Fall 2021 Changes to NHSN COVID-19 Vaccination Reporting

The National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) has announced changes that will be coming to NHSN in the fall of 2021, regarding the reporting of COVID-19 vaccinations by nursing facilities.  The changes that will be made to the Health Care Personnel COVID-19 Vaccination Cumulative Summary include:

• Current health care personnel categories will no longer be collected.  The new categories will include:
  • ​Employees on facility payroll;
  • ​​Licensed independent practitioners (physicians, nurse practitioners, etc.);
  • Adult students/trainees and volunteers (non-employees aged 18+); and
  • Other contract personnel (contracted staff who do not fall into any other category).
• Question #3.2 (offered but declined) and question #3.3 (unknown COVID-19 vaccination status) will be required.
• Question #4 COVID-19 Vaccine supply is now optional.

These changes are not yet effective, but nursing facilities are encouraged to watch for the monthly reporting plan form and a table of instructions document that will be available this fall.  Facilities can also begin to develop tracking mechanisms based on the new health care personnel categories.

IHCA/INCAL will update you when these changes are expected to become live, and the CDC will be conducting training webinars this fall based on the changes.  In the meantime, any questions may be directed to NHSN@cdc.gov​ with the subject line “COVID-19 Vaccination Data Reporting.”