It honestly pains me to say it, but The New York Times, America’s most substantive daily newspaper, has gotten things completely wrong when it comes to its recent coverage of the HITECH Act and electronic health records. And what the Times says matters. Read More »
The long-term and post-acute care (LTPAC) industry made some good inroads last year in terms of information technology and electronic records, but 2013 should be a hallmark year of cooperation, connectivity and shared mission among LTPAC providers, acute care providers and the vendor community. Read More »
A new reporting system, created by CMS, will enable long-term care hospitals to provide more complete and accurate data on the quality of care their patients receive. Read More »
The Affordable Care Act requires states to have policies to combat fraud, but each state can choose how to do it. A new database shows what each state is doing to combat Medicaid fraud on their home turf. Read More »
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Thursday issued a final “omnibus” rule, expanding the direct liability of contractors and subcontractors of healthcare providers, plans and insurers that violate patient privacy. Read More »
Another 106 provider organizations make the CMS list of Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs), bringing the number of covered beneficiaries to more than 4 million. Read More »
Hospitals have had electronic health records (EHRs) for years. Now it's long-term care's turn. Industry leaders weigh in on EHR technology and long-term/post-acute care's newly respected role in the patient-centered care continuum. Read More »
Congress is considering new legislation that would erase many of the barriers to telehealth adoption and create better incentives for providers. Read More »
The long-term care industry was buffeted by forceful winds of change in 2012. Regulatory, political, economic and societal transitions tested providers’ mettle as the LTC landscape struggles to evolve and adapt. Technological advances and an improving senior housing market were bright spots in a busy news year. Read More »
We’ve got high-tech flooring sensors, in-room monitors for falls management and remote home monitoring.. . but wait—did we forget to redesign the stairs? Today's IOM meeting in Washington, D.C., provides a backdrop for good discussions on technology, health space design and mission. Read More »
Long-term Living’s coverage from today’s "Public Workshop on Fostering Independence and Healthy Aging through Technology" in Washington, D.C.: Senior services leaders present the issues of “assistance technology” to keep seniors mobile and independent. Read More »
No more guessing: After months of drafting and reviewing, the Final Testing Method for electronic medical records (EMRs) has been published by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC). Read More »
Will your EMR grow along with you? Does your information system understand you facility's workflow? Senior care technology expert John Derr explains how to assess workflow amid information technology changes and upgrades. Read More »
A new study suggests that acknowledging healthcare practitioners’ varying perspectives on the purpose of medication reconciliation and their roles in the process might increase implementation in healthcare settings such as hospitals and nursing homes. Read More »
The Department of Health & Human Services clarified its position Monday on funding ratios for state Medicaid expansions and published an extensive FAQ list on state health insurance exchanges. Read More »
Healthcare policy expert Blair Childs, vice president for public affairs at Premier healthcare alliance, gives his "insider impressions" of what’s happening on the Hill regarding a possible "doc-fix," Medicare funding, and possible Affordable Care Act policy changes as the deadline clock ticks down on the fiscal cliff. Read More »
Cloud computing and software-as-a-service subscriptions can give long-term care organizations access to high-tech applications and business processes at a low-tech price. Read More »
There are plenty of potential holes in the Meaningful Use incentives programs for electronic health records—and too many temptations for cheating, says a new OIG report. Read More »
The Wall Street Journal reported that the OIG is using the term “Operation Vacuum Cleaner” to refer to its review of nursing home billing issues. This term is perhaps even more foreboding than the report itself. With the fiscal cliff looming and sharp negotiations set to begin over the future of Medicare reimbursement, the timing and substance of this report are less than ideal for an industry already under fire. Read More »
Today was to be decision day for states on whether they intend to participate in the new state health exchange program, but an eleventh-hour extension from Health and Human Services Secretary Sebelius gives the remaining eight states another few weeks to decide. Read More »
The Office of Inspector General continues to unearth massive misreporting and over-billing in nursing home claims, especially where therapy is involved. Read More »
Eileen Malo, CEO of Schervier Nursing Care Center in Riverdale, N.Y., shares her insights on continuing to provide efficient and compassionate care to the growing numbers of seniors whether they reside in an LTC facility or in the community. Read More »
Under the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Meaningful Use incentive program for the use of electronic health records, eligible providers have received more than $8 billion in incentive payouts since the program began in early 2011, according to this week's report. Read More »
Just as documentation requirements begin to heat up, healthcare technology circles are abuzz as executives confirm that electronic medical record system vendor Allscripts Healthcare Solutions may be up for sale. Read More »
