December 2016 37 12 Issue of McKnight's Long Term Care News
December 2016 edition of McKnight's Long-Term Care News
Where are they now?
Where Are They Now: Life Care Centers of America
In the two years since winning the Gold Award for Transitions in the McKnight's Technology Awards, Life Care Centers of America has continued to enhance ...
News
Kindred quits: dumping SNFs
Kindred Healthcare Inc., which operated more than 200 nursing homes less than a decade ago, is pulling the plug on its skilled nursing facilities.
Trump card: ACA's future now in doubt
While President-elect Donald J. Trump has promised to repeal the Affordable Care Act, long-term care experts noted that coordinated care for seniors is likely to ...
Court rejects arbitration ban
A federal court in November granted the American Health Care Association's request for an injunction of the ban on pre-dispute arbitration agreements, despite believing the ...
Deadly fungus starts spread
Four hospital patients died after contacting a deadly, drug-resistant fungus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced in early November.
Race can affect readmissions
Older black adults were more likely to be readmitted to a hospital after an elective hip or knee replacement and are more adversely affected by ...
Brace for rehab pay shifts, expert warns
Tracking therapy minutes may become a thing of the past within the next few years as payment models shift to focus on patient characteristics, experts ...
Court to let nurses unionize
A federal appeals court has denied review of a South Carolina nursing home's lawsuit against a group of nurses trying to unionize.
A GOP repeal of Obamacare may reprise fee-for-service
With the White House, Senate and House of Representatives all in Republican control, long-term care providers should expect significant changes, experts said in November.
CMS: New survey merges two processes
The new survey process for skilled nursing facilities is expected to be made more efficient by drawing on the strengths of two existing processes, Centers ...
State News
State News for December 2016
Vacancy levels nearly doubled at the state's top healthcare regulatory agency in 2015, shedding light on a staffing drain that goes far beyond Maryland's long-term ...
Features
IT's the real thing
As the feds lurch toward value-based purchasing, having electronic records that integrate well is becoming more important than ever to maintain viability.
60 Seconds with...
60 Seconds with ... Frank Grosso, RPh
Q: What are ASCP's priorities for 2017 coming out of your November annual meeting?
Ask the care expert
Ask the Care Expert about ... C. diff
We have had several residents with C. diff. Their families are asking if there is support available for them. Our staff wonders too. Can you ...
Resident care
Surviving disaster may up dementia risk
Older adults who live through a disaster may also face an increased risk of dementia and cognitive impairment, according to a recent study.
Ask the treatment expert
Ask the Treatment Expert about ... pressure injury prevention
On the heels of Pressure Injury Prevention Day (November 17), what are the most important measures for pressure injury prevention?
Wound care
Researchers question Braden Scale's reliability inside SNFs
The Braden Scale may not be a valid tool for predicting pressure wounds when used in long-term care settings, according to Chinese researchers who conducted ...
Gaps persisting in wound documentation
An audit of 155 patient records found large gaps between clinical practice and wound documentation in nursing homes.
Ask the nursing expert
Ask the Nursing Expert about ... the final rule from CMS
My corporation has been talking about an intense new rule. What do I need to know?
Nursing
Self-advocacy might protect against workplace rudeness
A strong sense of self-efficacy can help nurses cope with disrespectful workplace behaviors that otherwise threaten their health and well-being, a study of Canadian workers ...
Social bonds at work boost health: study
Health at work is largely shaped by the relationships and social groups formed there, according to a meta-analysis of more than 19,000 people published in ...
Ask the payment expert
Ask the Payment Expert about ... SNF Value Based Purchasing Program
How does the new Skilled Nursing Facility Value Based Program relate to our Medicare payments?
Payment & policy
Medicare appeals backlog to be fixed by 2020, HHS says
Federal health officials say tweaks to the system will enable them to eradicate a massive backlog of Medicare decision appeals in 2019. They made the ...
Focus: Readmission rates
Rehospitalization rates should continue to be a strong focal point for gauging providers' efficacy in future payment arrangements.
Ask the legal expert
Ask the Legal Expert about ... employees working 'off the clock'
With the new overtime pay regulations, how do we insulate ourselves from problems if we have diligent workers who might work "off the clock?"
Legal Matters
Life Care Centers of America pays $145 million to end fight
The nation's fourth-largest skilled nursing provider has agreed to pay a record-setting $145 million to settle allegations that it inflated its therapy claims, the Department ...
LTC drug kickback case settles for $28M
A kickback case against Omnicare came to a conclusion in October, with the pharmacy titan agreeing to pay $28 million to clear up allegations that ...
Pursuing excellence
A care plan imperative
The new Rules of Participation bring additional meaning to the benefits of data-driven discharge care plans, particularly those that describe and predict challenges facing residents ...
Design
Rehab a large showcase
A new 42,000-square-foot wellness center and upgrades to therapy spaces at Waterford add a major piece to Sunset's eldercare puzzle.
How to do it…
How to do it... Designing for mobility
Choosing and installing mobility aids are among the most important safety decisions a provider will have to make. This month experts discuss decision points about ...
A day in the life
CCRC songstress packs them in
Kathy Crouse has come a long way in her time living at Charlestown, a continuing care retirement community in Catonsville, MD.
Technology
Telemedicine program offers specialized speech therapy
Dementia patients as well as individuals with primary progressive aphasia can experience problems with language, struggling to retrieve the name of a grandchild or finding ...
Opinion
Reader Poll: What are your tools for staying organized?
"I have the Yellow Stickies app. If I'm signed up for a McKnight's webinar, I put it there so I can stay organized. It's all ...
Armed, dangerous
Oh great. He's going to talk about sarcasm. Perfect.
Resident care
Virtual reality gets residents excited about exercise: study
Nursing home residents probably won't rush to an exercise bike if they know they'll be staring at a blank wall while they work out. But ...
Company news
Genesis: SNF selloff to trim rent outlays by $10.5 million
Genesis HealthCare expects to save $10.5 million in rent payments following the sale of 92 skilled nursing facilities previously leased by its biggest landlord, the ...
HCP closes on SNF spin-off
HCP Inc. completed its previously announced spin-off of its troubled HCR ManorCare skilled nursing and assisted living portfolio into a new real estate investment trust ...
Vendor news
Netsmart acquires 'building block' in HealthMEDX deal
Netsmart has bought HealthMEDX and its electronic medical records platform, the company announced in late October. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Align, PointClickCare tackle engagement
PointClickCare and Align have partnered to help providers boost employee engagement and improve resident outcomes.
The big picture
Canaries in a coal mine
When it comes to measuring how well a long-term care facility is doing, we all know the usual benchmarks: revenues, profits and census levels.
Editor’s desk
Love him or not, Trump could be your key man
Politics truly can make strange bedfellows. A great illustration of this could be the many nursing home operators who might think they don't like President-elect ...
Profile
Profile: Idriz Limaj
As the oldest of eight children growing up in Macedonia, Idriz Limaj, RN, understood the importance of taking care of people. While he planned to ...
