Table 3.
Adaptations to restrictions and evaluation of communication with external stakeholders
| Question | N (%) |
| How does your facility address communication between residents and their family/loved ones? | |
| Phone calls | 133/136 (97.8%) |
| Videoconferencing | 131/136 (96.3%) |
| Window visits | 110/136 (80.9%) |
| Other (eg, social media, mail/letters) | 21/136 (15.4%) |
| Does your facility use telemedicine visits? | |
| Yes, and telemedicine was new to our facility with COVID-19 | 82/135 (60.7%) |
| Yes, and telemedicine has been used at our facility in the past | 14/135 (10.4%) |
| No, we do not use telemedicine | 38/135 (28.2%) |
| Don't know | 1/135 (0.7%) |
| Are telemedicine visits by video or telephone? | |
| Video | 41/96 (42.7%) |
| Telephone | 3/96 (3.1%) |
| By both video and telephone | 52/96 (54.2%) |
| How well have your nearby hospitals communicated with your facility on COVID-19? | |
| Communication is very good | 71/136 (52.2%) |
| Communication is fair | 47/136 (34.6%) |
| Communication is poor | 18/136 (13.2%) |
| How well have state and local public health officials communicated with your facility on COVID-19? | |
| Communication is very good | 99/136 (72.8%) |
| Communication is fair | 34/136 (25.0%) |
| Communication is poor | 3/136 (2.2%) |
| How would you describe transfer of a resident with confirmed or possible COVID-19 infection from your facility to the local referral hospital(s)? | |
| Straightforward, uncomplicated, no issues for >90% of transfers | 105/131 (80.2%) |
| Somewhat more difficult to send these residents to the hospital | 19/131 (14.5%) |
| Not at all straightforward, issues with >50% of resident transfers | 7/131 (5.3%) |
| Do you currently have any COVID-19 residents in your facility? | |
| Yes | 47/136 (34.6%) |
| No | 89/136 (65.4%) |
| Does your facility accept NEW residents (not readmits) with confirmed COVID-19 infections? | |
| Yes | 46/136 (33.8%) |
| No | 90/136 (66.2%) |
| Please indicate what has prevented admission to your facility. (check all that apply) | |
| Staffing issues | 23/136 (16.9%) |
| Bed not available | 21/136 (15.4%) |
| Corporate policy not to accept patient | 22/136 (16.2%) |
| Not enough PPE | 20/136 (14.7%) |
| State guidance not to accept patient | 10/136 (7.4%) |
| Other | 38/136 (27.9%) |
| What testing is required before accepting a new resident with unknown COVID status? | |
| One negative COVID test | 47/135 (34.8%) |
| Two negative COVID tests >24 hours apart | 31/135 (23.0%) |
| No testing for COVID required but only accepting asymptomatic patients | 22/135 (16.3%) |
| None, accepting all possible/confirmed COVID patients | 13/135 (9.6%) |
| Other | 22/135 (16.3%) |
| Has your facility created a dedicated COVID unit or wing? | |
| Yes | 105/134 (78.4%) |
| No | 29/134 (21.6%) |