McKnight's Long-Term Care News articles from April 2007

McKnight's Long-Term Care News archives from April 2007

CMS unveils bed tax limit.
April 1, 2007... Federal authorities formally proposed a rule that would cut the allowable provider tax ceiling from 6% to 5.5%. They had originally promoted dropping the ceiling to 3%. States use the so-called provider, or bed, taxes to gain matching...

Push comes to shove on therapy services.
April 1, 2007... If ever therapy services were at a dangerous crossroads, it is now. As momentum builds at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and in Congress to find a way out of the Medicare Part B therapy caps dilemma, Part A therapy services...

SNF bed price hits $47,400.(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... The average price paid for a bed in a skilled nursing facility hit a record $47,400 in 2006, according to the latest edition of The Senior Care Acquisition Report. The figure marks a nearly 10% increase over the 2005 average sale price and...

Races differ on dementia.(NEWS)
April 1, 2007... More black and Hispanic caregivers are apt to say Alzheimer's disease is simply a sign of old age, compared to caregivers of other races, a new survey shows. More than 33% of black and Hispanic caregivers surveyed said Alzheimer's is a...

Exercise aids body, brain.(NEWS)
April 1, 2007... Exercise helps to prevent disability in seniors and slows down the effects of Alzheimer's, according to two new studies. Among 1,020 senior housing residents, the risk of becoming disabled fell 7% for every additional hour spent each week...

Professionals announce new leadership coalition.(NEWS)
April 1, 2007... Long-term care organizations representing four professions have united to create a new coalition: The Long Term Care Professional Leadership Council. Months in the making, the council formally announced its creation in late February....

Lawmakers blast Medicaid cuts.(NEWS)
April 1, 2007... Governors and various lawmakers have attacked a pending regulation that could trim funding for government-owned facilities, "The proposed rule seeks to narrow the definition of government-related health providers and thus limits the funding...

The government will release new rules addressing resident safety and feeding assistants later this year, according to Cynthia Graunke of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.(At deadline)
April 1, 2007... The government will release new rules addressing resident safety and feeding assistants later this year, according to Cynthia Graunke of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. She spoke last month at a provider conference in Washington....

The Senate Budget Committee.(At deadline)
April 1, 2007... The Senate Budget Committee deleted some Medicare cuts targeting long-term care providers from its fiscal year 2008 budget resolution.

Alzheimer's disease now afflicts at least 5.1 million people and is expected to hit the 7.7 million mark by 2030.(At deadline)
April 1, 2007... Alzheimer's disease now afflicts at least 5.1 million people and is expected to hit the 7.7 million mark by 2030, the Alzheimer's Association reported.

The life-expectancy gap between whites and blacks has narrowed to 5.3 years.(At deadline)
April 1, 2007... The life-expectancy gap between whites and blacks has narrowed to 5.3 years, according to a new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

60 seconds with ... Lorainne Tarnove.(NEWS)(Interview)
April 1, 2007... Q: What's notable about the new Long Term Care Professional Leadership Council? (See related story on page 3.) A: The professionals haven't always been at the table. Without talking about the clinical issues, we didn't think it was possible...

Online Expo: the unions are coming, labor lawyer warns.(NEWS)
April 1, 2007... Think unions have been targeting facilities with renewed vigor lately? Just wait. That's the message from leading labor-law attorney Stephen J. Cabot. Cabot spoke at the McKnight's Online Expo last month. The event marked the industry's...

Former NADONA director sues president.(NEWS)(National Association of Directors of Nursing Administration Long Term Care)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Joan Warden-Saunders may have been quickly and quietly removed from her 20-year post as executive director of the National Association of Directors of Nursing Administration Long Term Care (NADONA) in October. But she clearly is not going...

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is developing regulations to renew a quality-based user fee for nursing home survey visits.(Regulatory Update)
April 1, 2007... The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is developing regulations to renew a quality-based user fee for nursing home survey visits. Providers are opposed to the fee, which will expire this September.

The Office of Inspector General has begun auditing entities for HIPAA compliance.(Regulatory Update)
April 1, 2007... The Office of Inspector General has begun auditing entities for HIPAA compliance. The agency's 2007 Work Plan mentions the audits in connection with health information technology.

Senators reintroduced a bill (S. 908), The Consortium on the Impact of Technology in Aging Health Services.(Bill Watch)
April 1, 2007... Senators reintroduced a bill (S. 908), The Consortium on the Impact of Technology in Aging Health Services. The bill would bring various groups together to help evaluate technology's potential to help the U.S. meet the needs of an aging...

Reps. Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Edward Markey (D-MA) last month introduced legislation (H.R. 1561).(Bill Watch)
April 1, 2007... Reps. Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Edward Markey (D-MA) last month introduced legislation (H.R. 1561) to improve prescription drug safety.

Ask the care expert.(NEWS: Resident Care)
April 1, 2007... I am a charge nurse on a skilled care unit. We are always trying to get extra fluids into our residents. Do you have any helpful tips? Enlist the help of your activities department. Perhaps, as an activity, make some gelatin gigglers....

Study: group activities help minimize elderly depression.(NEWS: Resident Care)
April 1, 2007... Continuous participation in voluntary group activities may help protect against potential depression when an aging person loses the ability to perform some or all daily activities, according to researchers at the University of...

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is developing a research and demonstration project on a potential alternative payment system for Medicare post-acute care, and the agency is seeking providers to participate.(Caregiving Update)
April 1, 2007... The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is developing a research and demonstration project on a potential alternative payment system for Medicare post-acute care, and the agency is seeking providers to participate. As part of the effort,...

While depression increases the risk of stroke in the under-65 crowd fourfold.(Caregiving Update)
April 1, 2007... While depression increases the risk of stroke in the under-65 crowd fourfold, it does not pose such a risk among people older than 65, according to a study published in Stroke.

Men living in more walkable neighborhoods were about six times more likely to walk for exercise, and women were 75% more likely to walk for exercise.(Caregiving Update)
April 1, 2007... Men living in more walkable neighborhoods were about six times more likely to walk for exercise, and women were 75% more likely to walk for exercise. This is according to a new study that suggests that communities that make it easy for senior...

Ask the treatment expert.(NEWS: Wound Care)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... A consultant has informed our DON that I am not permitted to chart wounds as "unstageable"--that we will be cited for this. It seems wrong to me to chart a wound as a Stage IV when I cannot see the base of the wound. What can you tell me about...

Gene therapy shows promise for treating diseased limbs.(NEWS: Wound Care)
April 1, 2007... Gene therapy is a safe treatment method to explore for patients whose lower limbs are at risk for amputation due to poor circulation caused by blocked blood vessels, according to investigators at Ohio State University. Nearly half the...

Revenues for the nation's antimicrobial dressings market surpassed $75 million last year, according to a report by Frost & Sullivan.(Treatment Update)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Revenues for the nation's antimicrobial dressings market surpassed $75 million last year, according to a report by Frost & Sullivan. A stronger emphasis on infection control will help drive revenues past $350 million by 2012, the firm noted....

Minorities from low-income areas are at increased risk for having a leg amputated due to severe peripheral artery disease, new research indicates.(Treatment Update)
April 1, 2007... Minorities from low-income areas are at increased risk for having a leg amputated due to severe peripheral artery disease, new research indicates. The disease is a kind of atherosclerosis of the legs. Amputations were less likely among patients...

Advanced BioHealing Inc. has enrolled the first patient in its initial Celaderm pilot study.(Treatment Update)
April 1, 2007... Advanced BioHealing Inc. has enrolled the first patient in its initial Celaderm pilot study. Investigators will assess the potential for the product to accelerate venous leg ulcer healing. The study is designed to enroll 55 patients who will be...

Ask the nursing expert.(NEWS: Nursing)
April 1, 2007... Writing employee evaluations is easy for the employees who do a great job, but finding the right words to motivate borderline employees during a nursing shortage is very difficult. Any advice? Ask what they need from you to be successful in...

One state has plans to put nurses in the driver's seat.(NEWS: Nursing)
April 1, 2007... When it comes to addressing the growing need of nursing care, one state is taking a unique approach. In Michigan, enrollment in nursing programs is rising as a traditional industry--making automobiles--fades. Faced with a worsening nursing...

The Food and Drug Administration last month approved Tekturna (aliskiren), the first in a new class of drugs to treat high blood pressure.(Medication Update)
April 1, 2007... The Food and Drug Administration last month approved Tekturna (aliskiren), the first in a new class of drugs to treat high blood pressure. The pills target renin, an enzyme responsible for triggering a process that can contribute to high blood...

Physical therapy and exercise may be a better regimen for seniors in pain than COX-2 inhibitors, the American Heart Association says.(Medication Update)
April 1, 2007... Physical therapy and exercise may be a better regimen for seniors in pain than COX-2 inhibitors, the American Heart Association says. Because of the risk for heart attack and stroke attached to this category of medicines, doctors should first...

Prices for the 193 most popular brand-name drugs for older Americans increased last year by 62%, nearly twice the rate of inflation of 3.2%, a report by AARP found.(Medication Update)
April 1, 2007... Prices for the 193 most popular brand-name drugs for older Americans increased last year by 62%, nearly twice the rate of inflation of 3.2%, a report by AARP found. It was the sixth year that manufacturers' prices of prescription drugs rose at...

Older adults who take several drugs a day may make harmful errors, according to a new study.(Medication Update)
April 1, 2007... Older adults who take several drugs a day may make harmful errors, according to a new study. It is important that patients understand how they are supposed to take their prescription medications, according to the February issue of the Journal...

Antihyperglycemic tablets help to treat type 2 diabetes.(News: DRUG UPDATE)(Drug overview)(Clinical report)
April 1, 2007... Glumetza Companies: Depomed and King Rx Pharmacologic class: Antihyperglycemic (biguanide) Active ingredient: Metformin HCl 500mg; ext-rel tabs. Indication: Adjunct to diet and exercise in type 2 diabetes as monotherapy, or...

Stiagliptin, used with diet and exercise, fights type 2 diabetes.(News: DRUG UPDATE)(Drug overview)
April 1, 2007... Januvia Company: Merck Rx Pharmacologic class: Antidiabetic (dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor) Active ingredient: Sitagliptin (as phosphate) 25mg, 50mg, 100mg; tabs. Indication: Adjunct to diet and exercise in type 2...

Inactivated influenza vaccine targets three virus strains.(News: DRUG UPDATE)(Drug overview)
April 1, 2007... FluLaval Company: GlaxoSmithKline Rx Pharmacologic class: Influenza vaccine Active ingredient: Trivalent, inactivated "split virus" influenza vaccine (Types A and B); formulation changes annually; susp for IM inj; contains...

Opioid analgesic for alleviating higher levels of cancer pain.(News: DRUG UPDATE)(Drug overview)(Clinical report)
April 1, 2007... Fentora Company: Cephalon CII Pharmacologic class: Opioid analgesic Active ingredient: Fentanyl (as citrate) 100 micrograms, 200 micrograms, 400 micrograms, 600 micrograms, 800 micrograms; buccal tabs. Indication: Management...

Ask the payment expert.(NEWS: Payment & Policy)
April 1, 2007... How should we prepare for the new Medicaid fraud guidelines? The requirements from the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 include establishing and disseminating policies for all employees who provide detailed information under the federal False...

Study: Medicare drug plans shortchanging dual eligibles.(NEWS: Payment & Policy)
April 1, 2007... Low-income nursing home residents tend to be enrolled in less than optimal Medicare prescription drug plans, according to a study by the Long Term Care Pharmacy Alliance. Many dual-eligible nursing home residents are randomly assigned to...

Federal SNF payments slow.(NEWS: Payment & Policy)
April 1, 2007... Growth in nursing home spending was expected to gear down to about 3.4% in 2006, due largely to moderated Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement rates, researchers say. That is a significant slowdown from the 6.0% growth rate in 2005,...

Go figure.(NEWS: Payment & Policy)
April 1, 2007... 6.2 193 drugs most commonly used by the 50+ age group rose 6.2% in 2006, double the rate of inflation, according to AARP. 10 The percentage of Americans living with Alzheimer's disease increased 10% over the last five years (to 5 million),...

Sun Healthcare Group Inc.'s profits soared.(Business Briefs)(Financial report)
April 1, 2007... Sun Healthcare Group Inc.'s profits soared in the 2006 fourth quarter on strong revenues, Earnings skyrocketed by 75% to $20 million, from about $12 million during the same quarter last year. Revenues grew by 23% to $268 million. The company's...

Kindred Healthcare Inc.'s earnings dipped.(Business Briefs)
April 1, 2007... Kindred Healthcare Inc.'s earnings dipped 13% in the fourth quarter, even as revenues rose. Paul J. Diaz, Kindred's president and CEO, said disappointing KPS pharmacy results in the fourth quarter "were primarily related to poor performance in...

Advocat Inc.'s earnings plummeted.(Business Briefs)
April 1, 2007... Advocat Inc.'s earnings plummeted in the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31, 2006, to about $2 million from approximately $13 million last year. Net income from continuing operations fell as the benefit for income taxes decreased to $0.4 million...

Metro monitor.(NEWS: Companies)
April 1, 2007... Metro Monitor rate of households with someone 75 years or older in skilled nursing care in the fourth quarter of 2006. The higher the number, the greater the saturation rate. Top 5 Penetration Rank...

HCP, Ventas look to courts in battle over Sunrise REIT.(NEWS: Companies)
April 1, 2007... The fight to acquire Sunrise Real Estate Investment trust was still up for grabs, as of press time last month. Health Care Property Investors Inc., and Sunrise REIT, were awaiting a decision on an appeal from the Ontario Court of Appeal....

Sunrise still cites the SEC.(NEWS: Companies)
April 1, 2007... Sunrise Senior Living Inc. missed the March 1 deadline for restating its earnings for 2006, putting it at risk for suspension or delisting from the New York Stock Exchange, according to a company filing with the Securities and Exchange...

The federal government needs to monitor healthcare-related information technology more closely.(IT Update)
April 1, 2007... The federal government needs to monitor healthcare-related information technology more closely, according to a new report sponsored by the American Health Information Management Association.

In a recent study of more than 60 healthcare leaders, PricewaterhouseCoopers found that the quality of the U.S. healthcare system is less than it should be.(IT Update)
April 1, 2007... In a recent study of more than 60 healthcare leaders, PricewaterhouseCoopers found that the quality of the U.S. healthcare system is less than it should be. That conclusion is not likely to change in the next three to five years, study authors...

Health Level Seven.(IT Update)
April 1, 2007... Health Level Seven (HL7), which develops health information technology standards, has announced a functional requirements standard for electronic health record systems. The organization said the standard enables consistent expression of EHR...

A coalition of companies including Cisco, Dell, Google and Intel, have banded together to let physicians write prescriptions over the Internet.(IT Update)
April 1, 2007... A coalition of companies including Cisco, Dell, Google and Intel, have banded together to let physicians write prescriptions over the Internet. In addition to warning of potential interactions between drugs, e-prescribing systems can guide...

Hill-Rom IT Solutions, a leading global provider of clinical IT solutions, announced it will begin working with Ascom, an international market-leading provider of on-site wireless communication solutions.(IT Update)
April 1, 2007... Hill-Rom IT Solutions, a leading global provider of clinical IT solutions, announced it will begin working with Ascom, an international market-leading provider of on-site wireless communication solutions. The firms plan to offer a wireless...

Critics challenge slow pace of privacy and security rules.(NEWS: Technology)
April 1, 2007... Paul Feldman has resigned as chair of the privacy and security workgroup of the American Health Information Community. Apparently frustrated, he cited inadequate progress toward "the development of comprehensive privacy and security policies."...

"I couldn't live without ...".(NEWS: Technology)
April 1, 2007... Going paperless has helped Valley View Center for Nursing Care and Rehabilitation, Goshen, NY, shave off more than 700 manpower hours a week by reducing the administrative burden on its caregiving staff. That's not all. The 520-bed,...

Hawaiians head to mainland.(MIDWEST)
April 1, 2007... OHIO -- A shortage of long-term care nursing home beds has prompted some Hawaiians to move to the mainland for long-term care. Roughly 10 Hawaiian residents have qualified for Ohio Medicaid to help pay for long-term care in Muskingum County...

State passes asset transfer legislation.(WYOMING)
April 1, 2007... Gov. Dave Freudenthal (D) has signed a bill that enforces the long-term care Medicaid eligibility criteria of the federal Deficit Reduction Act of 2006. The law extends the "look-back" period for transfers of assets to five years from...

Manganos trial postponed.(SOUTHEAST)
April 1, 2007... LOUISIANA -- A jury trial for the nursing home owners charged in the deaths of 35 residents following Hurricane Katrina was postponed four months, until mid-August. Prosecutors and defense attorneys both requested more time to examine evidence....

$4 million award in neglect case.(SOUTHEAST)
April 1, 2007... TENNESSEE -- A jury awarded $4.2 million to the family of a man who died in a nursing home owned by National Healthcare Corp. Cheatum Myers died in 2005 as a result of inadequate care at the facility located in McMinnville, plaintiffs...

First facility to fail program.(SOUTHEAST)
April 1, 2007... ALABAMA -- A Birmingham nursing home became the first in the state not to meet the requirements of a federal program that links financing to improved care. Pleasant Grove Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, which was licensed for 185...

Court upholds malpractice caps.(SOUTHEAST)
April 1, 2007... LOUISIANA -- The state Supreme Court has upheld a $500,000 limit on damages in medical liability cases. The ruling vacates a lower court's finding that the cap was unconstitutional. The state's highest court sent the case back to the...

Sex offender costs $750,000.(SOUTHEAST)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... FLORIDA -- A Jacksonville nursing home will pay $750,000 to the daughter of a woman who was raped by a sex offender living at the facility. The 83-year-old offender was charged with sexual battery but was found not competent to stand trial...

Panel rejects license mandate.(SOUTHEAST)
April 1, 2007... ARKANSAS -- Assisted living facilities do not need state licenses to market themselves as such, the state's House Judiciary Committee determined. The body voted down a proposal prohibiting facilities from calling themselves assisted-living...

Senate funds SNF alternatives.(SOUTHWEST)
April 1, 2007... UTAH -- The state Senate gave different treatment to two bills that would offer the elderly housing alternatives to nursing homes. In February, it unanimously approved a measure that would award nearly $400,000 to the Utah Department of...

State wins Medicaid pay ruling.(NORTHEAST)
April 1, 2007... MASSACHUSETTS -- The state Supreme Court ruled that the state's regulations used to set Medicaid payment rate calculations in the late 1990's were not arbitrary or against the law. The Massachusetts Supreme Court also upheld a previous...

Sentenced for manslaughter.(NORTHEAST)
April 1, 2007... PENNSYLVANIA -- A former nursing home administrator of a facility near Pittsburgh was sentenced to 22 to 44 months in prison for involuntary manslaughter. Martha Bell, the former head of the now-shuttered Ronald Reagan Atrium I Nursing and...

State clears complaint backlog.(WEST)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... CALIFORNIA -- The Department of Health Services has almost cleared a backlog of nursing inspections and complaint investigations. At press time, 99% of the complaint backlog had been cleared and 96% of complaints requiring investigation...

Allowance to rise after 19 years.(WEST)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... HAWAII -- The state plans to raise a federally mandated monthly living allowance for the first time since 1988. Starting in July, residents' allowance will rise to $50 per month, up from $30 a month. Medicaid residents receive the...

Ask the legal expert.(NEWS: Legal Matters)
April 1, 2007... I've heard a lot about union organizing efforts gearing up. What are the best things to do to discourage union organizing at my facility? Open communication, as well as fair and equal treatment of all employees with respect to discipline,...

CMS added blood-glucose testing criteria, suit claims.(NEWS: Legal Matters)
April 1, 2007... Nursing home plaintiffs involved in a class action lawsuit contend they have new evidence that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services acted to deny coverage for blood glucose tests for diabetics residing in skilled nursing facilities. ...

Appeals court: nurse firing was revenge.(NEWS: Legal Matters)
April 1, 2007... A nurse who was fired just two days after reporting resident sexual abuse by a fellow nursing home worker can collect damages from her former employer for retaliatory firing, a state appeals court has ruled. No written report was ever made...

How to do it ... design upgrades: "most furnishings start to look really worm after six or seven years. The facility just pushes furnishings too far.".(Business & Marketing)
April 1, 2007... Determining the right time to replace furnishings, flooring and other design elements can have vast implications for a skilled nursing facility. Beyond allocating budget funds judiciously, an operator also must keep other things in mind, such...

A sustainable mission: Minnesota nuns go for green, and thanks to a larger, renovated nursing home and assisted living community, they can age in place.(Business & Marketing: Design)
April 1, 2007... From the very beginning it was clear that the renovation and construction project at the School of Sisters of Notre Dame long-term care facility in Mankato, MN, would need to fulfill many missions. "The sisters were very concerned about the...

She's hardly the retiring type.(THE BIG PICTURE)
April 1, 2007... Less than a decade ago, Lydia Lundberg and her husband, Bill Reed, were set to retire. Instead, they dumped their nest egg into an unproven business venture. The rest, as they say, is history. The general idea behind their Elite Care...

Out of ashes of despair an opportunity may rise.(Editor's DESK)
April 1, 2007... Some of the greatest success stories emanate from some of the least likely places: bleak situations, unflattering news developments and seemingly indefensible, incomprehensible acts. In other words, exactly what the nursing home community...

Reader poll: "what do you think should happen to the Manganos, the facility owners charged with 35 counts of negligent homicide after Hurricane Katrina?".(Opinion)
April 1, 2007... "To me, the obvious answer is for our criminal justice system to treat the Manganos as it would anyone accused of company miring a crime--that is, that they be considered innocent until proven guilty." --Administrator, Roger W. Parry,...

A final good-bye to readers.(HAVING MY SAY)(Column)
April 1, 2007... Several of my friends have persuaded me to write this final column, which is something they claim I shouldn't leave without doing. There comes a time when you start adding up all the pluses and minuses of your life. In my case, I'd like to...

Kudos: Expo was 'creative and time-effective'.(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2007... When I first heard about McKnight's "Online EXPO," I was really intrigued. The idea of being able to investigate and navigate through so many vendors without leaving my desk was refreshing. So, I took off my shoes, put on the tea, brought out...

McKnight's Online Expo: 'definitely do it again'.(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2007... The recent Online Expo was a really nice change from typical, on-site seminars. Not having to travel--and being able to sit at my desk while seeing and hearing the same type of information was refreshing. Definitely do it again--I can see this...

Expo an 'innovative way to interact'.(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2007... Thanks for developing an innovative way to interact with my peers, receive educational programming, and review the latest resources from industry vendors, all while sitting in my office! The Online Expo was easy to maneuver and provided...

Other professionals seek seat at leadership table.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2007... I just read the recent issue of McKnights Online (McKnight's Daily Update, posted at www.mcknights online.com Feb. 21, 2007) announcing the formation of the LTC Professional Leadership Council. I applaud this effort to bring together the...

The short view: despite pressure from hospitals and potential Medicare cuts, more providers are attracted to short-term therapy services.(Rehabilitation)
April 1, 2007... It seems that, for once, government is smiling on nursing homes--at least in the field of short-term, post-acute therapy. Thanks partly to the so-called 75% rule, more short-term post-acute patients are coming to long-term care facilities,...

Record time: providers can improve staff efficiency and retention by more actively pursuing IT alternatives for administrative functions.(Information technology)
April 1, 2007... Smart employers realize they have at least two sets of customers to satisfy. One, of course, is the consumers, or those who actually flow dollars into the treasury. The other, often overlooked, set is the employees. If you don't serve...

Recent arrivals: these new products provide you with the tools to conduct your business successfully.(New Products)
April 1, 2007... (1) Fall prevention program Briggs Corp. takes a closer look at fall prevention in the New OUTCOMELinks[TM] Fall Prevention Program. The program offers tools to support improved fall outcomes, reduced hospitalization and increased...