Infection prevention and control standards in assisted living facilities: are residents' needs being met?
BACKGROUND
Assisted living facilities (ALFs) provide housing and care to persons unable to live independently, and who often have increasing medical needs. Disease outbreaks illustrate challenges of maintaining adequate resident protections in these facilities.


OBJECTIVE
Describe current state laws on assisted living admissions criteria, medical oversight, medication administration, vaccination requirements, and standards for infection control training.


METHODS
We abstracted laws and regulations governing assisted living facilities for the 50 states using a structured abstraction tool. Selected characteristics were compared according to the time period in which the regulation took effect. Selected state health departments were queried regarding outbreaks identified in assisted living facilities.


RESULTS
Of the 50 states, 84% specify health-based admissions criteria to assisted living facilities; 60% require licensed health care professionals to oversee medical care; 88% specifically allow subcontracting with outside entities to provide routine medical services onsite; 64% address medication administration by assisted living facility staff; 54% specify requirements for some form of initial infection control training for all staff; 50% require reporting of disease outbreaks to the health department; 18% specify requirements to offer or require vaccines to staff; 30% specify requirements to offer or require vaccines to residents. Twelve states identified approximately 1600 outbreaks from 2010 to 2013, with influenza or norovirus infections predominating.


CONCLUSIONS
There is wide variation in how assisted living facilities are regulated in the United States. States may wish to consider regulatory changes that ensure safe health care delivery, and minimize risks of infections, outbreaks of disease, and other forms of harm among assisted living residents.
Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA. Electronic address: gvb7@cdc.gov.
Rachel A
RA
Kossover
Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA.
Carolyn J
CJ
Chi
Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA.
Matthew E
ME
Wise
Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA.
Alvin H
AH
Tran
Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA.
Neha D
ND
Chande
Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA.
Joseph F
JF
Perz
D040561:Assisted Living Facilities / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D003284:Contract Services / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000517:prevention & control; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D033161:Government Regulation; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000592:standards*; D007318:Inservice Training / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008004:Licensure / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019221:Mandatory Reporting; D008503:Medical Staff / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013219:State Government; D014481:United States; D014611:Vaccination / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations
Assisted living; health care workers; health care–associated infection; health policy; infection prevention