Three briefs from the Altarum Institute Center for Sustainable Health Spending provide insights into prices, spending and employment in nursing homes and residential care facilities, home health and other parts of the healthcare sector. Read More »
MedPAC, lawmakers call for payment revisions to cut costs and eliminate abuse in how post-acute care facilities are reimbursed to improve quality of care. Read More »
Since mealtimes are so important to residents, a successful dining program should consider preferences and be sure to have enough of the most popular food items on hand. Read More »
Fans and foes of the proposed BACPAC Act, which would bundle payments for post-acute care providers, testified during a recent House subcommittee hearing. Read More »
A new report from the AARP’s Public Policy Institute details the effects on Medicare beneficiaries who stay in a hospital under observation status rather than being admitted, and it offers recommendations to address the issue. Read More »
Healthcare professionals must be prepared to provide guidance to older adults and their families as the population ages, according to a new report from the Institute of Medicine. Read More »
Nurses skilled in informatics and the clinical applications of information technology can really affect the success of the organizations they work for, says a new survey from the Health Information Management Systems Society. Read More »
Hear the words “dementia care” and you’re likely to think of nurses and nurses’ aides. Physical, occupational and speech-language therapists can play a role in caring for those with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, however, Carmen Vitton says. Read More »
Those who meet Dayne DuVall are immediately struck by his zeal for excellence in Alzheimer’s and dementia care. If you haven’t met him yet, chances are you will. Read More »
Some career paths can be circuitous as this clinical manager discovered. Through leadership, compassion and continuing involvement in the long-term care industry, this honoree and her staff continue to give their residents rich and fulfilling lives. Read More »
Understand what the changes to the Five-Star Rating System mean to your organization.Centers for Medicare and Medicaid has changed the way it calculates the Five-Star Rating System for all facilities serving Medicare and Medicaid residents across the US. Two new Quality Measures were added for psychotropic treatment, the thresholds for Quality Measure scoring were changed to raise performance expectations, and the staffing algorithm was adjusted to award four stars only to those who achieved a score of four in either or both of the RN and Overall Staffing measures.Read this article to gain perspective on the specific changes that have been made to the rating scale, the effect it is having on the long-term care industry, how it is impacting payment models, and how to address referral partners about the change.Click here to read more. Read More »
Got readmissions? This nursing supervisor tackles a stack of care initiatives while showing her team, by example, why collaboration with acute care matters to resident outcomes. Read More »
Seniors are more interested in using smartphones than ever, according to a new report on the devices. Will smartphones become the new way to send health and wellness communication? Read More »
A single platform solution enables clinical collaboration and customer relationship management among long-term care clinicians and administrators. Read More »
The U.S. Senate voted last night to repeal permanently the sustainable growth rate formula under which physicians are reimbursed for care they provide through Medicare. Several organizations representing aging services providers share their perspectives. Read More »
The American Nurses Association seeks public comment on its draft proposal of recommendations to prevent violence to ensure workplace safety by April 30 deadline. Read More »
Medicare postpayment claims reviews and state Medicaid sources of funds are two of 24 areas where fragmentation, overlap or duplication exists in the federal government, according to a new report from the Government Accountability Office. Read More »
Healthy aging is the topic of the first policy brief released by the White House Conference on Aging. Additional briefs, on the other key topics being examined by the conference are expected in the future. Read More »
AMDA–The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine and the AMDA Foundation honored three medical directors at AMDA’s recent annual meeting. Read More »
This clinical nurse specialist provides quality care to the residents he serves, helps colleagues around the country and around the world with his research and other writings, and is priming another generation for long-term care as an adjunct professor at a nearby college. Read More »
Providers and the professional associations advocating on their behalf may be focused on the sustainable growth rate and related issues, but a new survey finds that Medicare beneficiaries are more concerned about potential cost increases and service cuts. Read More »
Increasing the scope of practice for ABRNs and PAs who work in home healthcare, and reimbursing for HCBS for low-income, Medicare-only beneficiaries who need help with two or more ADLs, are the goals of two bipartisan bills introduced in Congress. Read More »
A new report to Congress from the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology details several examples of electronic health records developers and health systems blocking the sharing of health information between one other. Read More »
Physical therapy is just as effective as surgery for treating an impairment common with aging, but some older adults may forego the less invasive option because of Medicare copayments, a recent study found. Read More »
