The Jewish Healthcare Foundation (JHF) is launching the newly formed Pennsylvania Long-Term Care Learning Network for Nursing Facilities in collaboration with the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) and several managed care organization partners.
The statewide virtual learning network includes the three managed care organizations of the Pennsylvania CommunityHealth Choices Program: UPMC Health Plan, PA Health and Wellness, and Amerihealth Caritas/Keystone. Their work will advance and support the DHS strategic quality incentive program for nursing facilities.
As lead educator, JHF will create a series of webinars that will address 11 core components of the strategic quality incentive program, including reducing hospitalizations; emergency visits; and improving public health knowledge and practices. JHF will supplement webinars with active communities on the online platform Tomorrow's HealthCare™, as well as quarterly learning network meetings that will provide a deeper dive into some topics. JHF will also staff an operations committee to support the program and an education committee to identify the best speakers and best practice models for the nursing facilities.
DHS intends to form an advisory for the learning network, consisting of associations and agencies that support nursing facilities. DHS' work is led by David Kelley, MD, MPA, chief medical officer of the Office of Medical Assistance Programs; Lawrence Appel, MD, SFHM, medical director of the Office of Long-Term Living; and Wilmarie Gonzalez, MSM, bureau director of the Bureau of Quality Assurance & Program Analytics in the Office of Long-Term Living. JHF is grateful for their partnership in this initiative.
This learning network builds on years of work between JHF and DHS to bring timely and reliable education to the leadership and frontline in nursing facilities across Pennsylvania. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, state leaders recognized the value of creating a consistent, forum-based opportunity for nursing facilities to receive updates on best practices and to learn about quality improvement from one another, and from regional, state, and national experts. Efforts shifted during the pandemic to address urgent technical support needs through the Regional Response Health Collaboratives Program, for which JHF served as lead educator. The JHF Aging Team developed the capacity to create and deliver webinars on a range of topics directly focused on long-term care staff and residents' needs, as well as a companion online portal on Tomorrow's HealthCare™. In addition, the JHF Aging Team will bring their experience in long-term care content areas, from their work in Dementia Friends Pennsylvania and end-of-life and palliative care programs.
The first webinar for nursing facilities in the learning network will be held March 3rd.