December 2013 34 12 Issue of McKnight's Long Term Care News

Top news stories from the December 2013 issue of McKnight's Long-Term Care News.

News

Faster payments for 'trusted' providers?

Rep. Roger W. Williams (R-TX) has introduced a "trusted provider" bill in the House of Representatives. The measure would give Medicare claim review protections for ...

SNF workers ill, hurt most often

Nursing home workers own the worst rates of employee injuries and illnesses among U.S. workforces, notes a new report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Review targets stolen money

Leaders in the U.S. Senate have called for a government review of how nursing homes handle facility-managed trust funds.

Managed care is here to stay, Minnix says

Medicaid managed care systems have the potential to improve care outcomes, and providers' bottom lines, so operators should embrace them, said LeadingAge President and CEO ...

Chair-lift death might hit SNF

A Colorado facility might have to pay punitive damages because a supervisor put the wrong safety clip on a lift that malfunctioned and led to ...

Croon a tune to fight dementia

Show-tune sing-alongs are an effective form of dementia care, new research suggests.

Drugs reduce dementia risk

Seniors who take certain blood pressure medications might be at a dramatically reduced risk for developing dementia associated with Alzheimer's disease, according to findings in ...

Feds ease auditing reviews, anti-fraud efforts to surge

Providers likely will embrace House legislation that eases billing reviews for operators deemed a low fraud risk.

Docs, hospitals protest two-midnight rule

A new policy meant to reduce the number of hospital observation stays should be delayed, and stakeholders should collaborate on a better way to achieve ...

Providers embracing technology bring in honors in second Tech Awards program

The second annual McKnight's Long-Term Care News Excellence in Technology Awards begged the question: How can you compare to last year's storied winners?

State News

NORTH CAROLINA — A citizen advocacy group called the N.C. Senior Tar Heel Legislature wants state lawmakers to address the number of certified nursing assistants ...

Features

Proper protection

Long-term care operators need to ensure that their lifeblood — data —is adequately guarded in the case of natural disaster, power outage or cyber attack

A better approach

Catheter-associated problems account for nearly a third of all infections reported at nursing homes. Simple precautions can dramatically reduce this challenge

60 Seconds with...

60 seconds with ... LeadingAge Chairman David Gehm

Q: You addressed the LeadingAge annual conference shortly after the government shutdown ended. How do you respond to nonprofit leaders discouraged by the political climate?

Ask the care expert

Ask the care expert ... about hospice rules

I heard the rules recently changed related to hospice. Do you know what will be included?

Resident care

Therapy animals delay onset of some dementia symptoms

Nursing home residents who interacted with therapy-trained animals showed slower rates of cognitive impairment and lower depression, researchers say.

Low thyroid levels tied to senior mortality

Older hospital patients who have low thyroid hormone levels have a higher level of mortality, new study results show.

Ask the treatment expert

Ask the treatment expert ... about wound cultures

Are wound cultures the best method to determine if a wound is infected?

Wound care

Investigators find new ways to reduce turning schedule

Nursing staff can turn residents less often if high-density foam mattresses and attentive documentation are being used for pressure ulcer prevention, research has found.

Researchers ID helpful, harmful enzymes

In a breakthrough discovery, University of Notre Dame researchers have identified enzymes that can harm or help the way that wounds heal.

Ask the nursing expert

Ask the nursing expert ... about time management

We are so very busy in our post-acute care jobs. How are we supposed to get it all done?

Nursing

Easing immigration rules can trim worker shortage: RAND

Foreign-born registered nurses comprise up to 15% of the total RNs in the United States, a new study finds.

To fight dementia, learn a new language

People who speak more than one language tend to develop dementia up to five years later than those who are monolingual, new research reveals.

Ask the payment expert

Ask the payment expert ... about MDS changes and payment

With all the changes to the MDS on Oct. 1, 2013, how will payment be affected?

Payment & policy

Blanket 'no-CPR' policy can result in citation, CMS rules

Federal regulators have come out strongly against facility-wide policies that prohibit cardiopulmonary resuscitation for residents in distress.

MedPAC focuses on rehab

The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission could be getting closer to formally recommending more uniform payments to skilled nursing facilities and inpatient rehabilitation facilities.

Ask the legal expert

Ask the legal expert ... about antipsychotic medication liability

I'm an administrator who's read all of this stuff about overuse of antipsychotics on long-term care residents. I like and trust my director of nursing, ...

Legal Matters

J&J settles antipsychotics cases in historic $2.2B deal

Pharmaceuticals giant Johnson & Johnson and some subsidiaries will pay more than $2.2 billion to settle claims that they inappropriately promoted antipsychotic drugs for use ...

Ruling affirms OBRA limits

A federal court recently ruled in favor of a Pennsylvania long-term care facility, upholding an argument that individuals cannot bring lawsuits under the Federal Nursing ...

Pursuing excellence

ALOS complex query

What do you get when you ask two academics, one geriatrician, one reimbursement specialist, and an analyst to define average length of stay? Five different ...

Design

Design Decisions: Cottage industry pioneer

'Universal' work teams, small-home designs bring Missouri its first taste of an increasingly popular new model of long-term care

How to do it…

How to do it ... Design

Facilities must always provide exceptional care and service - whether they're in frigid Fargo or balmy Miami. They also need to mesh with the surrounding ...

A day in the life

Day in the Life: Dancing with a star

Miller's Merry Manor has a name that is fitting for the holiday season. But the 62-bed facility in New Carlisle, IN, seeks a merry atmosphere ...

Couldn't live without

I couldn't live without ... Caremerge Quality Measures program

Caremerge's Quality Measures program is simple to use but can help long-term care providers thrive in an increasingly complex healthcare system, according to Ruta Prasauskas, ...

Technology

Engineers developing robots with nurse aide-like abilities

Investigators at Cornell University's Personal Robotics Lab are developing robots that can accurately predict and respond to human actions. Such machines could potentially offer a ...

ITUpdate

» HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius testified before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on the failings of healthcare.gov. Sebelius said the government has spent ...

Opinion

Prodigies in reverse

I experienced many crushing disappointments growing up. A trespassing fairy with a tooth fetish didn't leave a dime under my pillow? Ernie and Bert aren't ...

Company news

Kindred repositions services to guarantee future growth

Kindred Healthcare, one of the nation's largest long-term care operators, has completed the first phase of a repositioning plan and is entering a period of ...

HUD tries to ease backlog

Senior living companies pursuing Department of Housing and Urban Development financing should expect delays, one expert said.

BusinessBriefs

» Brookdale Senior Living workers in the Senior Care division will not receive merit increases due to Medicare reimbursement cuts and therapy caps, the Nashville-based ...

Vendor news

Device-free fall detection system may benefit seniors

A new fall detection system may be part of an "aging-in-place" solution for seniors.

FDA hands down guidance on mobile apps

The Food and Drug Administration has issued final guidance on mobile medical apps.

CompanyBriefs

» AOD Software will integrate the INTERACT Quality Improvement program into its Answers™ electronic health record program, the company announced at the LeadingAge annual meeting. ...

Business & Marketing

CFOs' 2014 challenge

Your goals as a CFO remain constant: Support the mission. Increase revenue. Consolidate across multiple entities. Budget. Implement internal controls. Facilitate audits and compliance reporting. ...