OHCA Oregon Caregiver Spring Summer 2020

www.ohca.com SPRING/SUMMER 2020 The Oregon Caregiver 19 DATA & RESEARCH 2.Emphasize transparency. Transparency is essential in establishing trust so that data is shared in an accurate and timely manner. Any source of data should provide the methods they use to collect and analyze their data and allow independent verification of the results. Data is useless if you do not trust the source. 3. Ensure that those sharing data will be free from punishment. To ensure transparency, sharing data without fear of punishment must be the standard. To that end, Oregon long term care providers and DHS have done an excellent job of working together to provide information on confirmed cases in a timely manner. According to a recent Kaiser Family Foundation report, at the time of publication Oregon is one of only nine states that is publicly reporting comprehensive COVID-19 data at the facility level, whereas many states are reporting county-level statistics only. Some states are not reporting any long term care specific data at all. The key to a successful public health response is accurate data obtained in a timely manner. These data afford public health officials, providers, and policymakers the tools to respond. They allow for measuring the impact of the steps taken to reduce the spread of infection, the tracking of progress, and they inform the decision-making process for next steps. 4. Context is Key. Context is essential for understanding what the data are telling us. Oregon’s long term care system offers a good case in point. According to DHS, as of May 28, 16 licensed long term care facilities in Oregon had confirmed cases of COVID-19. This means 98% of all 670 assisted living, residential care, memory care, and nursing facilities licensed in Oregon are free of COVID-19. Any death or confirmed case of COVID-19—be it a resident or a member of staff—is a tragedy with direct implications for the individual’s loved ones. This cannot be overstated. But the wider context that most buildings are virus free and that care continues uninterrupted to 98% of all 670 assisted living, residential care, memory care, and nursing facilities licensed in Oregon are free of COVID-19. CONTINUES »