May 2011 32 5 Issue of McKnight's Long Term Care News
May 1, 2011
News
Operators often getting 'sued,' no matter their quality rating
Nursing homes with high quality ratings are sued almost as often as lesser performing nursing homes, according to a new study published in the New ...
LGBT fear treatment in long-term care
A majority of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender older adults believe that staff at long-term care facilities would discriminate against them, according to a new ...
State News: Hearing set after NLRB files complaint against eldercare company
CONNECTICUT - A nursing home operator continues to battle a complaint that the National Labor Relations Board filed regarding the alleged wrongful dismissal of 36 ...
AHCA: Don't scapegoat LTC in name of fiscal obligation
As Democrats and Republicans squared off over conflicting budget priorities, the long-term care industry delivered a message both sides probably didn't want to hear: Don't ...
CMS delays short-cycle dispensing rule
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is delaying the implementation of its controversial short-cycle dispensing rule. The one-year postponement pushes the implementation date to ...
Providers optimistic about ACO inclusion
Provider groups are applauding the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' proposed accountable care organization regulations.
Tuesdays just got more super
McKnight's Super Tuesday webinars now offer free continuing education credits to eligible attendees.
New C. diff drug looks promising
A new antibiotic targeted at Clostridium difficile has won unanimous support from a government medical panel convened by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
E-stim helps stroke patients
Electrical brain stimulation helps recent stroke patients who have difficulty with swallowing after a stroke, a study found. Up to half experience such problems.
Tort reform on back burner?
Medical liability reform is unlikely to pass in Congress this year, said Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX).
LTC insurance sales surging
Twenty-five states saw a double-digit jump in the number of residents with long-term care insurance, while smaller states recorded the biggest increase in growth compared ...
Budget talk mostly for framing debate
President Obama outlined a plan to trim the nation's deficit by $4 trillion during the next dozen years, at press time. The president's address sought to ...
Features
Design of the times
When building new isn't an option, renovation is the route that most operators take to upgrade their facilities. Even small projects can make big differences.
Comfort bathing
The key to granting residents' personal bathing preferences starts with creating a dignified environment they can enjoy and then adding comfortable elements.
60 Seconds with...
Ask the care expert
Ask the care expert: Should I give a resident a placebo pain shot if I'm in doubt of their pain?
Sherrie Dornberger, RNC, CDONA, FACDONA, President, NADONA
Resident care
Heart failure patients facing more risks in nursing homes
Elderly heart failure patients who need skilled nursing care after discharge from the hospital face a higher risk of poor outcomes, according to the American ...
Study: Tai chi a useful depression fighter
Senior citizens with major depression experienced an improvement in their quality of life when treated with a combination of a standard antidepressant and weekly tai ...
Ask the treatment expert
Ask the treatment expert: Which vitamins and supplements promote wound healing?
Susan Wickard, RN, BSN, CWCN, CWS, CLNC, Clinical Advisor, American Association for LTC Nursing
Wound care
Honey may reverse antibiotic resistance, investigators find
Honey can be effective in helping to reverse antibiotic resistance, in addition to clearing infected wounds, investigators have found.
Bone marrow cells key to wound healing
Researchers at King's College London and Osaka University in Japan have identified the chemical that summons stem cells from bone marrow to wound sites. The ...
Ask the nursing expert
Ask the nursing expert: How can I get one of my nurse managers to be less competetive?
Anne Marie Barnett, RN, President, Maryland NADONA/LTC
Nursing
Nurses stay too quiet about caregiver errors, report says
Too many nurses keep quiet when they observe a colleague making a mistake that could harm a patient, findings of a study of 6,500 nurses ...
Study: Mobile voting takes out biases
Mobile voting systems help nursing home residents feel less disenfranchised on Election Day, offering nurses and staff relief over possibly influencing how an elderly resident ...
Ask the payment expert
Ask the payment expert: Can a facility bill a higher RUG rate for two residents in isolation?
Patricia Boyer, MSM, NHA, RN, President, Boyer & Associates, LLC
Payment & policy
Lawmakers propose a repeal of Medicare B therapy caps
Lawmakers in the U.S. House and Senate recently introduced proposals that would repeal payment caps for Medicare Part B therapy patients.
CMS to toughen website
Federal regulators are undertaking major changes to the Nursing Home Compare website and will continue to do so for five more months, officials said.
Legal Matters
Ask the legal expert: How can I tell if my boss is embezzling?
John Durso, Esq., Ungaretti & Harris LLP
Pursuing excellence
Smart money: Get to know EB-5
Access to capital is challenging for every company. You might be surprised to learn that the government has had an interesting funding program in place ...
Design
Future and past in the plan
The Clyde E. Lassen State Veterans' Nursing Home honors residents by respecting and promoting their past, and protecting their future.
A day in the life
Smooth Saling gets the job done
Before Steve Saling was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, in February 2006, he worked as a landscape architect ...
I couldn't live without...
I couldn't live without...Curaspan transition software
Prior to adopting Curaspan's software, nurses routinely spent over two hours reviewing a patient's chart when they were being discharged from the hospital and transitioning ...
Technology
Feds betting improved IT will minimize medical problems
The Department of Health and Human Services announced a partnership with providers around the country aimed at reducing medical errors and infections. The initiative will ...
IT Update
Farzad Mostashari's appointment as the new national coordinator for health IT has been enthusiastically received across the healthcare industry. Analysts generally agree that Mostashari — ...
Company news
Sunrise, Horizon Bay achieve Energy Star stamp of approval
Sunrise Senior Living and Horizon Bay Retirement Communities operate the first senior care facilities to earn the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star certification.
Kindred home health grows
Kindred Healthcare's subsidiaries have acquired four CareSouth home healthcare agency locations in Southern California and the San Jose area.
Vendor news
Mechanical lifts help reduce injuries and costs: report
Making safe-lift programs a priority at long-term care facilities could be the key to reducing injuries and worker compensation costs, according to a new report.
Drug makers dial down consumer ads
Rest in peace, Digger, Abe and the Beaver. Soldier on, Lunesta Moth, Nasonex Bee and VESIcare pipe people. You may be the last of a ...
Company briefs
News from McKnight's, Direct Supply, Prime Care Technologies, MealTracker, Lintech, Rubbermaid Commercial Products, OnShift
Business & Marketing
How to do it: Finance
Many times, providers become solely focused on becoming approved for a loan. But then they often neglect to concentrate enough on what to do once ...
The big picture
Something in the water?
Long-term care can seem like a pretty serious business. Perhaps rightfully so. Taking care of residents with dementia, pressure sores and bad attitudes — or ...
Editor’s desk
This freeze plainly brings you a chilling proposition
News that nursing home ratings would be frozen on the federal website for consumer research for six months drew a lot of interest from providers ...
