The Health & Human Services (HHS) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) released a report on August 20 detailing results of an audit examining nursing homes’ compliance with Infection Preventionist requirements. The report found that of the 100 for-profit nursing homes that were audited from July 2021 – June 2022, 24% failed to provide sufficient evidence of compliance with requirements to designate as Infection Preventionist at least one qualified individual who has completed specialized training.

Specifically, 17 nursing homes in the sample failed to provide sufficient evidence that the Infection Preventionist completed specialized infection prevention and control training prior to assuming the role and seven nursing homes failed to provide sufficient evidence that an individual was designated as Infection Preventionist throughout the duration of the audit period. Based on these results, OIG estimates that 2,568 for-profit nursing homes nationwide may have been noncompliant with Infection Preventionist requirements during the audit period.

OIG recommended that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) follow up with the identified nursing homes to ensure corrective action has been taken toward compliance and that CMS encourage state survey agencies to focus oversight on verifying that nursing homes have designated an individual to serve as Infection Preventionist and that Infection Preventionist completed specialized training prior to filling the position. CMS concurred with these recommendations.

LeadingAge encourages members to conduct internal audits to ensure compliance with Infection Preventionist requirements. Requirements can be reviewed at 42 CFR §483.80(b). Recall that CMS provides free, online Infection Preventionist training through the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC). It is recommended that more than one qualified individual in the nursing home complete this training to ensure compliance with requirements in the event of turnover or extended leave of the individual designated as Infection Preventionist.