Candace Kim and Michi Yukawa are part of the AHRQ ECHO National Nursing Home COVID-19 Action Network

Drs. Candace Kim and Michi Yukawa have been meeting with their cohort of 30-35 nursing homes every Tuesday for 90 minutes since December.  They use a standardized curriculum developed by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement.  They provide training and mentorship through the Project ECHO  model of tele-mentoring to reach nursing homes in the Central Valley and beyond.  The goal is to teach evidence-based safety practices to protect residents and staff in these nursing homes from COVID-19. Some of the topics covered to date include COVID testing, cohorting and separating different zones based on COVID test status, infection control (PPE use, cleaning & disinfection) and vaccination. After the formal didactic session, Drs. Kim and Yukawa answer questions from the participants.