Arthur B. Hodges Center at Edgewood Summit New Testing Requirements

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) along with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is implementing new practices to strengthen infection control practices in nursing homes based upon the knowledge acquired to date.  The new requirements are twofold and focused upon Training and Testing.

New Training for all Employees is targeting frontline Employees and Management.  The teachings have incorporated lessons learned, best practices and findings of the epidemiological experts.  The targeted training will cover 15 total modules (5 for frontline Employees and 10 for Management) and will be available on-line.  Edgewood Summit will be making Employees aware of who will be required to complete the training, when it will take place and any changes to our policies and practices as a result.

The second focus is on Nursing Home Testing for Employees, privately employed Caregivers, and Family who are providing direct care or end of life emotional support who are visiting Residents in person.  The testing Edgewood Summit has done thus far had been based upon symptoms or exposure to COVID-19 and when mandated to test as a screening tool and based upon travel criteria.  The new requirements are related to screening of asymptomatic individuals and those without known exposure on a frequency which is based upon the community spread of positive cases within the county.  For example, if Kanawha County has a positive number of cases below 5 percent in a specified period, then the frequency of testing for Employees, Caregivers and Family providing direct and end of life care in the Hodges Center would be monthly.  The following information represents the new Testing Strategy Criteria.

Testing Frequency

If County Positives COVID Cases are:                   Frequency

Less than 5%                                                             Monthly

5% to 10%                                                                 Weekly

Greater than 10%                                                   Twice per Week

Compliance with training and testing is required and therefore mandatory for the Hodges Center.  Edgewood Summit thanks you in advance for your cooperation with this endeavor and your continued support with wearing masks, social distancing, hand hygiene and disinfecting.  Our goal remains on safety for our Residents, Employees, Caregivers and Family members.  With the close of August, Edgewood Summit can be grateful for six (6) consecutive months of no positive cases within our Community.  As the prevalence of positive COVID-19 cases continues to rise, we must remain vigilant, hopeful and dedicated to our tasks.  We owe our success to all of you and the results of our combined efforts.

If you fall in one of the above categories, testing will be done by appointment on Tuesday, September 1st during the times of 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and then 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.  Contact Sarah Page at 304-720-2740 to schedule an appointment.

Thank you.  We will provide additional information as it becomes available.

Diane Gouhin

Executive Director