To complete the readmission puzzle, post-acute care providers should look at three not-so-obvious missing puzzle pieces that go beyond the readmission metric. Read More »
Organizations serving older adults say they are pleased with Congress’ passing last week of the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation Act of 2014, which is designed to standardize data used across post-acute care settings. Read More »
The building crisis in financing and providing effective long-term care services and supports is an ever-growing problem as discussed in a report by the Commission on Long-Term Care. Read More »
While two pneumonia vaccines are recommended to seniors for optimal protection, will cost/coverage discourage them from receiving the second vaccine? Read More »
Living on a budget is hard for anyone. It takes discipline. Imagine if you had less than $100 a month to meet your needs, let alone your wants. Read More »
Almost half of Medicare beneficiaries aged at least 65 years, among them nursing home residents, reported trouble or the need for assistance with activities of daily living in a recent study. Read More »
After months of a pause mode due to backlogs in the appeals process, CMS has reinstated the recovery audit contractor (RAC) review process. Read More »
The final chapter in the series “12 Steps to QAPI” shows how preparation, organization, data and action can correct and improve processes to enhance the quality of care your residents receive. Read More »
A new report from the Congressional Budget Office includes projections related to spending on Medicare, Medicaid and other programs for older adults. Read More »
Medicare’s five-star rating system for skilled nursing facilities is being called out again—this time on the front page of the New York Times. Read More »
Providing 24/7 RN coverage in nursing homes is the goal of a new bill introduced July 31. Having the most highly qualified professionals available ensures that residents receive optimal care at any hour of the day. Read More »
What’s for dinner? Are you planning and serving residents meals that are in line with the new dining standards? A new toolkit helps to implement these requirements. Read More »
It’s nearing that time of the year again when it's important to review your residents’ history of vaccinations and to schedule the various inoculations, including pneumonia, that will protect them from infections in the coming months. Read More »
Lawmakers push the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to ease long-term care (LTC) red tape for military vets to obtain healthcare services. But what are the prospects for accessibility to LTC services? Read More »
In Texas, some nursing homes with serious violations have avoided penalties without correcting violations, according to a recent report by the Texas Sunset Commision. Read More »
Making use of newer guidance and data from the government, as well as improving communication with other entities and perfecting a person-centered approach to care, should be priorities for clinical and operational leaders in long-term care, according to the executive director of an educational foundation and consultancy. Read More »
Medicare and Social Security Boards of Trustees today released reports predicting the financial future of funds that support benefits, and they offered suggestions for addressing challenges. Read More »
QAPI expert Nell Griffin, LPN, EdM, offers valuable resources and advice on establishing performance improvement projects to remedy problems in care practices. Read More »
A new analysis finds that obstetricians/gynecologists, thoracic surgeons, primary care physicians and others are being reimbursed by Medicare for offering group and individual psychotherapy services to those living in intermediate and long-term care facilities. Read More »
Current Medicare requirements challenge home healthcare, but a new initiative is identifying infrastructure, workforce, research, technology and policy needs to facilitate change. Read More »
Collaboration and technology figure prominently in projects across the country earmarked for up to $360 million in funding through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Health Care Innovation Awards program. Read More »
The U.S. Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services have announced an Elder Justice Roadmap "for tackling the highest priority challenges to elder abuse prevention and prosecution." Read More »
Identifying problem areas, establishing goals, selecting committees and accessing data to enhance quality are components that determine whether a facility should charter a performance improvement committee. Read More »
