Complete Story
03/21/2024
New Guidance to Surveyors on Enhanced Barrier Precautions
Today, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released new guidance to state survey agencies and long term care (LTC) facilities on the use of enhanced barrier precautions (EBP) to align with nationally accepted standards. CMS’ QSO-24-08-NH memo highlights the following:
- EBP recommendations now include use of EBP for residents with chronic wounds or indwelling medical devices during high-contact resident care activities regardless of their multidrug-resistant organism status.
- The new guidance related to EBP is being incorporated into F880 Infection Prevention and Control.
CMS states that facilities have discretion in using EBP for residents who do not have a chronic wound or indwelling medical device and are infected or colonized with an MDRO that is not currently targeted by CDC.
The memo includes the full regulatory language added to F880, including the surveyor guidance. A table on implementing contact versus enhanced barrier precautions is also included. CMS has defined high-contact resident care activities and guidance on what activities would generally not warrant the use of PPE for someone on EBP.
CMS will update associated survey documents which will be found under the “Survey Resources” link in the Downloads Section of the CMS Nursing Homes webpage and will also be added to the Long-Term Care Survey Process software application. For questions on this new guidance please email Stephanie DeWees at sdewees@leadingageohio.org.