Hundreds of provider sites are ready to test the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ four new models for restructuring the way episodes of care are paid for. Read More »
Although therapy billing has taken a lot of the heat lately in CMS’ hunt for fradulent billing practices, the next big target might be something more durable. Read More »
Counting sheep from loss of sleep? Poor sleep can have a direct effect on more than just physical energy in elders, according to a new neurology study. Read More »
The long-term care industry has advanced dramatically in recent years when it comes to innovations in healthcare and living environments for our aging population. At St. John's on the Lake in Milwaukee, 20 LTC designers, architects and academics have gathered to judge 59 new senior housing projects. They are a tough and demanding group. Read More »
Too much wasted pharmacy stock, no access to the right drugs late at night and nurses spending more time with medication punch cards than with residents. Sound familiar? As managing the pharmacy delivery in long-term care becomes more complex, a mature technology sees a brand new life in long-term care. Read More »
MedPAC recommends that Congress vote to keep the special needs plans under Medicare Advantage, although some of the plans perform better than others. Read More »
Which marketing tactics are working best for your facility? Direct referrals aren't the only way to measure the worth of your marketing strategies. Read More »
When it comes to longevity, a healthy attitude about aging matters. Colorado researchers are working on a way to measure self-perceived age. Read More »
Because of the stronger likelihood that more women will access benefits than men, long-term care insurance providers are rethinking their policy premiums. Read More »
An especially aggressive influenza strain and a nationwide outbreak of norovirus are joining forces to form one of the worst flu seasons in decades. Read More »
The Joint Commission has revised its skilled nursing and rehabilitation accreditation standards, and now offers specialty services facilities a new way to certify their expertise. Read More »
Hospitals have had electronic health records (EHRs) for years. Now it's long-term care's turn. Industry leaders weigh in on EHR technology and long-term/post-acute care's newly respected role in the patient-centered care continuum. Read More »
The long-term care market is poised for growth in 2013 after the industry experienced a significant increase in mergers and acquisitions activity, refinancings and development projects over the last couple of years. To access capital that is increasingly available, borrowers should review their funding options and do their homework about specific lenders before submitting a financing request. Read More »
Congress is considering new legislation that would erase many of the barriers to telehealth adoption and create better incentives for providers. Read More »
Want to play a game? Things that are fun CAN be good for you: Computer-enabled gaming can get residents to do their physical and occupational therapy regimens and keep their brains sharp, too. Read More »
In many LTC facilities, nurse aides and practical nurses don't always have the benefit of regular contact with physicians and registered nurses. Do your NAs and PNs have the training they need to recognize skin conditions and administer the best wound care? Read More »
Occupational therapists are trained to focus on a framework made up of the person, the environment and the occupational performance, which can be applied to healthcare design. Read More »
“Respecting your elders” has gained a new meaning in China, where the national elder law has been amended to allow elders to sue their children for not taking care of them. Read More »
No one’s sure what key bargaining chips will be in play at today’s 3 p.m. meeting between President Obama and congressional leaders, but raising the Medicare age isn’t going to be one of them, according to a key Democratic Senator. Read More »
Placing brain health among the current national health priorities--like diabetes and heart disease--can give cognitive health the attention and respect it needs to foster awareness and better prevention habits, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Health Brain Initiative. Read More »
The long-term care industry was buffeted by forceful winds of change in 2012. Regulatory, political, economic and societal transitions tested providers’ mettle as the LTC landscape struggles to evolve and adapt. Technological advances and an improving senior housing market were bright spots in a busy news year. Read More »
Physicians now have a detailed guide for testing cognition and detecting impairment, blostering early detection of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Read More »
