May 2014 35 5 Issue of McKnight's Long Term Care News
Top news stories from the May 2014 issue of McKnight's Long-Term Care News.
News
Providers' payments tied to readmissions
President Barack Obama signed legislation that ties skilled nursing facility Medicare reimbursements to hospital readmissions, starting in 2018.
LTC achieves antipsych goal
After years of pushing, long-term care facilities have reduced their use of antipsychotic medication for dementia, according to an April report from the Centers for ...
McKnight's awards open
The entry period is now open for McKnight's 3rd annual Excellence in Technology program.
Senators urge tougher LTC survey process
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said it plans to focus more on quality improvement initiatives rather than stricter surveys, but that didn't stop ...
Managed care experts wanted
Skilled nursing facilities could take major hits to their bottom lines unless a coordinator is on top of managed care contracts, a prominent healthcare consultant ...
New method for delirium
There's a new method for measuring delirium severity in older adults from researchers at Harvard and Brown Universities and the University of Massachusetts.
Vitamin D as cognition clue?
There appears to be a link between low vitamin D levels and cognitive decline over time, according to a new study from Wake Forest Baptist ...
Doc fix bill once again is less than LTC field had hoped for
A measure President Barack Obama signed into law does a lot more for doctors than it does for long-term care operators.
Pressure sore stats predict readmissions
Compared with other quality measures, pressure ulcer prevalence is particularly good at predicting whether a nursing home will readmit residents to the hospital, according to ...
State News
State News May 2014
WASHINGTON - A proposal for a sorely needed veteran's nursing home in Walla Walla remains mired in red tape and declining federal funding while elected ...
Features
Adapted for all
Senior living spaces are sprouting up with accommodations for residents with a vast array of physical, developmental and other needs to make them comfortable
Avoiding water falls
Bathing can cause serious injuries to residents and staff; using ergonomically correct techniques and sound transfer procedures promotes safe experiences
60 Seconds with...
60 seconds with ... Doug Pace, NHA
Q: Will the recent Inspector General's report on SNF adverse events put more focus on quality efforts like Advancing Excellence? A: You never know how much ...
Ask the care expert
Ask the care expert ... about regulating INR
I am a charge nurse on a skilled care unit. We have one resident in particular on warfarin and we can't seem to regulate the ...
Resident care
Better dementia-related info is needed for families: report
Even with advance directives in place, family members making decisions for end-stage dementia patients struggle with the trajectory of the condition, suggests a small study ...
Feds seek tornado shelters for residents
The deadly tornado that destroyed a Missouri nursing home three years ago showed that long-term care facilities need to have specially designed shelter areas, says ...
Ask the treatment expert
Wound care
Vibration holds promise for wounds, researchers discover
Diabetic foot ulcers and other chronic wounds might heal more quickly if they are exposed to gentle vibrations, according to new research from the University ...
Ask the nursing expert
Ask the nursing expert ... about choosing an EHR system
With so many electronic health records out there, how do we find the best one for our nurses?
Nursing
Survey says 'faking' feelings may bring on nurse burnout
Nurses who don't have a natural ability to control their emotions and who feel like they're regularly "faking" feelings at work are more likely to ...
Lighter work is little help for retention
Engaging late-career nurses in special projects while reducing their load of physically or psychologically demanding tasks can improve their perception of managers, but it doesn't ...
Ask the payment expert
Ask the payment expert ... about quality of care and reimbursements
Many states are at the forefront of pay for performance initiatives. These tie payment incentives to quality measurements and outcomes. These programs are encouraged by ...
Payment & policy
Hospice, curative care paid together in new program
Seniors will not have to stop curative care to receive hospice benefits under a new demonstration program, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently ...
Penalty process explained
A long-term care facility that has been slapped with a civil monetary penalty has 10 days to file for an independent informal dispute resolution process, ...
Ask the legal expert
Ask the legal expert ... about liability for violent crimes
With some of the violent outsider crimes committed at nursing homes lately, what should we do to legally protect ourselves?
Legal Matters
First hepatitis C lawsuit filed over North Dakota outbreak
The first of what could be numerous legal complaints against HCRManorCare has been filed in relation to a hepatitis outbreak in North Dakota last year.
Nurse wins $500k award after slipping
The importance of maintaining safe, dry flooring in a nursing home was the focal point of a recently decided lawsuit involving a Rhode Island facility.
Design
Steady as she grows
New Wisconsin Veterans Home ramps up slowly and it pays off; heavy timber, limestone and unobstructed views give facility distinct character
How to do it…
How to do it ... Choosing a good financial advisor
The trust a long-term care organization places in a person to guide and consult on its finances is no less important than the trust the ...
A day in the life
App tracks dementia day to day
Getting insight into the daily life of someone with dementia often is a difficult goal for family members who are not nearby. There's now help ...
Couldn't live without
I couldn't live without ... HydroWorx's therapy pool
It's not hard to get seniors into the water to perform aquatic therapy with the HydroWorx therapy pool at her facility, says Katie O'Shea, PT, ...
Technology
HHS says providers should use tool for risk assessment
The HHS Office of National Coordinator for Health Information Technology and Office for Civil Rights are making a new security risk assessment tool available to ...
Opinion
Of tired mice and men
Just so you know, I've been pulling two, 12-hour shifts of living per day for the past 53 years, and I'm exhausted. I work when ...
Company news
Nursing rates and prices hit historic highs, reports show
The rates nursing home charge and the prices they fetch on the market have hit new highs, reports reveal.
Value is new SNF mandate
Long-term care operators will face additional pressure to improve, said William Shrank, Ph.D., chief scientific officer for CVS/Caremark.
BusinessBriefs May 2014
» Compass Health has agreed to a $1.1 million settlement in a class action lawsuit alleging that the skilled nursing provider did not pay overtime ...
IT update
ITUpdate May 2014
» The Department of Health and Human Services released a draft report on a health information technology framework on April 3. It proposes three health ...
Vendor news
New device may help those with tremors eat and drink
A handheld electronic device may allow patients to overcome shaky hands caused by essential tremor, according to a new study from the University of Michigan ...
Logo color affects buyer perceptions
The combination of blue, yellow or red logos for many long-term care companies may not be an accident, according to new study results from the ...
CompanyBriefs May 2014
» Caremerge LLC unveiled plans in April for a partnership with Care Technology Systems. Data and alerts from the latter's sensors can be combined with ...
The big picture
The Babysitter Problem
It took me decades to unravel, but I think I finally figured out why my parents had nine children.
Editor’s desk
McKnight's Tech Awards here again to honor you
Hidden gems are often the best kind. They surprise us and keep us hopeful and optimistic for the future. This is how I feel about ...
Profile
Profile: A rare bird in Congress
When Rep. Diane Black (R-TN) was around 4 years old, she asked for a doctor's kit. But growing up in a working class family in ...
