A new directive from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services addresses the lack of federal guidance for longterm care facilities on Legionnaires' Disease, according to an article on the McKnight's website.
Nineteen percent of all Legionnaires' disease (LD) outbreaks are LTC related.
“Requirement to Reduce Legionella Risk in Healthcare Facility Water Systems to Prevent Cases and Outbreaks of Legionnaires' Disease” was published in June
The absence of any federal directive has been problematic as healthcare providers were left on their own to identify the potential issues involved and sort through often conflicting possible approaches to address the issue, the article said.