Nursing homes are ground zero for the COVID-19 pandemic. Nursing homes are ill-equipped for the pandemic; though facilities are required to have infection control staff, only 3% have taken a basic infection control course. Significant research has focused on infection control in the acute care setting. However, little is known about the implementation of practices and effective interventions in long-term care facilities.The investigators propose an intervention utilizing Project ECHO, an evidence-based telehealth model, to connect Penn State University experts with remote nursing home staff and administrators to proactively support evidence-based infection control guideline implementation. Our study seeks to answer the critical research question of how evidence-based infection control guidelines can be implemented effectively in nursing homes
The investigators will recruit 200 nursing homes with approximately 24,560 residents from
across the United States through collaborations with our stakeholders. Nursing homes will be
randomized to one of two arms: 1) AHRQ-funded COVID-19 ECHO that includes 16 weekly
telehealth sessions addressing COVID-19 guidelines and best practices or 2) AHRQ-funded
COVID-19 ECHO plus an additional 9 sessions with a focus on CDC infection control training.
Randomization will be stratified by characteristics of nursing homes to ensure balance among
the two trial groups, including size (number of beds),geographic location, and current
COVID-19 infection rate. Patient-centered outcomes (nursing home residents with COVID-19
infections, hospitalizations, deaths, and QOL) will be assessed at baseline, 4, 6, 12, and 18
months. Our study is guided by the RE-AIM framework to critically evaluate both effectiveness
and implementation outcomes of the proposed intervention. The RE-AIM framework is frequently
utilized to improve sustainable adoption and implementation of effective, generalizable,
evidence-based interventions like Project ECHO.
Other: Project ECHO
Project ECHO utilizes case-based, collaborative learning to support discussion of learners' challenges and barriers to guideline implementation. This differentiates ECHO from traditional learning and facilitates rapid dissemination of medical knowledge and increased capacity to deliver best-practice care.studying innovative approaches.
Inclusion Criteria for Facilities Skilled Nursing Facility in United States Access to
computer or electronic device
Exclusion Criteria for Facilities Previously participated in Project ECHO COVID-19 series
either through Penn State or another institution
Penn State College of Medicine, Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States
Investigator: Jennifer L Kraschnewski, MD, MPH
Contact: 717-531-0003
jkraschnewski@hmc.psu.edu
Investigator: Jennifer L Kraschnewski, MD, MPH
Jennifer Kraschnewski
717-531-7778
jkraschnewski@pennstatehealth.psu.edu
Erica Francis
efrancis@psu.edu
Jennifer Kraschnewski, Principal Investigator
Penn State College of Medicine