Currently submitted to: JMIR Preprints
Date Submitted: Feb 7, 2021
Open Peer Review Period: Feb 7, 2021 - Jan 23, 2022
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DATA QUALITY IN SKILLED NURSING FACILITIES THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND INFODEMIC: An Evaluation Study
ABSTRACT
Background:
The incidence of COVID-19 cases and deaths in Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs) has garnered tremendous attention across all media. Data verification weaknesses in the reporting systems of public agencies have become magnified by the devastating impact of COVID-19. The result is a COVID-19 infodemic, i.e., “deliberate attempts to disseminate wrong information to undermine the public health response and advance alternative agendas of groups or individuals.” Nonsensical and misleading reports have been submitted to public gatekeepers by Los Angeles County SNFs. The scale of confounding reports suggests intention to mask failure in the management of COVID-19 infections and deaths risk to patients and staff.
Objective:
Our aim was to evaluate the extent to which COVID-19 data reported by SNFs has contributed to the COVID-19 infodemic.
Methods:
This evaluation covered 22 consecutive weeks of SNF data reported to the California Department of Public Health from May 24 through October 24, 2020. We reviewed COVID-19 outcomes reported by 350 Los Angeles County (LAC) SNFs (90.7% of all LAC SNFs). We examined COVID-19 cases and deaths for SNF residents and staff for logical continuity.
Results:
We found illogical reported outcomes for COVID-19 cases and deaths for residents and staff in LAC SNFs.
Conclusions:
Misleading data misleads regulators and the public regarding the true impact of COVID-19 for SNF residents and staff. We propose the implementation of an integrated reporting model is needed to mitigate inaccuracies and establish a new standard for data verification.
Citation
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