CMS announced a targeted approach to provide additional resources to nursing homes in Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) hotspot areas. Specifically, CMS plans to:

• Deploy Quality Improvement Organizations (QIOs) across the country to provide immediate assistance to nursing homes in the hotspot areas as identified by the White House Coronavirus Task Force
• Implement an enhanced survey process tailored to meet the specific concerns of hotspot areas and coordinate federal, state, and local efforts to leverage all available resources to these facilities

The purpose of these efforts is to target facilities with known infection control issues by providing resources and support that will help them improve quality and safety and protect vulnerable Americans. This is part of the Administration’s ongoing efforts to protect the health and safety of nursing home residents across the country during the public health emergency.

For more information, visit the QIO website. See the full text of this excerpted CMS News Alert (issued July 10).