Regulatory Compliance

Are You Ready for the New Survey

There is a transformation under way of the long-term care (LTC) survey process, and it has significant implications for every LTC facility in the Read More »

Twenty years of OBRA—Has it really been that long?

Healthcare has had a long history of self-improvement. One need look no further than the Flexner Report (published in 1910) and the dramatic changes Read More »

Where there’s smoking…

Accidents, including fires and skin injury, caused by cigarettes are a serious danger to residents in long-term care (LTC) facilities. Indeed, Read More »

Much ado about sex offenders

Signed into law by Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry in June, The Sex Offenders Long-Term Care Facility Bill has generated a fair amount of buzz from LTC Read More »

Getting ready for survey the fun way

A new and fun way to prepare your associates for the annual state survey is to hold a “skills fair” in your facility. The fair can be for one or two Read More »

MDS 3.0

“Leadership is not magnetic personality—that can just as well be a glib tongue. It is not “making friends and influencing people”—that is flattery. Read More »

Investigating abuse: When it’s one person’s word against another’s

One staff member reports another staff member for abusing a confused resident, but there are no other witnesses and no physical evidence of abuse. Read More »

Watch for a Quality Indicator Survey coming near you

This year will see the expansion of a federal demonstration program that could lead to greater consistency and, hopefully, improvement in the state Read More »

Questions & answers from the American Association of Nurse Assessment Coordinators (AANAC)

Q: Regarding coding of assistance with bathing: According to the RAI User's Manual, you code the highest level of assist given in the past seven Read More »

The snapshot: Recording a thousand words’ worth of evidence

In the first part of this series in the October issue, we looked at the reasons to use photography in long-term care investigations and the tools Read More »

Survey Survival

Long-term care facilities are not strangers to regulation 483.25(h) Accidents as it historically represents and continues to make the Centers for Read More »

Grassroots strategies for MDS success

Proficiency in Minimum Data Set (MDS) completion is critical in long-term care. Skill and accuracy in completing the MDS is gaining even more Read More »

The importance of a Health Information Management department

With the emphasis today on accurate MDS coding, proper reimbursement, and complete and timely documentation, having an effective and ef-ficient Read More »

Questions & answers from the American Association of Nurse Assessment Coordinators (AANAC)

Q: Regarding Significant Change in Status Assessments (SCSA): The RAI User's Manual states that improvement or decline would be in two or more of Read More »

It’s coming! Long-term care system certification

Has your organization been confused, frustrated, and generally unable to decide what long-term care computer support system will meet your Read More »

Focuson Infection Control

Skin Care Lantiseptic® skin care products, available from Links Medical Products, Inc., provide skin barrier protection for incontinence. They are Read More »

A long-term care facility attacks UTI prevalence

Infection control is one of four quality measures that state regulators assess on annual review surveys in long-term care (LTC) facilities in Read More »

Survey success depends on knowing recent SOM revisions

Survey survival” within the January 2007 revisions of the State Operations Manual (SOM) will most often require substantial policy, procedural, and Read More »

Operating a sanitary and safe kitchen

Salmonella…E. coli…C. botulinum… These ominous words have been making headlines. Contaminated or tainted food can have devastating—even Read More »

The Dreadful Documenters: A zoology

In the Medical Records world, I have come across a variety of documentation species. Some are more dangerous than others. A number of them can sink Read More »

HIPAA Olympics win gold

Preparing questions for the Olympians HIPAA Olympians at the front desk After the HIPAA security and privacy laws were passed, we poised ourselves Read More »

Do you know the HIPAA monitoring rules?

Don’t look now, but HIPAA has some regulatory teeth. On second thought, please do review the following to make sure you’re in compliance and not Read More »

Questions & answers from the American Association of Nurse Assessment Coordinators (AANAC)

Q: What is AANAC and how do I get my questions answered on the Resident Assessment Instrument/Minimum Data Set (RAI/MDS)?A: The American Association Read More »

Update on DOL’s Regulations for Employee Exemption

BY JOHN E. LYNCHESKI AND LISA L. GARRETT   Update on DOL's regulations for employee exemptionAre you in compliance with definitions Read More »

Bed Safety: Preventing Fires Caused by Hospital Beds

BY JULIE A. BRAUN, JD, LLM, AND MARK E. BRULEY, BS  Bed safety: Preventing fires caused by hospital bedsHot tips for clinical staff and Read More »

Special Section: Medicare Part D: Early Experiences

I Advance Senior CareI Advance Senior Care is the industry-leading source for practical, in-depth, business-building, and resident care i... Read More »

FDA Bed Safety Guidance: Mitigating Risk

FDA bed safety guidance: Mitigating riskJulie A. Braun, JD, LLM, interviews Larry Kessler, ScD, Director of Science and Engineering Laboratories, Read More »

Preparing for Disasters

BY JOSHUA D. NATHAN Preparing for disastersWith key ingredients, the prescription is easy  With a new hurricane season bearing down and memories of Read More »

F314 and Pressure Relief

BY KAREN MERK, RN, BS, CRNAC   F314 and pressure reliefThe new federal guidelines have much to say about support surfaces and Read More »

Liability Landscape

The case of the noncompliant resident. Read More »