focused infection control surveys examine the facility’s policies and emergency preparedness related to a pandemic or outbreak.

Communities are assessed on staff and resident education on hand hygiene and coughing/sneezing etiquette, cleaning, screening of employees and residents, effective transmission-based precautions, proper use/discarding of personal protective equipment and signage at entrances and resident rooms.

Senior living communities are surveyed annually by their licensing agencies for compliance of regulations established by KDADS and CMS. These regulations are designed to ensure a standard of care is met. By meeting this standard, senior living communities are able to renew their licenses and continue to provide care.

Arkansas City Presbyterian Manor is a continuing care retirement community (CCRC), or life plan community, offering independent living, assisted living, memory care, long-term health care and short-term rehabilitation.

For more information about Arkansas City Presbyterian Manor, contact Sean Page, marketing director, at 620-442-8700 or spage@pmma.org.

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