Weekly Update

 

August 17, 2026

ND Fall Webinar Series CEU extended – per Faye Salzer email, August 11th

 

The 2025 Fall HAI Team Webinar Series CEUs have been extended through July 31, 2027

Each session is a half CEU, for a total of 4 CEUs for the full series.

Please share this with your staff!

 

 

The presentations are located under the “Healthcare-Associated Infections-Education Presentations” tabs at https://www.hhs.nd.gov/health/diseases-conditions-and-immunization/infection-prevention-and-control/ipc-resources

 

 

Breathing Circuit Set Recall: Hamilton Medical Removes Breathing Circuit Set – per Dawn Lehrmann email, August 11th

 

The FDA is aware that Hamilton Medical has issued a letter to affected customers recommending certain coaxial breathing circuit sets used with HAMILTON-C1, HAMILTON T-1, and HAMILTON-MR1 ventilators be removed from where they are used or sold.

 

Hamilton Medical stated that certain lots of coaxial breathing circuit sets preassembled with an expiratory valve set do not perform as intended. In some cases, the expiratory valve membrane adhered to the sealing ring on the body of the expiratory valve, impairing valve opening and expiratory gas flow. The issue is not detected during the pre-operative test of the ventilator unless a test lung is actively ventilated. If the expiratory valve membrane is adhered to the sealing ring, the malfunction appears within the first breaths after ventilation is initiated.

 

When the expiratory gas flow is impeded, the end-expiratory pressure is too high, or the end-expiratory flow is too low. This will trigger the ventilator’s “Exhalation Obstructed” alarm.

 

An obstruction of expiratory flow results in inadequate ventilation and impaired gas exchange. Acute respiratory compromise due to impaired exhalation may result in inadequate ventilation and oxygen desaturation (hypoxemia).

 

As of July 2, Hamilton Medical has reported four serious injuries and no deaths associated with this issue.  Read More

 

 

Study Finds 16% Of Deprescribed Medications Were Restarted Within 90 Days Of Discharge To Skilled Nursing Facility – per Provider Daily, August 12th

 

According to McKnight’s Long-Term Care News (8/12, Stubbs), a recent study published in JAMA Network Open shows “some 16% of medications deprescribed for hospitalized older patients were restarted within 90 days of discharge to a skilled nursing facility.”

 

 

TOPIC: One Lot of Tyenne Injection 400 mg/20 ml Vials by Fresenius Kabi: Recall – Due to Presence of Glass Particles – per Dawn Lehrmann email, August 12th

 

ISSUE: Fresenius Kabi is recalling one lot of Tyenne Injection 400 mg/20 mL vials to the user level. An internal investigation at the firm found the product to contain glass particles.

 

Risk Statement: The administration of an injectable product containing glass particulates may cause local irritation, pain, or swelling at the infusion site, as well as inflammation of the veins. More seriously, glass particles can cause blockage and clotting in blood vessels, which can cut off blood flow to vital organs, lead to a life-threatening blood clot in the lungs (pulmonary embolism) and cause permanent organ damage or death.

 

Product was distributed nationwide to wholesalers, distributors and direct customers.

 

For more information about this recall, click here.

 

 

BACKGROUND: Tyenne Injection is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis who have had an inadequate response to one or more disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs); adult patients with giant cell arteritis; patients 2 years of age and older with active polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis; patients 2 years of age and older with active systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis; adults and pediatric patients 2 years of age and older with chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell-induced severe or life-threatening cytokine release syndrome; and certain hospitalized adult patients with COVID-19.

 

 

RECOMMENDATIONS:

 

  • Patients should contact their physician or health care provider if they have experienced any problems that may be related to receiving this drug product.

 

 

If health care facilities have any of the affected lot, they are to immediately discontinue distributing, dispensing, or using the lot and return all units to Fresenius Kabi.

 

Health care professionals and patients are encouraged to report adverse events or side effects related to the use of these products to the FDA’s MedWatch Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program:

 

  • Complete and submit the report online.
  • Download form or call 1-800-332-1088 to request a reporting form, then complete and return to the address on form, or submit by fax to 1-800-FDA-0178.

 

 

CMS Issues SNF QRP Non-Compliance Letters for FY 2027 – per Capitol Connection, August 12th

 

CMS is notifying skilled nursing facilities that were found to be out of compliance with Skilled Nursing Facility Quality Reporting Program (SNF QRP) requirements for calendar year 2025. Read More

 

 

CDC Alerts Providers to Summer Increase in Cyclosporiasis Cases and Iceberg Lettuce Recall – per Capitol Connection, August 12th

 

As summer continues, the CDC is reminding the public to be aware of cyclosporiasis, an intestinal illness caused by the microscopic parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis. Read More

 

 

CDC Introduces New HAI Outbreak Tool – per Capitol Connection, August 12th

 

Healthcare-associated infection (HAI) outbreaks move fast. CaseTrace, a new CDC resource is now available to help healthcare providers investigate HAI outbreaks faster and minimize potential patient exposures. Read More

 

 

Optimizing Medications for Fall Injury Patients – per Provider Magazine, August 12th

 

An ongoing study is looking at how the days or weeks a patient spends in a SNF after a fall-related fracture are a rare, underutilized opportunity to rethink medications. Read More

 

 

North Dakota opens funding opportunity to improve care coordination for rural residents – per Dawn Lehrmann email, August 13th

 

Bismarck, N.D. (Aug. 13, 2026) – A referral for healthcare or community services only works if a person successfully connects with the help they need. North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS) is investing in a statewide planning effort to make those connections easier and strengthen care coordination for rural North Dakotans.

 

Applications are now open for the Coordinating and Connecting Care funding opportunity through the North Dakota Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP). Approximately $1 million in federal funding is available for a single Year 1 planning grant focused on improving how healthcare providers, community organizations and other partners coordinate services and referrals.

 

The planning effort will bring together rural healthcare providers, community-based and volunteer organizations, patients, payers, tribal partners and other stakeholders to identify what’s working, where gaps exist and how organizations can better communicate and coordinate care across the state.

 

“When someone is referred for help, we want to make it easier for organizations to work together and know that person was actually connected to the care or service they needed,” said HHS Commissioner Pat Traynor. “This is about building a better, more coordinated experience for North Dakotans.”

 

One area the project will explore is a future community information exchange and closed-loop referral system. Such a system could allow authorized organizations to securely send and track referrals and confirm whether people successfully connected with services. The Year 1 grant is for planning only and will not fund implementation of a statewide system.

 

The funding opportunity supports Initiative 3: Bring High-Quality Healthcare Closer to Home, one of four strategic initiatives within the North Dakota Rural Health Transformation Program.

 

Eligible applicants include organizations with experience in areas such as care coordination, health information exchange, community services, interoperability, data governance, stakeholder engagement or statewide planning. Partnerships and consortia may also apply, with an eligible organization designated as the lead applicant.

 

Applications are due by 5 p.m. CT on Aug. 26, 2026. A technical assistance call for prospective applicants will be held from noon to 12:45 p.m. CT on Aug. 12.

 

Additional information, eligibility requirements and application materials are available at https://hhs.nd.gov/rural-health-transformation/funding.

 

View this release online: hhs.nd.gov

 

 

A Simple Shift That Helps Facilities Get Ahead of Falls – per Provider Magazine, August 13th

 

In the best-run facilities, the teams that consistently stay ahead of falls and functional decline are not necessarily doing more. They are paying attention to something different, and they are paying attention to it earlier. Read More

 

 

Nursing Home Operators Welcome CMS Risk-Based Surveys Despite High Eligibility Bar – per Skilled Nursing News, August 14th

 

The nursing home industry has welcomed the risk-based survey approach announced last month by CMS, which rewards high-performing facilities with surveys that take half the time and require fewer surveyors.  Read More

 

 

Immunization Unit Update: Executive Orders, Vaccine Mgmt Update, Imm Champion and More – per Abbi Berg, August 14th

 

IMMUNIZATION UPDATES

 

Presidential Executive Orders

 

Updated Vaccine Management Plan – Required to Update

 

The federal VFC program has made a required change to the Vaccine Management Template used by all VFC enrolled facilities.  The updated template now includes a section for the provider to include a process for obtaining vaccines that are not required to be stocked at all times (COVID-19, Dengue, mpox, PPSV23 and RSV maternal vaccine) for VFC eligible patients.  Providers should update this plan using the new template by October 16th.  VFC coordinators will issue corrective actions at VFC site visits for vaccine management plans using the outdated template after this date.

 

Updated Vaccine Management Plan Template

 

 

Looking for Volunteers to Offer Feedback

 

We are looking for a few healthcare providers to meet with various members of the immunization unit to help us improve programmatic areas like VFC, IQIP and more!  Email vaccine@nd.gov if you’re interested in being a part of this important group.

 

 

New mRNA Influenza Vaccine for Adults Licensed

 

On August 5, FDA licensed a new mRNA influenza vaccine (mFlusiva, Moderna) to prevent influenza disease in people 50 years of age and older.

In clinical trials during the single influenza season studied, mFlusiva showed superior efficacy compared to a standard dose influenza vaccine in people age 50 years and older. It showed superior immunogenicity (laboratory evidence of stronger immune response) compared to a high-dose influenza vaccine in people age 65 years and older. The vaccine clinical trials demonstrated no safety signals of concern, consistent with standard egg-based influenza vaccine. Recipients of mFlusiva reported a higher rate of side effects after vaccination, compared to standard egg-based influenza vaccine, with most being mild or moderate and resolving within 2 days.

 

The new influenza vaccine will not be available this respiratory season through the Vaccines for Adults (VFA) program.