UPMC's senior living facilities have no confirmed cases of COVID-19, according to two UPMC doctors.

The Pittsburgh-based hospital network provided an update on steps being taken to prevent nursing home coronavirus cases Thursday, the same day U.S. Rep Conor Lamb, D-17th, called for a federal investigation into a Beaver County nursing home that has seen more than 60 of its residents die of the disease.

The day also saw the introduction of state legislation by Speaker of the House Mike Turzai, R-28th, that would take a collaborative, regional approach to the operation of nursing facilities across the state.

[naviga:h3]UPMC touts success at keeping seniors safe[/naviga:h3]

Nearly 3,000 senior citizens live in the more than 30 UPMC nursing homes in the region.

“Tragically, many long-term care residences have not had UPMC's success in preventing COVID-19 infection. These residents have been transferred to our hospitals for care, and we have seen, firsthand, how devastating this illness can actually be for them,” said Dr. David A. Nace, chief medical officer of UPMC Senior Communities.

As of Thursday, the Pennsylvania Department of Health reported 3,416 deaths in the commonwealth due to COVID-19. Of those, 2,355 deaths — 69 percent of the overall total — involved individuals who either lived or worked at nursing homes, according to state data.

So far, only six Butler County nursing facilities report a total of 23 cases among residents and employees, with just two deaths.

“We must learn from these deaths, and we are. We know that protecting the elderly is a critically important component of safely opening society. UPMC is sharing what we've learned so that other long-term care facilities in our regions and nationwide can replicate our success and prevent untimely deaths,” Nace added.

Nace said the network managed to keep its risks low by looking at the “left flank” — that is, nursing homes in Ohio — and seeing that nursing homes appeared to be a breeding grounds for the virus.

Nace elaborated that UPMC implemented safety measures to prevent contagion in its senior-living facilities due to what it saw in other nursing homes around the country.

He further expressed confidence none of UPMC's nursing homes have a coronavirus case as a result of both negative tests and that the facilities are not clusters of COVID-19. Nace said in a facility such as a nursing home, once a patient is infected it spreads like wildfire, calling the likelihood of just a single infected patient unlikely. That widespread transmission hasn't been seen, he added.

[naviga:h3]Congressman pushing federal investigation[/naviga:h3]

UPMC's announcement came on the heels of a letter issued by Lamb, whose district includes parts of Cranberry Township, in direct response to the COVID-19 cluster at Brighton Rehabilitation and Wellness Center. The facility in neighboring Beaver County is the site of the state's worst nursing home outbreak, claiming more than 60 lives since the start of the pandemic.

In addition to pushing for an investigation by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Lamb also called on the federal agency to determine whether the residents are being protected, additional personnel from federal agencies or the National Guard are needed, or access to more personal protective equipment and testing supplies would help the facility better contain the outbreak.

“The dangers posed by COVID-19 are bad enough. It is simply unacceptable that the threat to the residents of Brighton was made worse by lax oversight, especially after more than 60 members of this community had died,” Lamb wrote.

Earlier this week, Lamb was joined by Rep. Mike Doyle, R-18th, in urging the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to implement additional oversight of nursing homes and senior care facilities nationwide during the COVID-19 pandemic.

[naviga:h3]New legislation looks toward collaboration[/naviga:h3]

Also introduced Thursday at the state level was legislation by Pennsylvania Speaker of the House Mike Turzai, R-28th, aimed at establishing a framework for nursing facility operations.

According to a press release issued by Turzai, the legislation would establish a public-private-partnership approach of regional health system collaboratives that would oversee personnel, protocols, testing and expenditures at nursing facilities.

As part of the newly-introduced legislation, Turzai asked UPMC experts to develop a prototype for southwest Pennsylvania, as well as a construct for the entire state. The press release went on to say the legislation will provide an appropriation of $500 million from Pennsylvania's allotment of $3.9 billion in COVID-19 money from the federal government.

[naviga:h3]Mother's Day reunion might be possible[/naviga:h3]

For those looking forward to seeing mom this weekend, Dr. Donald Yealy, chairman of emergency medicine at UPMC, said the curve of COVID-19 growth has flattened enough that he believes it's safe to celebrate Mother's Day with certain precautions.

“Having a visit with your mother in a small group with appropriate distancing and all the usual hygiene precautions makes a lot of sense,” he said. “I don't think going against the current governmental recommendations makes a lot of sense at all, but we can do this smartly, particularly if your mom is not frail, in a nursing home or has underlying immunosuppression.”

He added that small-scale gatherings of family members who may not live near one another should be fine with social distancing, mask-wearing and “basic hygiene.”

Yealy emphasized wearing a mask means a mask that covers both the wearer's mouth and nose, and not just the mouth.

“We are not recommending large collections, even whole families,” he said. “But an individual visiting directly, either in person or using a video platform, with their mother really is at no risk, and I think it's an important thing to do.”