January 2013 Issue of McKnight's Long Term Care News
Top news stories from the January 2013 issue of McKnight's Long-Term Care News.
News
3 test combo to treat AD?
Combining diagnostic tests that include imaging and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers can improve prediction of a patient progressing from mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer's disease, according ...
Dogged pursuit sniffs out C. diff
Another accolade for man's best friend: A new study finds dogs can sniff out the deadly Clostridium difficile bug with a high degree of accuracy.
McKnight's Online Expo is back
The seventh annual McKnight's Online Expo will be held March 20-21. This online trade show has established itself as the field's premier digital event. One ...
Feds lax on bedrails, Congressman insists
Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-MA) called on federal regulators to step up oversight of bed rail regulations. The congressman spoke out in the aftermath of ...
Harkin's fiscal cliff warning: Protect Medicaid, Medicare
As top Democrats and Republican attempted to deal with an impending fiscal cliff, they were given a strong rebuke by Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA): Don't ...
Reach of ACOs hits 31 million individuals
Accountable care organizations are already beginning to change the landscape of American healthcare, veteran observers say.
60 Seconds with ... Joe Lubarsky, president Eljay LLC
Q: What has this year's examination of state Medicaid rates shown?
State News
Medicaid HMOs may need state OK to cut rates
A pending bill would prohibit unauthorized provider reimbursement rate decreases by other managed care organizations, as well as Medicaid and NJ FamilyCare.
Features
Eyeing ACO horizons
Providers must have the necessary data, analytics and IT infrastructure to meet a new, demanding role within cooperative care models
Resident Safety First in Senior Furnishings
Comfort, durability and safety are top priorities when it comes to choosing the furnishings for your long-term care facility. Resident feedback is also crucial.
Resident care
Whooping cough rates soar; shots urged
Adults over age 65 are being pushed with more emphasis to get the whooping cough (tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis/Tdap) vaccine, which researchers have found to be as ...
Common antipsychotics fuel doubts about safety, efficacy
Piling onto the concerns about off-label use of antipsychotics, a new study has found four of the most common medications lack safety and effectiveness in ...
Ask the treatment expert
Ask the treatment expert: What are some of the documentation things nurses often miss?
A useful resource, "Wound Care Made Incredibly Visual," offers an acronym that may be helpful in highlighting information that should be included when documenting about ...
Wound care
Dietary change may help wound healing
Proline and arginine supplementation can help heal wounds in diabetic patients, according to a study published in the American Journal of Physiology - Regulatory, Integrative ...
Fish oil helps heal bed sores among the critically ill: study
Fish oil may help residents experience fewer pressure ulcers, according to researchers at Tel Aviv University in Israel.
Nursing
New flu tool is able to predict outbreaks, researchers show
With the flu season kicking off early and strong in December, a new system purported to tie together weather forecasting with outbreak predictions was unveiled.
Nurse practitioner associations merge
The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and the American College of Nurse Practitioners were set to merge at the beginning of January. The newly created ...
Ask the nursing expert... How to get staff to work during bad weather, and how to deal with tardy worker
We have just had a run of very bad weather and, as usual, I had several nursing staff call off work. Department heads are never ...
Ask the payment expert
Ask the payment expert: Why do we have so many A's in our ADL coding?
The new RUGs-IV scoring methodology has a strong tendency to score your ADLs lower.
Payment & policy
Feds limit Medicaid picks
While the administration has been flexible about numerous aspects of Medicaid expansion called for in the healthcare reform law, there is at least one thing ...
MedPAC is losing touch with reality, provider group says
Providers are used to the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission promoting stingy or non-existent reimbursement recommendations.
Legal Matters
Life Care Centers accused of fraud, but judge slams feds
A U.S. District Judge has called federal prosecutors' years-long delay in announcing a Medicare fraud case involving one of the nation's largest nursing home companies ...
SNF execs ordered to repay $23 million
A well-known former nursing executive must repay the federal government $13.8 million for fraudulent business practices. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Mary M. Lisi handed ...
Ask the legal expert: What to do after being accused of upcoding therapy reimbursement claims?
We've been accused of upcoding our therapy reimbursement claims. What can we do?
Pursuing excellence
Charitable thoughts
As we look ahead into 2013 for senior living finances, a very brief review of donations to nonprofits might prove helpful.
Design
Welcome to The Club
Greystone Healthcare Management unveils an upscale rehabilitation center that could be a game-changer for the post-acute care sector.
How to do it…
How to do it ... Financing
Lenders today may be more open to lending capital than during the months following the nation's 2008 economic collapse, but they're also more scrutinizing. The ...
I couldn't live without...
I couldn't live without... Touchtown Resident Apps
For senior residents at Christian Living Communities' Clermont Park continuing care retirement community, a new app on a tablet will provide more freedom.
Technology
OIG report seeks increased safeguards in the EHR arena
The move to electronic health records recently had a red flag thrown in front of it by a report from the Office of Inspector General ...
Opinion
A hard-earned lesson
It is often said that you cannot teach an old dog new tricks, but that is not totally true. You can teach an old dog ...
Things I think: My (new) job interview
A long-term care administrator I know had a little surprise for a prospective employee during a recent job interview. When the candidate began rhapsodizing about ...
The trouble with bullies
The Supreme Court recently heard oral arguments on the unpleasant subject of workplace harassment. At issue is whether an employer is responsible when the bully ...
Vendor news
Groups blast new IRS device tax rules
Internal Revenue Service guidance released in December spells out how a 2.3% excise tax on medical devices would be carried out.
Omnicell pushes medication management to new places
A medication management and software company has launched a new platform that allows for a single shared medication database, signaling its increasing interest in the ...
Editor’s desk
Making it possible for good memories in 2013
I'm fascinated with long-term care topics that at first blush seem to be speaking about residents, but upon closer reflection they could be even more ...
Profile
Profile: Joseph C. Isaacs Executive Director, Advancing Excellence in Long-Term Care Collaborative
From an early age, Joseph Isaacs has strived to make people proud.
