Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “News”
Although Resident Rights are not “new” in post-acute care, it is always good to remind our team about the importance of respecting each and every resident’s right to live with dignity. We often get caught up in the day-to-day of providing care and “forget” to be nice, forget to say please and thank you and most importantly, forget to recognize …
If you work in the SNF world you are familiar with the CMS 3-day stay rule, head in the bed for three nights in acute care to qualify for SNF care. The good news is that there is movement underway to revise this criteria and is currently in Washington DC for review. Let’s keep out fingers crossed that we gain …
This week is National Antibiotic Stewardship Week. Antibiotics save lives and are critical tools for treating a number of common and more serious infections, like those that can lead to sepsis. However, at least 30% of the antibiotics in U.S. outpatient settings are prescribed unnecessarily. We’ve gathered some interesting posts and resources to bring awareness to antibiotic stewardship.: The CDC …
What is the so-called “Red Hand Campaign” that was launched by CMS last fall? Join HealthCap CEO Peter Feeney as he talks with HealthCap Risk Managers Cheryl Wilcox, RN, CLNC, RAC-CT, and Dorene Spies, LNHA about the campaign, what it is, how it can affect facilities, and what to do if you receive a “red hand” icon on nursinghomecompare.com.
With the implementation of PDPM in SNFs, questions, concerns and job security are being discussed by skilled therapists and rightfully so! In this article from AOTA, PDPM concerns are discussed along with responses to questions regarding facility operations/protocols. Using PDPM as the “reason” for downsizing your therapy department does not make the process of implementing PDPM easier and in fact …
Medication Overload, also known as Polypharmacy, continues to be on the radar for many providers and regulators and for good reason. The negative effects of even one medication can be debilitating for an older adult. Add additional medications to their drug regimen and the results can be catastrophic. In a recent interview with Terry Fulmer, PhD, RN, FAAN and the …
Just released, the CDC/Strive are pleased to announce the launch of the Environmental Cleaning and Personal Protective Equipment courses, the latest in a series of 11 new infection control training courses. These courses are part of the new States Targeting Reduction in Infections via Engagement (STRIVE) curriculum intended for the infection prevention team, hospital leaders, clinical educators, nurse and physician managers, environmental services managers, all patient care …
After litigation and multiple comment periods from the public, the new CMS rule for arbitration agreements went into effect on September 16th. The rule only applies to arbitration agreements entered into on or after September 16th. Providers should take note of key requirements to ensure that their arbitration agreement will be enforceable. While it was a recommended best practice prior …
The AHCA/NCAL Quality Initiative is paired with CMS’s Five-Star Quality Rating System. This collaboration hopes to prepare skilled nursing centers for future policy and regulatory changes. Recent changes to Five-Star include adding new quality measures, changing RN staffing thresholds, and lifting the survey freeze. Based on preliminary analysis, the changes have been well received by the nursing centers. There are …
