Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf announces that the Department of Health signed a contract this week with ECRI Institute to guide the COVID-19 response for long-term care facilities.

“It’s imperative that the state do all that we can to protect all Pennsylvanians, but especially those most vulnerable to COVID-19, and so the Department of Health made the right decision to enlist experts in the field of infection control to help protect those in the state’s long-term care facilities,” says Governor Wolf.

Specifically, ECRI will provide individualized infection control and prevention assistance to long-term care facilities in Pennsylvania as the pandemic continues. ECRI’s experienced patient safety and infection control staff will be on-call 12 hours a day, weekdays. They will coordinate with the Department Operations Center who is currently providing support to those working in coronavirus response. ECRI will also help the department evaluate personal protective equipment (PPE) and research different ways to maximize available resources.

“ECRI is focused on keeping residents, patients, and healthcare workers safe as the coronavirus pandemic spreads. Vulnerable populations, like long-term care residents, are increasingly in harm’s way,” says Marcus Schabacker, MD, PhD, president and CEO, ECRI.

As part of its mission to advance effective, evidence-based healthcare globally, ECRI developed a public-access COVID-19 Resource Center to help hospitals, ambulatory care, and aging care facilities protect healthcare workers, residents, and patients. The site includes infection control guidance, medical device guidance on PPE, ventilators, and infusion therapies, and clinical evidence assessments on coronavirus-related treatments, therapies, and interventions.