March 2014 35 3 Issue of McKnight's Long Term Care News
Top stories from the March 2014 issue of McKnight's Long-Term Care News.
News
Cynical admins apt to leave jobs: study
Cynicism and "emotional exhaustion" are the strongest predictors of nursing home administrator turnover, according to doctoral research by a former administrator. Misaligned personal and corporate ...
Part A claims under scrutiny
Government investigators will issue a report on skilled nursing facilities' Medicare Part A billing practices later this year, according to the latest annual work plan ...
MDS staff face time crunches
Each nursing home resident assessment takes five hours on average for a Minimum Data Set or nurse coordinator to finish, according to survey results from ...
Home-based caring practices boost SNFs
Nursing homes could improve the comfort and dignity of residents who are dying by following practices common in home-based hospice care, according to the results ...
McKnight's 8th Expo is here
The universal problem of how providers can best prepare for regulator inspections will be one of five key topics covered in McKnight's Online Expo educational ...
Video speeds stroke rehab
Real-time video used in therapy sessions could help stroke survivors rehabilitate more quickly, according to researchers.
Eye injections trim SNF use
Injectable drugs ranibizumab (Lucentis) and bevacizumab (Avastin) help prevent nursing home admissions among those with age-related wet macular degeneration, according to findings in JAMA Ophthalmology.
Guidance identifies clothing choices for infection control
Healthcare professionals should consider a "bare below the elbows" approach of short-sleeved tops and foregoing a wristwatch, jewelry or ties, according to guidance released in ...
Meddling relatives harm end-of-life care
Relatives of dying residents make it harder to provide high-quality end-of-life care, according to a majority of long-term care professionals surveyed.
Delve into hot topics at the 2014 Expo
8th Annual McKnight's Online Expo brings national experts, continuing education credits, vendor booths and more straight to your desktop, or wherever you connect to the ...
State News
State News
HAWAII — One of the most expensive states in the country for long-term care is staring down the barrel of dwindling budgets and a rapidly ...
Features
Infection detection
Prompt treatment and novel therapies hasten wound healing, but steady (even if slow) is still the overall goal when it comes to keeping wounds free ...
Getting the right fit
LTC laundry operations handle thousands of items each week; operations have to be right-sized to protect linens and machines — and the bottom line
60 Seconds with...
60 seconds with ... NIC's Robert Kramer
Q: How did senior housing perform in the last quarter of 2013? A: The numbers overall were good, in terms of continued recovery and strength of ...
Ask the care expert
Ask the care expert ... about interpretive guidance
I heard there was communication to surveyors on being required to cite the regulation and not the interpretive guidance. Where can I find this?
Resident care
Hospitalized seniors likely to need family help, study finds
Nearly half of hospitalized seniors facing a major treatment decision require help from family members, a new study finds.
Cranberry capsules might prevent UTIs
Female long-term care residents at a high risk for urinary tract infections who took cranberry capsules twice a day substantially lowered their risk, according to ...
Ask the treatment expert
Ask the treatment expert ... about wound healing principles
I am a registered nurse and very interested in wound care. I understand that there are some general "wound healing principles." Can you explain?
Wound care
Metabolic molecule impedes wound healing, study finds
Poor wound healing can lead to amputations, or worse. New findings have helped unearth what happens to tiny blood vessels in the body to slow ...
Non-white residents face skin issues too
While people of color appear less likely to develop skin conditions such as foot ulcers and cancers, they are far from immune, experts insist. A ...
Ask the nursing expert
Ask the nursing expert ... about infection prevention
What are some of the things we can do to prevent infections?
Nursing
New RNs trending more to nursing homes, expert says
Newly licensed registered nurses are less likely to work in hospitals and more likely to be hired in a nursing home, says a new analysis ...
Zinc, hand washing lead to cold prevention
As long-term caregivers wind down winter and its accompanying illnesses, a new review indicates that hand washing and zinc might help prevent the common cold.
Ask the payment expert
Ask the payment expert ... about the financial benefits of QAPI
What are the financial benefits to implementing CMS's Quality Assurance Performance Improvement program?
Payment & policy
Extra audits clog and freeze Medicare appeals process
Providers who want to have an administrative law judge consider a Medicare claim appeal can save their breath and memos for now.
Referral fees OK, says OIG
A long-term care provider that requested clearance for a system of paying an agency to refer patients is in the clear.
Ask the legal expert
Ask the legal expert ... about responding to abuse allegations
A family has accused one of our aides of abuse. We investigated the accusation and determined it's not true, but the family keeps making accusations ...
Legal Matters
Hospice co-owner charged with upcoding, obstruction
An Illinois hospice company owner was charged with Medicare and Medicaid fraud after allegedly falsifying levels of care.
Likely closure can't stop CMS termination
Despite meeting criteria for "irreparable injury," a Rochester, NY-based skilled nursing facility that is appealing Medicare and Medicaid termination can't qualify for a stay of ...
Design
Dining upgrades a la 'cart'
French method used to enhance dining experiences, and menu choices, at south Florida continuing care retirement community
How to do it…
How to do it ... Implementing an EHR system
Deciding on, preparing for and implementing electronic health records requires a great deal of time, patience and collaboration. But a carefully executed implementation will reap ...
A day in the life
Dementia-friendly ways to worship
After chaplain Alex Treitler began leading services for people with dementia, he quickly realized things weren't going well. He says those with dementia found it ...
Couldn't live without
I couldn't live without ... LogicMark's FreedomAlert
Allegheny Lutheran Social Ministries faced a challenge common to operators of continuing care retirement communities: How to offer emergency response services for independent living residents ...
Technology
Interoperability experts see bright future including LTC
In the 10 years since the Bush Administration launched its healthcare interoperability initiative by creating the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, a ...
ITUpdate
» Gregory L. Alexander, Ph.D. will address "How tech tools are changing the face of LTC," at an upcoming webinar. The event will begin at ...
Opinion
Shock 'em with action
On a scale of A to 17, with one being "Always" and red being "Parsnips," how would you rate your experience with customer satisfaction surveys? ...
Company news
Providers strive to diversify services, payment streams
Companies in the post-acute sector have been seeking deals to diversify their services and limit their reliance on Medicare, according to a recent analysis from ...
Gay couple turns to EEOC
Brookdale Senior Living is revisiting its benefits policies for same-sex couples after an employee filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in January. ...
BusinessBriefs
» Catholic Health will sell three of its seven long-term care facilities to Comprehensive Healthcare Management, according to local reports. A price has not been ...
Vendor news
Home care sensor market may be $1.2 billion by 2018
Just like the markets for skilled nursing and assisted living, demand for sensors in home care is expected to jump in the next five years.
Pharma companies embrace branding
Big pharmaceutical companies are exploring "brand personality" in their marketing strategies, according to new research.
CompanyBriefs
» American HealthTech has launched comprehensive ICD-10 educational and support resources, available to its customer base via its MyHealthTech portal. Resources include an ICD-10 training ...
Business & Marketing
2013: A survey, review
I always get a kick out of doing my year in review. Did I meet my personal and professional goals? Did our clients improve their ...
The big picture
The road more taken
Conventional wisdom can be a reassuring thing. But sometimes it can be flat-out wrong. Consider 94-year-old Olga Kotelko.
Editor’s desk
A mind-blowing way to learn, with the right price
As a parent looking at options for a high school student about to enter college, I know why it seems like everyone talks about the ...
Profile
Profile: On the side of seniors
For those who work with Medicare beneficiaries, Judith Stein is a well-known powerhouse. Since founding the Center for Medicare Advocacy in 1986, she's led numerous ...
