National Academy of Medicine Perspective Article and Webinar Recording: Reimagining Nursing Homes in the Wake of COVID-19

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The National Academy of Medicine (NAM) has published a commentary, "Reimagining Nursing Homes in the Wake of COVID-19." A related virtual conversation with Terry Fulmer and Christopher F. Koller was held on September 30.

The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected nursing home residents, and even prior to COVID-19, the quality of nursing home care has long been a critical issue. There is general agreement that America’s nursing homes are not designed, operated, or funded to deal effectively with infectious disease epidemics, and their staff are often too few in number and inadequately paid, protected, and trained.

Authored by JAHF president Terry T. Fulmer, Christopher F. Koller and John W. Rowe, the new NAM Perspectives commentary suggests that a potential reimagining of American nursing homes could include matching patients with specifics needs with appropriate care models, increasing training and payment for the skilled nursing staff in these facilities, and restructuring the financing and payment structures that support these facilities.

The Q & A webinar featured two of the co-authors and was moderated by Noam Levey of The Los Angeles Times.

To watch the webinar recording, click here.
To go to the webinar slides, click here.
To read the commentary, click here.
To read the press release, click here.