As nursing homes compete in the post-reform environment for new direct patient admissions and more hospital discharges, several data driven tools—from Five Star rankings to hospital readmission benchmarks—that form the core of CMS’ focus on quality will be critical to nursing homes’ success. Read More »
Skilled nursing facilities should carefully consider what constitutes legitimate quality assurance or otherwise privileged documents and how best to protect those documents. Read More »
Since 1996, Long-Term Living has honored long-term care communities that are proactive with programs that go “above and beyond” routine care for their residents with our prestigious OPTIMA Award. It is conferred by a jury of LTC peers from submitted entries. This year’s winner is St. Leonard Franciscan Living Community of Centerville, Ohio. Congratulations! Read More »
What started out as a comparative analysis on reimbursement rates related to catheter-based urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) has opened a huge can of worms concerning hospital datasets and their reliability as performance measurements. Read More »
Dementia treatments and memory care regimens have come a long way—if we can first get past the biggest initial obstacle: Patient-centric denial. Read More »
The last five years of life can cost a bundle, even with Medicare coverage, reveals a new study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine. Read More »
I was concerned about my floor being stripped and waxed because it upsets my routine. Since I wanted things to run smoothly, I had my driver, Debra, come at 8 a.m. on Thursday to help the maintenance guys move things. That way I knew I would have some idea where things were put. Read More »
The late Art Modell, longtime NFL franchise owner, may still stir up feelings in the Cleveland sports scene, but the hospice legacy he leaves behind is one of serenity amid nontraditional end-of-life care. Read More »
In a milestone report released today, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) analyzes why the U.S. healthcare system needs a new business-based attitude, and why it struggles to learn from its own data. Read More »
Mandating that nursing home providers institute both a formal, facility-wide compliance and quality assurance and performance improvement (QAPI) program while enhancing nurse aide training across their facilities, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) aims to elevate the quality of care in America’s nursing homes over the next few years. Read More »
Senior living providers often discuss occupancy rates. They live or die by rates and the mix that is tied to them in order to make the proforma work. What If we changed the discussion from "What is your occupancy rate?" to "Do you have a waiting list?" The discussion becomes less about percentages and more about the customer experience. Read More »
Following the Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society in the top five list of operators are the National Senior Campuses in Maryland, the ACTS Retirement Life Communities, Inc. in Pennsylvania, Presbyterian Homes and Services in Minnesota and Covenant Retirement Communities in Illinois. Read More »
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' rule on hospital "observation stays" has generated much controversy. The American Health Care Association strikes back with a long list of changes that should be made--and why. Read More »
Developing relationships with potential referral sources is one of the most important duties of a senior living executive. One provider found that offering CE courses helped acquaint referral sources with its community while providing these professionals with valuable content. Read More »
In March 2013, the majority of nursing home residents will experience a radical change—no more government checks in the mail. Long-term care facilities should start now to educate their staffers and their residents on the new electronic direct deposit system. Read More »
When it comes to performance based on 30-day mortality rates, care facilities may be getting skewed performance ratings for ischemic strokes, a new study says. Read More »
In early August, Massachusetts became the 17th state to protect registered nurses from mandatory overtime. Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick signed a healthcare law that identifies restrictions. In California and Missouri, regulations contain provisions for mandatory overtime. Read More »
Residents who are recovering from surgery need special transitions of care and monitoring to prevent post-operative complications and hospital readmissions. Read More »
When it comes to getting Medicaid assistance for long-term care costs, too many rule variations among the states have created a chaotic system, a GAO report concludes. Read More »
Knowing that the quality measures (QMs) are used by surveyors and the public to evaluate your facility’s care outcomes should convince you to give high priority to understanding the details of the QMs. Read More »
A nursing home in one New Orleans parish chose to ride out Hurricane Isaac, but the facility is now flagged for evacuation as storm surge exceeds the nearby levees, flooding the neighborhood. Read More »
Last month I blogged about the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ controversial Five-Star Quality Rating System in light of news of its revamped Nursing Home Compare website. I invited readers to share their thoughts on the rating system and the website, knowing that this was one issue certain to generate some commentary. And it sure did. Read More »
We’re still enjoying the vestiges of summer, but it’s never too early to begin educating elderly residents about influenza risks and the importance of vaccinations. Read More »
To address cultural differences, many organizations make an effort to learn about the cultural practices of the different groups represented in the community. But sharing our cultural norms isn’t enough. What is most important to addressing the challenges of difference is to create a culture of respect, where each person feels valued and accepted. Read More »
Tropical Storm Isaac is predicted to change its name to Hurricane Isaac later today as it continues on its path to New Orleans and other coastal points. Read More »
People with Parkinson’s have to take pills many times a day to control their symptoms. A new medication technique developed at the Cleveland Clinic uses a gell-based medication to curb the “fall off” effects that pills often have. Read More »
A facility’s infection control program should start from the bottom, the top and sides. Housekeeping and maintenance departments are key players in infection control. Read More »
The Centers for Medicare & Medicare Services on Friday published a final rule pushing back the compliance deadline for converting to the ICD-10 system of diagnostic and procedural coding to October 1, 2014 from October 1, 2013. Read More »
