Blue Ribbon and Best in Class

As of October 2022, 350 nursing homes in Colorado, Illinois, Iowa and Oklahoma have been awarded the Blue Ribbon in COVID-19 Vigilance!
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed our world forever, and some of the most challenging work was done in nursing homes. Established in November 2021 and awarded quarterly, the Blue Ribbon in COVID-19 Vigilance award was created for Telligen QI Connect™ participants in order to recognize the efforts that nursing homes have made to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Beginning with the first quarter of 2023, the Blue Ribbon (and accompanying marketing toolkit) is presented to nursing homes that have achieved the following:
- Committed to have policies, processes and ongoing staff education to prevent the spread of COVID-19
- Staff vaccination rate for a completed COVID-19 primary series of at least 95%
- Resident “up to date” vaccination rate of at least 80%
If you represent a nursing home that is prepared for COVID-19, we want to make it easy for you to share your achievements with your stakeholders, partners, residents and their families. Continue reading below to learn how you can receive the Blue Ribbon in COVID-19 Vigilance.
Introducing Telligen’s BEST in Class

As an expansion of our Blue Ribbon in COVID-19 Vigilance award, Telligen’s BEST in Class recipients will be recognized for ensuring each nursing home resident receives safe and quality care. The criteria for each component of the BEST in Class is listed below:




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In 2023, nursing homes must be Blue Ribbon recipients for at least three quarters. The Blue Ribbon is awarded at the following times:
Quarter 1: January 1 – March 31 (awarded April 2023)
Quarter 2: April 1 – June 30 (awarded July 2023)
Quarter 3: July 1 – Sept 30 (awarded October 2023)
Quarter 4: October 1 – December 31 (awarded January 2024)
Take the first step toward receiving the Blue Ribbon and complete Telligen’s COVID-19 Preparedness Assessment. It takes less than 5 minutes!
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Complete Telligen’s 15-minute Emergency Preparedness Assessment to ensure readiness and identify possible gaps in the current plan. If gaps are identified, Telligen will provide resources and technical assistance. The criterion is met with a completed assessment and if needed, approved supplemental documentation addressing any identified gaps.
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75% of front line clinical and management staff have completed CMS-approved Infection Control and Prevention training (QSEP, Project Firstline, Relias, Healthcare Academy, HealthStream). Attest to a 75% staff completion rate completing Telligen’s Infection Prevention and Control Training Attestation form. In September of 2023, Telligen grants secured access to current completion rates. If it is less than 75% at that time, a mutual date to reach the goal will be established.
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Improve transitions and reduce Emergency Department (ED) visits by 5% from baseline (10/1/21-9/30/22) or fall within the top 25th percentile of Telligen’s enrolled nursing homes at time of award (January 2024). Click here for a list of conditions considered preventable along with the ICD-10 codes.
In addition to the standard Blue Ribbon marketing toolkit, BEST recipients will receive an exclusive award package containing:
- Ready-to-use marketing materials for press and web/social media release that demonstrate your nursing home’s dedication to quality care
- Framed certificate and marketing materials that will be personally delivered by Telligen team members
- Support from Telligen to create a feature story about your nursing home which will be shared nationally with other quality improvement organizations, as well as Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Blue Ribbon Eligibility Requirements

NOTE: Effective the first quarter of 2023, eligibility requirements have changed.
Resident up to date vaccination rate must be greater than or equal to 80%
Staff vaccination rate for a completed COVID-19 primary series must be greater than or equal to 95%
Determine eligibility by reviewing COVID-19 Preparedness Assessment responses
4Q 2022 Current Blue Ribbon in COVID-19 Vigilance Recipients
Marketing Toolkit
Tip: You can download or save the recipient list above for sharing on social media, email, website, or even print! The PDF files are great for printing or including in an email, while the image files are ideal for sharing on social media.

Use the marketing toolkit to let your health care partners, hospitals, employees, residents and families know of your unyielding effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Within the toolkit you will be able to access your certificate, blue ribbon and supporting graphic files and provided language for you to distribute via social media and newsletters.
Please note, in order to access these materials, you will need to enter the password that was provided in your Blue Ribbon Recipient email. If you have not received this email, please contact us at nursinghome@telligen.com to check your eligibility.
Access your toolkit here