April 2011 Issue of McKnight's Long Term Care News
April 2011
News
Quality guides will help: NQF
The National Quality Forum recently endorsed 21 measures for nursing home residents and short-stay patients.
CLASS Act's enemies take on new program
Like many of his GOP colleagues, Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-GA) has strong doubts about the legitimacy of the Community Living Assistance Services and Support (CLASS) ...
'New' Medicaid could hurt LTC
The long-term care industry would be the third-most impacted healthcare field if state Medicaid funding is converted into block grants, according to a new report.
UTI antibiotics overprescribed
Nursing home residents with urinary tract infections are commonly prescribed inappropriate medication, according to a new study.
Liver the origin of Alzheimer's?
Alzheimer's disease might originate in the liver, according to scientists at Scripps Research Institute.
New business models needed, panel claims
Marketplace and policy changes will exert unprecedented pressure on operators to diversify and expand their business models, according to panelists at a skilled care program ...
Ombudsman firing under review
Federal investigators said they are investigating the firing of a Florida ombudsman who had been at odds with long-term care leaders regularly during his seven ...
LeadingAge defends CLASS as critics express concerns
LeadingAge played a key role in having the CLASS Act included in federal healthcare reform legislation. The organization now finds itself defending the insurance program ...
Baucus: Republicans will oppose Berwick
Senator Max Baucus (D-MT), the lawmaker who would preside over any Donald Berwick confirmation hearing, has admitted defeat in the ongoing fight to keep Berwick ...
State News
State news: Governor might soften proposed Medicaid cuts
MINNESOTA--Just days after approving expansion of the state's Medicaid rolls by 95,000 people in mid-February, Gov. Mark Dayton unveiled a fiscal budget that would cut ...
Features
Rehab: The new math of LTC
Rehab patients are arriving in sicker condition than before, and post-acute providers are carefully calculating whether to pursue them as residents
Wanderers welcome: New technologies for resident safety
Balancing autonomy with resident dignity continues to be a challenge for most providers. Fortunately, technology-based tools make it easier to watch residents.
MDS 3.0: Worst over?
Medicare's new system for assessing residents and determining payment levels has required adjustments. But most providers are taking the challenges in stride
60 Seconds with...
Ask the care expert
Ask the care expert: Do I need malpractice insurance as a LTC nurse?
Sherrie Dornberger, RNC, CDONA, FACDONA, President NADONA
Resident care
CDC distributes new norovirus guidelines
Thorough hand washing with soap and running water is a more proven method of preventing transmission of the norovirus than using alcohol-based and other hand ...
Ask the treatment expert
Ask the treatment expert: Is an infection indicated after two weeks without healing?
Susan Wickard, RN, BSN, CWCN, CWS, CLNC, Clinical Advisor, American Association for LTC Nursing
Wound care
Ultrasound ineffective for treating difficult leg ulcers
Advanced technological approaches to treating venous leg ulcers are no match for good quality nursing care and perhaps a few good jokes, new research suggests.
Blood clots kill every five minutes: group
Complications from deep vein thrombosis kill one person every five minutes, according to the Vascular Disease Foundation. Overall, between 100,000 to 180,000 Americans die from ...
Ask the nursing expert
Ask the nursing expert: How do I balance nursing and administrative tasks?
Anne Marie Barnett, RN, President, Maryland NADONA/LTC
Nursing
Report reveals turnover woes, first-year staff retention tips
Healthcare is one of the few industries not lacking in available jobs during this epic economic slump. Unfortunately, it's also one of the few industries ...
Payment & policy
Ask the payment expert: Why are there so many lower RUG levels in residents receiving therapy?
Patricia Boyer, MSM, NHA, RN, President, Boyer & Associates, LLC
Facility closure requirement brings burdens for providers
A new rule authorized under the Patient Protection and Affordable Healthcare Act sharply amends the notification-of-closure period for nursing homes, and significantly increases the stakes ...
New funding for home care
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius recently announced additional funding to help expand home- and community-based services to 13 more states. The grants are ...
Ask the legal expert
Ask the legal expert: What is legal protocol for resident falls?
John Durso, Esq., Ungaretti & Harris LLP
Legal Matters
House committee approves tort reform proposal — again
House Republicans recently moved one step closer to passing a key tort reform bill. Following an 18-15 vote in the House Judiciary Committee, the "Help ...
OIG: 9 in 10 SNFs hire convicted criminals
More than nine out of 10 nursing homes in the United States have at least one convicted criminal on staff, according to a new report ...
Pursuing excellence
Having my say
Having my say: Not so fast with drugs
Susan Janeczko, Director of LTC Regulatory and Policy Affairs, National Community Pharmacists Association
Having my say: Federal funding for IT would be a solid investment
Ken Terry, Author of the book Rx For Health Care Reform
Design
Design decisions: No need to tip the valet
A new dining area overhaul helps residents enjoy the pleasures of an upscale restaurant experience without ever leaving the building.
How to do it…
How to do it... Transportation
A solid piece of caregiving includes transporting residents for safety, entertainment and other reasons. How you execute and promote your transportation options can be the ...
A day in the life
A day in the life: A walk on the wild side
Joel Nelson, the maintenance supervisor for a sheltered care facility in Princeton, IL, has worked in maintenance capacities for 35 years. But that hardly prepared ...
Couldn't live without
I couldn't live without...Pryme Radio headsets
Rusty Marsh, an administrator at Atlantic Memorial Healthcare, looked to Pryme Radio Headsets to reduce the noise from the overhead public announcement system at his ...
Technology
Providers alerted against data breaches with their e-records
Long-term care facilities might have their hands full right now with electronic health records adoption, but they should never forget about another conundrum: how to ...
Resident care
Pressure ulcers have been on the decline, agency reports
Providers caring for both long- and short-stay nursing home residents saw improvements in rates of pressure sores over most of the last decade, according to ...
Company news
Billion-dollar deals revealing REITs' massive buying power
Two deals that collectively totaled more than $10 billion were announced on the same day recently, further showcasing the new found buying power of real ...
Golden Living Texas bound
Golden Living announced that its executive team would be moving its long-time headquarters from Fort Smith, AR, to the Dallas area.
The big picture
The big picture: Gut-check time for LTC
Many an operator is now contemplating whether to remain in the long-term care field. Having just returned from an NIC conference on the future of ...
Editor’s desk
Editor's desk: CMS boss likely to take one for the (other) team
The saga of Donald Berwick as administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has taken a number of interesting, if not sadly predictable, ...
Profile
Profile: A nurse walks into a bar...
Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC; Director of Clinical Affairs, American Medical Directors Association
