Angie's Blog

HealthCap® USA

Angie Szumlinski, NHA, RN-BC, RAC-CT and BS

Director of Risk Management

Angie SzumlinskiMs. Szumlinski is a nationally-recognized leader in long-term care with experience as an Owner/Provider, Administrator, Director of Nursing, Corporate Quality Assurance Coordinator and independent consultant. Ms. Szumlinski conducts risk management visits at facilities across the country, touching every acuity level within the post-acute care spectrum. Ms. Szumlinski served as an Associated Board Member for NCAL, is a member of the AHCA/NCAL Quality Committee, NCAL Risk Management Committee, HCAM Legal/Clinical Committee and is a Senior Examiner/Team Leader for the AHCA/NCAL Quality Award Program. Ms. Szumlinski is a Nurse Planner for the HealthCap® ANCC accredited education program.

Training Provides Nurses with Strategies for Shift Work and Long Work Hours

Angie Szumlinski Uncategorized

A Hard Day's Night: Training Provides Nurses with Strategies for Shift Work and Long Work Hours The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) today released a free online course that aims to train nurses and their managers on the risks of shift work and long work hours, and strategies to reduce these risks. The training course was developed …

Skilled Nursing Facility Company Agrees to Pay More Than $3 Million to Resolve Kickback Allegations

Angie Szumlinski Uncategorized

HOUSTON – Regent Management Services L.P. has agreed to pay approximately $3.199 million to settle allegations that it received kickbacks from various ambulance companies in exchange for rights to Regent’s more lucrative Medicare and Medicaid transport referrals, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson and Gregory Demske, Chief Counsel to the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-Office …

CPR Methods following Sudden Cardiac Arrest

Angie Szumlinski Uncategorized

Large study reports results comparing two CPR methods used by EMS providers following sudden cardiac arrest In a study published online today in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers found that cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) administered by emergency medical services (EMS) providers following sudden cardiac arrest that combines chest compressions with interruptions for ventilation resulted in longer survival times and shorter …

CMS: Advanced Notification: Revisions to State Operations Manual

Angie Szumlinski Uncategorized

Memorandum Summary The Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) Individualized Quality ControlPlan (IQCP) procedure in the revised SOM will supersede the IQCP procedure in S&C 13-54. ” Revisions to Appendix C of the SOM: Revisions include the removal of Equivalent Quality Control (EQC) in the Interpretive Guidelines for §493.1256(d) and the insertion of IQCP in the Interpretive Guidelines for §493.1256(d) ” …

Discharge Planning Proposed Rule Focuses on Patient Preferences

Angie Szumlinski Uncategorized

So this isn't a proposed rule for SNFs. Proposed discharge planning requirements for SNFs are addressed in the proposed rule, “Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Reform of Requirements for Long-Term Care Facilities” (80 FR 42167, July 16, 2015) at https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2015/07/16/2015-17207/medicare-and-medicaidprograms-reform-of-requirements-for-long-term-care-facilities. But, as noted in the highlighted section below, this proposed rule would impact SNFs because for example hospitals, critical access hospitals, …

OIG Advisory Opinion No. 15-13: Free Van Shuttle Service

Angie Szumlinski Uncategorized

Ladies and Gentlemen: We are writing in response to your request for an advisory opinion about a plan to offer free van shuttle service to certain medical facilities in an integrated health system (the “Proposed Arrangement”). Specifically, you have inquired whether the Proposed Arrangement would constitute grounds for the imposition of sanctions under the civil monetary penalty provision prohibiting inducements …

Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review

Angie Szumlinski Uncategorized

A Notice by DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on 10/27/2015   The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has submitted the following information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The notice for the proposed …

Winning Hearts & Minds by Shocking Them…

Angie Szumlinski Uncategorized

Good morning, ProviderNation. More than two decades ago, PK Beville decided to try changing minds by assaulting them. The result, her patented “Virtual Dementia Tour” has been getting rave, if rattled, reviews. With the use of painful foot pads, heavy gloves, noise-cancelling headphones (with disruptive audio piped in), and near-blinding goggles, Beville's tours offer eight minutes of sheer hell and—many …

Voluntary Bed Handle Recall

Angie Szumlinski Uncategorized

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Bed Handles Inc. are re-announcing the voluntary recall of about 113,000 adult portable bed handles. When these handles are attached to a bed without the use of safety retention straps, a handle can shift creating a risk of entrapment, strangulation, and death.  For more information visit the CPSC website.

Funding would allow testing of new payment model for nursing facility care

Angie Szumlinski Uncategorized

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today announced a new funding opportunity designed to enhance the Initiative to Reduce Avoidable Hospitalizations among Nursing Facility Residents. The funding opportunity will allow the organizations currently participating in the Initiative to apply to test whether a new payment model for nursing facilities and practitioners will further reduce avoidable hospitalizations, lower combined Medicare …