ACHI LAUNCHES WEBSITE FEATURE TRACKING COVID-19 CASES, DEATHS, VACCINATION RATES IN ARKANSAS NURSING HOMES

LITTLE ROCK ”• The Arkansas Center for Health Improvement on Monday launched a new feature on its website to track COVID-19 cases, deaths, and vaccination rates in Arkansas nursing homes.

ACHI posted the new interactive dashboard to the COVID-19 in Arkansas page on its website at achi.net/covid19. The information in the dashboard is taken from publicly available data on the website of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, as self-reported by Arkansas nursing homes to CMS.

The dashboard is intended to aid families as they seek placement for their loved ones in need of long-term care. It also is intended to help target outreach and education efforts to facilities with low vaccine uptake.

“Nursing homes should join with many Arkansas hospitals in requiring vaccinations among employees,” said ACHI President and CEO Dr. Joe Thompson. “Health care workers need to step up and do the right thing for the protection of the vulnerable Arkansans in their care. And if your loved ones are in jeopardy because of a nursing home with a low vaccination rate, you deserve to know it.”

Some key points:

• Of the 222 Arkansas nursing homes reporting, as of Aug. 1 only 27% had at least 75% of their personnel fully vaccinated.
• Arkansas nursing homes averaged 61% of their health care personnel fully vaccinated, in line with the national average of 60%.
• Ten Arkansas nursing homes have reported that more than 50% of their residents infected with COVID-19 have died:
  • The Waters of West Dixon (Little Rock)
  • Jamestown Nursing and Rehab (Rogers)
  • Chapel Woods Health and Rehabilitation (Warren)
  • Dermott City Nursing Home (Dermott)
  • Allay Health and Rehab (Little Rock)
  • The Waters of Newport (Newport)
  • Fianna Hills Nursing and Rehabilitation Center (Fort Smith)
  • Westwood Health and Rehab (Springdale)
  • Hickory Heights Health and Rehab (Little Rock)
  • Lakewood Health and Rehab (North Little Rock)
• Jamestown Nursing and Rehab, LLC, reported seven COVID-19 deaths among staff and 114 among residents, the most reported at a single facility in Arkansas.
• Some Arkansas nursing homes have been successful in getting high percentages of their residents and health care personnel vaccinated. For example, Colonel Glenn Health and Rehab, LLC, in Little Rock has consistently reported that more than 90% of residents and health care personnel are fully vaccinated, with 95% of residents and 96% of health care personnel reported as fully vaccinated as of Aug. 1.

More information is available on ACHI’s blog.

ACHI is a nonpartisan, independent health policy center that serves as a catalyst for improving the health of all Arkansans through evidence-based research, public issue advocacy, and collaborative program development.

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