McKnight's Long-Term Care News articles from April 2008

McKnight's Long-Term Care News archives from April 2008

A primer for LTC financing.
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] An aging baby boomer population is forcing operators to rethink the funding of long-term care, a new report finds. "The NIC Compendium Project: A Guide to Long-Term Care Projection and Simulation Models" examines...

'Transparency 'bill rankles for-profits.
April 1, 2008... The for-profit long-term care community has been digesting a bitter tasting piece of proposed new legislation in recent weeks. The Nursing Home Transparency and Improvement Act of 2008 is the most aggressive attempt at nursing home reform...

1 in 8 may get Alzheimer's.
April 1, 2008... Approximately one out of every eight baby boomers in the United States--or roughly 10 million people--will develop Alzheimer's disease in their lifetime, says a new report from the Alzheimer's Association. The association estimates that...

Alzheimer's detection up.(NEWS)
April 1, 2008... A new technique to classify dementia is accurate more than 94% of the time, a new study has found. Researchers used positron emission tomography (PET) imaging and the radiotracer fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG), a glucose substitute, to study...

Drug mix-ups lead to stays.(NEWS)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] More than half of all seniors mismanage one or more of their medications, according to experts' estimates in a report in The Baltimore Sun last month. The mismanagement may lead to one-fifth of nursing homes stays....

Funding added to check employee backgrounds.(NEWS)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... The Senate has set aside funding in its fiscal year 2009 budget resolution for a national system of nursing home employee background checks. The goal is to keep those with abusive and criminal histories from working in long-term care...

AHCA predicts $1.7 billion in cuts.(NEWS)
April 1, 2008... The Bush administration's proposed budget for the next fiscal year would trim outlays to nursing homes by more than $18 a day per resident, according to an industry-backed analysis. In all, providers can expect to see Medicare payments cut by...

Reps. John D. Dingell (D-MI) and Tim Murphy (R-PA) have introduced legislation to delay implementation of several federal rules they say would reverse Medicaid policy.(At deadline)
April 1, 2008... Reps. John D. Dingell (D-MI) and Tim Murphy (R-PA) have introduced legislation to delay implementation of several federal rules they say would reverse Medicaid policy. Among the areas affected by the legislation: provider taxes, public-provider...

Paul Klaassen.(At deadline)
April 1, 2008... Paul Klaassen, founder and CEO of Sunrise Senior Living, stepped down as board chairman and will give up bonuses, the company announced after missing a federal financial filing deadline in mid-March.

Due to a mechanical error, some editions of last month's Growth Strategies supplement did not print properly.(At deadline)(Correction notice)
April 1, 2008... Due to a mechanical error, some editions of last month's Growth Strategies supplement did not print properly. A corrected version appears in this month's issue. Also, a caption on page 4 of our February issue incorrectly identified Rep....

60 seconds with ... Stephen McConnell: VP for advocacy and public policy, Alzheimer's Association.(NEWS)(Interview)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Q: Your new report estimated that soon 500,000 new cases of Alzheimer's disease will be diagnosed each year. What implication does that have for providers? A: Most people with Alzheimer's disease end up in a...

AAHSA, union laud Grassley bill for ownership demands.(NEWS)( American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging )(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... The for-profit and not-for-profit long-term care communities are united on many issues, but ownership transparency and cost reporting aren't among them. That was evident in their differing reactions to The Nursing Home Transparency and...

Study: follow-up care lowers SNF census.(NEWS)(skilled nursing facilities)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Nursing home admission rates among seniors who received complex community-based care after hospital visits fell 13%, compared with those who received usual care or minimum care, according to a new British analysis of clinical trial data. A...

The Office of E-Health Standards and Services recently posted information on the CMS Web site.(Regulatory Update)(Website overview)
April 1, 2008... The Office of E-Health Standards and Services recently posted information on the CMS Web site regarding security investigations and compliance reviews.

Staff of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission recently issued two draft proposals.(Regulatory Update)
April 1, 2008... Staff of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission recently issued two draft proposals designed to better evaluate Medicare Part D's performance goals and beneficiary access to needed medications.

Sens. Herb Kohl (D-WI) and Charles Schumer (D-NY) introduced the Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly Act.(Bill Watch)
April 1, 2008... Sens. Herb Kohl (D-Wl) and Charles Schumer (D-NY) introduced the Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly Act. The bill, which promotes new construction and preservation of affordable housing for seniors, is similar to House-passed...

Ask the care expert.(NEWS: Resident Care)
April 1, 2008... My administrator and board want my nursing staff to look at the number of nursing hours per resident and cut those hours. Is there any place where I could find out the average number of nurse hours per resident day in certified nursing...

Researchers see increase in residents with diabetes.(NEWS: Resident Care)
April 1, 2008... Diabetes is "enormously prevalent" in nursing homes, with one out of every four residents over the age of 65 diagnosed with the disease, according to a new report from the Institute for the Future of Aging Services. Among the findings:...

Stroke researchers: music aids recovery.(NEWS: Resident Care)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Listening to music can help speed a stroke victim's early recovery, while even moderate exercise will lower stroke risk. In addition, daytime napping could be a warning sign of pending stroke, researchers recently found in separate studies. ...

Nearly half of advanced-dementia residents in nursing homes receive antibiotics during the last two weeks of life, but it remains unclear whether such treatment helps, new Harvard study results indicate.(Caregiving Update)
April 1, 2008... Nearly half of advanced-dementia residents in nursing homes receive antibiotics during the last two weeks of life, but it remains unclear whether such treatment helps, new Harvard study results indicate. Pain from administering the drugs...

More than 1 in 5 U.S. adults--more than 46 million people--have arthritis or other rheumatic condition diagnosed by a doctor.(Caregiving Update)
April 1, 2008... More than 1 in 5 U.S. adults--more than 46 million people--have arthritis or other rheumatic condition diagnosed by a doctor. Even more noteworthy for caregivers: Almost two thirds of arthritis patients have the condition before their 65th...

Ask the treatment expert.(NEWS: Wound Care)
April 1, 2008... We have an incontinent resident who frequently has perineal skin breakdown. Would this be considered denuded skin, excoriated skin or should we stage it as a pressure ulcer? Excoriated and denuded are both considered descriptive words, but...

Study: joint replacements pose care risks for diabetics.(NEWS: Wound Care)
April 1, 2008... Diabetes has become increasingly common among nursing home residents, and it frequently contributes to wound problems. Researchers at Duke University in Durham, NC, have found that people with diabetes who undergo knee or hip replacements...

The Food and Drug Administration has given Abbott Laboratories approval for a continuous glucose-monitoring system.(Treatment Update)
April 1, 2008... The Food and Drug Administration has given Abbott Laboratories approval for a continuous glucose-monitoring system. The device lets diabetics conduct constant tracking of blood-sugar levels. The FreeStyle Navigator system will be available...

Organogenesis Inc. is launching a first-ever direct-to-consumer advertising campaign that will focus on contrasting traditional wound care treatments, such as ointments and gauze dressings, versus living cell-based therapies, the latest innovation in wound healing.(Treatment Update)
April 1, 2008... Organogenesis Inc. is launching a first-ever direct-to-consumer advertising campaign that will focus on contrasting traditional wound care treatments, such as ointments and gauze dressings, versus living cell-based therapies, the latest...

Ask the nursing expert.(NEWS: Nursing)
April 1, 2008... I have been a director of nursing for a long time now and am feeling exhausted. What can I do to re-energize? It bears repeating at least once a year: Always remember that you can't give away what you don't have. Your team looks to you for...

Nursing school admissions rise, while applications fall.(NEWS: Nursing)
April 1, 2008... Total admission and graduation-numbers at U.S. nursing schools increased in 2006, according to an annual survey by the National League of Nursing. But applications to RN programs dropped, the poll of diploma--and degree-granting institutions...

The cost of brand-name medicines most commonly prescribed to the elderly rose by 7.4% in 2007, according to advocacy group AARP.(Medication Update)
April 1, 2008... The cost of brand-name medicines most commonly prescribed to the elderly rose by 7.4% in 2007, according to advocacy group AARP. The increase was more than twice the rate of inflation.

Many residents with advanced dementia receive antibiotics.(Medication Update)
April 1, 2008... Many residents with advanced dementia receive antibiotics. But a recent study in the Archives of Internal Medicine questions the possible benefits. Also, researchers say the risks associated with them, such as pain from intravenous antibiotics,...

Baxter International Inc. has recalled Heparin, a widely used blood thinner.(Medication Update)
April 1, 2008... Baxter International Inc. has recalled Heparin, a widely used blood thinner. More than 400 people have suffered adverse effects possibly related to the drug and four users have died, as of press time.

Taking the herbal supplement ginkgo biloba may help hold off the onset of cognitive impairment in normal elderly adults, according to an online study.(Medication Update)
April 1, 2008... Taking the herbal supplement ginkgo biloba may help hold off the onset of cognitive impairment in normal elderly adults, according to an online study. But the study also showed a higher incidence of strokes among users.

Ask the payment expert.(NEWS: Payment & Policy)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... How is the new Quality Indicator Survey process going to affect facilities? The Quality Indicator Survey process was piloted in six states: California, Connecticut, Florida, Kansas, Louisiana and Ohio. This year, it also is being...

Nonprofits eagerly eye new Medicare payment proposal.(NEWS: Payment & Policy)
April 1, 2008... Nonprofit providers would receive 7% more in Medicare payments on average, according to draft estimates of a new payment system being considered by the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission. One draft that MedPAC was considering would add a...

CMS lowers bed-tax ceiling.(NEWS: Payment & Policy)
April 1, 2008... The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services finalized a rule that reduces maximum allowable provider taxes to 5.5%. The rule, which appeared in the Feb. 22, Federal Register, is similar to what was first proposed by CMS in March 2007. The...

Go figure.(NEWS: Payment & Policy)
April 1, 2008... 1.6 There were 1.6 million people 65 or older who lived in nursing facilities in 2006, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That comprises 4% of all people in that age group, a figure that is expected to soar in coming years. 2.73 The...

University of Missouri.(IT Update)
April 1, 2008... University of Missouri researchers are attempting to develop a "smart carpet" that alerts providers sooner when a fall occurs. The project uses sensors that are a little smaller than the head of a pencil eraser and are spread across a sheet of...

Fully 92% of providers recognize IT's role in improving patient care, according to a survey by CDW Healthcare.(IT Update)
April 1, 2008... Fully 92% of providers recognize IT's role in improving patient care, according to a survey by CDW Healthcare. However, respondents generally place little emphasis on the supporting IT infrastructure, risking unreliable performance and low...

HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt.(IT Update)
April 1, 2008... HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt called for an electronic prescribing mandate under Medicare and said that payers need to help physicians adopt health IT. He added that Medicare also could require providers to use electronic health records. Leavitt's...

The nation's governors charged at their annual meeting that a lack of federal health IT standards and legislation is slowing down local efforts to construct a health IT infrastructure.(IT Update)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... The nation's governors charged at their annual meeting that a lack of federal health IT standards and legislation is slowing down local efforts to construct a health IT infrastructure. They called on Congress to pass related legislation this...

Despite being overconfident, many industries are ill-prepared to handle data breaches, according to a survey conducted by consulting firm Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu.(IT Update)
April 1, 2008... Despite being overconfident, many industries are ill-prepared to handle data breaches, according to a survey conducted by consulting firm Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu. The 2007 Technology, Media and Telecommunications (TMT) Survey indicates that...

Man's best friend? A robot challenges Fido for the title.(NEWS: Technology)
April 1, 2008... For thousands of years, people have bonded with dogs as a way to develop companionship and ward off loneliness. A new study suggests that it might make little difference if the wagging tail belongs to a canine or a robot. Researchers at...

"I couldn't live without ...".(NEWS: Technology)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] At the Charlotte Hall Veterans Home in Charlotte Hall, MD, Administrator Steve Wynn wants his nurses to spend less time with paperwork and more time with the patients. And since becoming a client of Woodhaven Health...

Kindred Healthcare Inc.(Business Briefs)
April 1, 2008... Kindred Healthcare Inc. posted a loss of $47 million for 2007, That compares with a profit of $79 million for 2006. Profits at Kindred, one of the nation's largest skilled nursing chains, skidded in the fourth quarter, falling by 26% to $16...

Skilled Healthcare Group.(Business Briefs)
April 1, 2008... Skilled Healthcare Group's profits rose by 29% in the fourth quarter of 2007 to $7 million. Its revenues also climbed by 27% to $177 million, Revenues from its long-term care services segment, comprising skilled nursing and assisted living...

Five Star Quality Care Inc.(Business Briefs)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Five Star Quality Care Inc. returned to the black in the fourth quarter of 2007 with profits of $7 million. Revenues rose by 6% to $209 million. It lost $34 million in the same quarter of 2006. The Newton, MA-based company earned $23 million...

Metro monitor.(NEWS: Companies)(Table)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Metro Monitor Metropolitan areas with the highest and lowest skilled nursing median occupancy levels. (As of fourth-quarter 2007.) Leaders Rank Metro Occupancy 1 New York 96.9% 2 ...

Skilled bed prices top $55k in 2007, according to report.(NEWS: Companies)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Skilled nursing bed prices soared to a record high last year, reflecting the industry's recovery following a downturn that started in the late 1990s, a new industry report shows. The average sales price per skilled bed rose to $55,200 in...

Sun earnings rise by 78%.(NEWS: Companies)(Financial report)
April 1, 2008... Sun Healthcare Group Inc.'s profits grew by 78% to $35 million in the fourth quarter of 2007. Quarterly revenues climbed 74%, to $450 million, for the Irvine, CA-based chain. Earnings for the year rose to $57 million on revenues of $1.6...

Higher education.(Good month)
April 1, 2008... Higher education: People who attend college for at least a year may live more than a half decade longer than people who do not, according to Harvard Medical School researchers. A key reason: lower smoking rates. Full findings appear in the...

E-prescriptions.(Good month)
April 1, 2008... E-prescriptions: The full implementation of e-prescribing technology could come within three years. Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich declared that possibility in March when he joined and Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) for the introduction of a...

Alcohol abuse.(Bad month)
April 1, 2008... Alcohol abuse: One out of every 10 Medicare beneficiaries over age 65 may drink excessive amounts of alcohol, say researchers at Brandeis University in Waltham, MA. Heavy drinking by the elderly can increase fall risks, affect medicines and...

Diabetes.(Bad month)
April 1, 2008... Diabetes: Diabetes is "enormously prevalent" in nursing homes, according to a report from the Institute for the Future of Aging Services, a research arm of AAHSA. Afflicted residents face a higher risk for developing pressure ulcers and other...

Proposal cuts funding for 700.(NORTHEAST)
April 1, 2008... RHODE ISLAND -- The long-term care industry expressed concern over the governor's proposal to cut the nursing home population by approximately 700 by July 1. The goal of the plan is to shift more residents from nursing homes to home- and...

Nurse ratios to drop.(OREGON)
April 1, 2008... Gov. Ted Kulongoski (D) issued a mandate last month to lower the ratio of nurses to residents in nursing homes. The move could set a model for the country, as numerous other states also are considering such a measure. The nursing home...

Plan would reduce SNF funding.(NORTHEAST)(skilled nursing facilities)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... MASSACHUSETTS -- Nursing home advocates expressed disappointment with the governor's plan to reduce an annual Medicaid rate increase for skilled nursing. Instead of a regular 4% rate increase provided to nursing homes on July 1, Gov....

Short-stay residents on the rise.(NORTHEAST)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... NEW YORK -- Residents are staying for shorter periods in nursing homes. They also increasingly are sicker or cognitively impaired, according to a recent study released by the United Hospital fund. While the majority of residents are...

Tort reform legislation collapses.(WEST)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... HAWAII -- A controversial state tort reform bill died due to inaction in late February. The bill struck a chord in the healthcare community because it touched on a state dilemma: how to keep doctors from leaving Hawaii and attract new ones to...

Exploding toilets cause havoc.(WEST)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... WASHINGTON -- A boiler malfunction at an Auburn nursing home caused toilets to explode. No one was hurt, but 72 occupants of Regency Auburn Rehabilitation Center were temporarily evacuated to five other rehabilitation facilities, the...

Governor wants hold on new rules.(SOUTHWEST)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ARIZONA -- Gov. Janet Napolitano (D) has called on Congress to place a moratorium on proposed Medicaid regulations that would increase costs for states. The regulations would shift an estimated $13 billion in...

Legislation would isolate offenders.(SOUTHWEST)
April 1, 2008... OKLAHOMA -- A state House committee has approved legislation that would place registered sex offenders in special long-term care facilities. The House was expected to vote on the measure, as of press time. The purpose of the legislation is...

House passes immigration bill.(MIDWEST)
April 1, 2008... INDIANA -- The Indiana House took historic action, passing legislation that would crack down on illegal immigration. Its passage marks the first time a bill on this issue has managed to succeed. Unlike past proposals, however, the...

Poor conditions spur concerns.(MIDWEST)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... OHIO -- The recent discovery of deplorable conditions at a Cincinnati nursing home has prompted calls for more frequent inspections of facilities in the city and state. A raid at an East Price Hill home and adjoining assisted living center...

Electronic health network planned.(SOUTHEAST)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] TENNESSEE -- The state is developing the country's first statewide health information exchange, according to communications company AT&T, which is partnering with the state on the initiative. The Tennessee...

Senate slashes facility funding.(SOUTHEAST)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... FLORIDA -- The state Senate last month agreed to cut $316 million to nursing homes, hospitals and other healthcare providers in its 2008-2009 budget. Providers receive the annual payment increases for treating low-income residents and...

Operator cops tax fraud plea.(SOUTHEAST)
April 1, 2008... TEXAS -- Nursing home operator Gary R. Trebert pleaded guilty recently to conspiracy to defraud the government, tax evasion and other charges. The case against Trebert and two other defendants is one of the largest payroll tax fraud cases...

Funding for brain-injured adults.(SOUTHEAST)
April 1, 2008... KENTUCKY -- Federal authorities approved a plan to expand Medicaid services to help keep adults with brain injuries out of nursing homes. The plan, which would be phased in starting this year, would pay for care for as many as 65 people to...

Bill would increase lawsuit caps.(PLAINS/MOUNTAIN)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... COLORADO -- A state senator is proposing tort reform--but not in its usual form. Senate President Peter Groff has proposed a bill that would increase the upper payout limits for malpractice lawsuits. It would adjust a definition used in...

Ask the legal expert.(NEWS: Legal Matters)
April 1, 2008... The raiding of resident trust funds and theft of insurance checks by staff are perhaps the two most significant fraud/embezzlement problems in long-term care. What is your advice for guarding against them? One of the most common types of...

Bucking odds, Bush offers a new tort reform proposal.(NEWS: Legal Matters)
April 1, 2008... President Bush unveiled a tort reform proposal hailed by long-term care operators and less than a week later, a provider association released results of a study that showed liability reforms would save the U.S. healthcare system huge dollar...

Nurse lawsuit focuses on foreign language.(NEWS: Legal Matters)
April 1, 2008... A federal lawsuit filed in Wisconsin could lead to deeper scrutiny surrounding the rights of long-term care workers who speak a foreign language. A nursing aide is suing a Milwaukee continuing care retirement community where she formerly...

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.(Company Briefs)
April 1, 2008... The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services reported that the nation will spend more than $4 trillion a year on healthcare services by 2017. That will account for one of every $5 the nation spends, the federal government projects. Higher...

Arjo.(Company Briefs)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Arjo recently announced the release of two new lifts, and a campaign including them. They are the Maxi Twin, a mobile lifter with a unique open, twin mast design, and the Sara Lite, a standing and raising aid. The Maxi Twin has twin masts,...

Covidien.(Company Briefs)
April 1, 2008... Covidien announced it has agreed to sell its European incontinence business to a private French company for an undisclosed amount. The healthcare products company is expected to complete the deal in the second quarter. The French buyer plans to...

Hill-Rom.(Company Briefs)
April 1, 2008... Hill-Rom has teamed up with Cerner to create beds that are linked to residents' electronic health records, the firms recently announced. The move is expected to improve resident care by making data more integrated, and faster to obtain.

Google.(Company Briefs)
April 1, 2008... Google recently unveiled a plan to give patients more control over their medical records. The password-protected Web service stores health records on Google computers, with a medical services directory that lets users import doctors' records,...

Space Tables'.(Company Briefs)
April 1, 2008... Space Tables' Pam Erickson has retired. Erickson has been a long-time presence at most of the industry's major trade shows. Space Tables is a family owned and operated firm that makes adjustable tables for the eldercare field.

Eli Lilly and Company.(Company Briefs)
April 1, 2008... Eli Lilly and Company has unveiled a small tool aimed at battling a big problem--chronic disease. Lilly's free, pocket-sized health book, A Healthy You!--America's Guide to Healthy Living, puts useful tips and resources in the hands of seniors...

Defibrillators, other devices might carry security risks.(NEWS: Vendors)
April 1, 2008... Many nursing home residents wear defibrillators, which deliver therapeutic doses of electrical energy to their hearts. But a common technology used to monitor these devices may be vulnerable to hackers, a new report finds. Researchers...

Discount purchases get AAHSA buy-in.(NEWS: Vendors)
April 1, 2008... The American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging is teaming up with Atlanta-based MedAssets in a move intended to help association members pay less for goods and services. The agreement calls for AAHSA and MedAssets Supply Chain...

How to do it ... interior design.(Business & Marketing)
April 1, 2008... While many long-term care operators might like to overhaul their facility's appearance, it is rare that they all can afford a complete renovation. Designers note, in fact, that most providers look for ways to save money while undertaking...

Small talk.(Growth Strategies)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Former Speaker of the House Tip O'Neill liked to say that "all politics is local." His point was that while the big picture gets most of the attention, you have to drill down to understand what's really going on. That observation has some...

Sizing up opportunity: seniors housing and care opportunities exist for smaller and regional players. But they need to have their house in order.(Market analysis)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Small and regional operators, take solace: You are still in the capitalization game, provided you mind your business well. Interested lenders remain out there and they are looking for worthwhile projects to fund. ...

Davids vs. Goliaths: smaller operators must practice due diligence to scale lending hurdles.(Market analysis)
April 1, 2008... Just a couple years ago, the lending landscape was so hot seniors housing operators didn't have to do much to secure a hefty loan. Over the past year, however, the market's taken a dramatic downturn, potentially leaving a sea of capital-seeking...

No job too small: NIC MAP helps small operators get the market data they need to level the playing field.(Market analysis)
April 1, 2008... It used to be that if an eldercare operation wanted to investigate expansion, it meant rigorous travel, convoluted logistics, an endless series of phone calls and lots of guesswork on top of it all. With fewer resources at their disposal, small...