This bill amends current infection control regulations for long-term care facilities in New Jersey, specifically addressing the requirements for outbreak response plans and the qualifications of infection preventionists. It mandates that long-term care facilities develop customized outbreak response plans within 180 days, which must include protocols for isolating and cohorting infected residents, notifying stakeholders during outbreaks, and monitoring for communicable diseases. The bill also requires annual training exercises and updates to the outbreak response plans, ensuring they remain effective and compliant with health regulations.

Key amendments include the removal of the requirement for a physician with an infectious disease fellowship to be part of the infection prevention and control committee, and the introduction of new qualifications for infection preventionists, such as certification under specific federal programs. Additionally, the infection preventionist is now limited to serving on no more than five committees and is allowed to perform other duties when not engaged in infection prevention tasks. The bill also emphasizes the committee's responsibility for developing training curricula and monitoring compliance with infection control policies, while eliminating a previous provision related to hiring timelines for infection preventionists.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 26:2H-12.87