McKnight's Long-Term Care News articles from August 2002

McKnight's Long-Term Care News archives from August 2002

Deal would hike rates for Medicaid.
August 2, 2002... Providers would start receiving more federal funding for Medicaid reimbursement as early as 2003 under a compromise amendment from a trio of senators who had proposed similar legislation earlier this year. According to a plan hashed out by...

Hospital & Healthcare Compensation Service. (Late Breaking News).
August 2, 2002... The national mean salary for a nursing home administrator is $67,714, a 2.95% increase over a year earlier, according to a new survey from Hospital & Healthcare Compensation Service. The average bonus was $8,595, or nearly 12.2% of salary.

Archives of Internal Medicine. (Late Breaking News).
August 2, 2002... Bone fractures are about 11 times as likely for nursing-home residents than for those not living in the facilities, says a new study published in Archives of Internal Medicine.

American Dietetic Association. (Late Breaking News).
August 2, 2002... Researchers found that certified nursing assistants inaccurately estimated residents' food intake more than half (56%) of the time, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. (Late Breaking News).
August 2, 2002... About 70% of Americans worry about getting the wrong medication or having a negative reaction to a drug when they're admitted to a nursing home or hospital, according to a survey from the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists.

Chastened chains are moving ahead cautiously: nursing home operators are sticking to basics, anxiously awaiting congress' next move on medicare funding. (News).
August 2, 2002... Whether a nursing home chain has recently emerged from bankruptcy or not, or is large or not, this is not a time for pretentious pursuits or action plans, experts agreed. "No one is being bold, and those who are trying are more likely than...

LTC sector cries foul against 'deficient' survey process: inspection inconsistencies still annoying main players. (News).
August 2, 2002... When it comes to the long-term care survey system, providers, surveyors and advocacy groups generally harbor different opinions on its effectiveness. Despite varying views, all sides do appear to agree on one thing: The system is wrought...

Problem areas. (Databank).
August 2, 2002... Problem areas Pain and walking are significant problems for residents, according to findings from a six-slate study. Delirium 4% Physical restraints 7% Pressure ulcers 8% Weight loss 8% Pain...

Veteran nurse brings fountain of youth to facility: 'she radiates happiness, peace and contentment'. (LTC Profile).
August 2, 2002... VERMADELL KLAGHOTZ Like other long-term care nurses, Vermadell Klaghotz spends her day caring for residents and wading through mounds of paperwork. She looks forward to her time spent with residents and staff, often leaving her door...

'Blueprint' hearings on long-term care offer more rhetoric than actual plans: after series of hearings, experts pushing non-institutional care, private insurance. (News).
August 2, 2002... In retrospect, the hearing might have been misnamed. "Long-Term Care Financing: Blueprints for Reform" might have given the impression that politicians and industry leaders had the ink dry on approved plans when in fact, all they were doing...

Hard data.
August 2, 2002... 1 Trillions of dollars spent nationally on personal health care in 1998, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. That's an average of $3,759 per person. 2.35 Million cases of diabetic foot ulcers diagnosed...

Study: Medicaid funding gap widening. (News).
August 2, 2002... Medicaid under funding is at least 6% worse than last year, when accounting firm BDO Seidman, Milwaukee, found the government was paying $3.3 billion too little for U.S. nursing home care. The firm's updated study found the shortfall to...

OSHA targets facility hazards. (Regulatory Update).
August 2, 2002... The Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced a national emphasis program on July 15 that will target specific hazards in nursing homes that may harm workers. Among the areas to be examined: falls, injuries related to resident...

GAO: staffing levels affect quality. (Regulatory Update).
August 2, 2002... Increased staffing levels have a greater effect on better nursing home care quality than increased funding, according to a three-state report released by the General Accounting Office July 15. The agency examined 1999 spending and staffing...

Legislative update. (Regulatory Update).
August 2, 2002... H.R. 4872 would permit criminal background checks for nursing facility and home health agency personnel involved in indirect patient care. Sponsor: Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC). H.R. 4715 would amend Medicare and Medicaid to establish minimum...

Three provider groups sign quality improvement pledge. (News).
August 2, 2002... Three of the largest long-term care associations have signed a pledge aimed at improving quality through accountability and disclosure. The pledge calls for the creation of a national panel that will identify areas for quality improvement,...

Market monitor. (News).
August 2, 2002... Market Monitor Nursing facility measure: Average daily nursing home costs for a private room--least expensive cities City Daily cost Shreveport, LA $88 New Orleans $95 Dell Rapids, SD...

Action on nursing home quality measures delayed. (News).
August 2, 2002... The National Quality Forum nursing home measures steering committee must first review the results of three studies before the NQF's board of directors addresses nursing-home performance measures, the board decided. The board also released...

Court won't rewrite law for SNF. (News).
August 2, 2002... The U.S. District Court of Northern Illinois has ruled that it is not allowed to rewrite Medicare law on the basis of unfairness. Instead, it suggested that a higher court would have to be the one to possibly grant a nursing home's request...

Outsourcing non-core functions back in spotlight: providers say labor market responsible for renewed interest in bringing in contractors. (Business).
August 2, 2002... With the regulatory, legal and operational complexities in long-term care, many administrators have historically been wary of bringing in outside contractors to perform or manage non-healthcare related work in their facilities. But experts...

Winners & Losers. (Business).
August 2, 2002... WINNERS & LOSERS Company name Percent change * Winners ARV Assisted Living (SRS) 23% Universal Health Realty Inc. Trust (UHT) 13% Emeritus Corp. (ESC) ...

Balfour Senior Care. (New Business).
August 2, 2002... * Balfour Senior Care, Louisville, CO, acquired an assisted living facility from Alterra Healthcare Corp. Balfour bought Clare Bridge of Louisville for $3 million, and intends to rename the 52-bed ALF Balfour Cherrywood Village.

Radius Management Services Inc. (New Business).
August 2, 2002... * Radius Management Services Inc., Wakefield, MA, acquired the Ring Healthcare Center East, a 120-bed skilled nursing facility in Springfield, MA, from owner/operator Morrill Stone Ring. The purchase price was not released.

Alden Management Services Inc. (New Business).
August 2, 2002... * Alden Management Services Inc. and Rush Hospice Partners, both headquartered in Chicago, announced that they developed a new model for providing palliative and hospice care in a skilled nursing setting. A section of Alden Town Manor in...

Extendicare Inc. (New Business).
August 2, 2002... * Extendicare Inc., Markham, ON, announced that its U.S. subsidiary, Extendicare Health Services Inc. intends to sell up to $150 million in Senior Notes due 2010. Extendicare said it plans to use the net proceeds from the sale to pay off...

The Colorado Department of Human Services. (Construction).
August 2, 2002... * The Colorado Department of Human Services announced the opening of the new Colorado State Veterans Nursing Home at Fitzsimons in Aurora, CO. The 180-bed facility was built at the former Fitzsimons Army Medical Center and is one of six...

Xavier Health Care Services. (Financing).
August 2, 2002... * Xavier Health Care Services, Baltimore, secured corporate financing through GMACRFC Health Capital. The financing was initially utilized for the completion of Xavier's acquisition of Blue Point Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, Baltimore City....

Love Funding Corp. (Financing).
August 2, 2002... * Love Funding Corp., Lenox, MA, arranged financing for two senior communities. Carriage Hill Retirement Community, Bedford, VA, a 141-bed facility, refinanced for $4,359,600 through the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and Love...

Senior Resource Group. (Financing).
August 2, 2002... * A new senior and assisted living development received $44.5 million in construction financing arranged by Holliday Fenoglio Fowler. The 363-unit facility will be developed by Senior Resource Group, San Diego, and will offer independent living...

Cost-Saving Strategies for Long-Term Care Administrators. (Resources).
August 2, 2002... * HCPro has published a special report about ways to reduce spending in long-term care facilities. Cost-Saving Strategies for Long-Term Care Administrators offers tips from industry professionals about MDS programs, outsourcing, cost...

National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL). (Resources).
August 2, 2002... * The National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) has created a product catalog and planning guide for the National Assisted Living Week in September. The NCAL activities and ideas for the week were developed in conjunction with the one-year...

A Place for Mom. (Resources).
August 2, 2002... * A Place for Mom, a national eldercare referral service, offers a checklist that can be used by families to evaluate long-term care communities for their loved ones. Tips on Touring is a 10-point checklist that helps guide families through...

The Medicare Billing Troubleshooter. (Resources).
August 2, 2002... Simple Strategies for Nursing Home Reimbursement Success, by Karen Frazier Lusky, RN, provides expert advice and strategies to improve reporting and handle billing issues that include obtaining appropriate authorization to bill and conducting...

Elder Rage, or Take My Father Please!: How to Survive Caring for Aging Parents. (Resources).
August 2, 2002... Impressive Press, Irvine, GA, has published Elder Rage, or Take My Father Please!: How to Survive Caring for Aging Parents, a new book by Jacqueline Marcell on dealing with Alzheimer's sufferers. The book details the stages of the disease, as...

Leading LTC firms. (Business).
August 2, 2002... Leading LTC Firms Top long-term care facilities 7/19 6/17 Company Market capitalization * 1 2 Healthcare Property Investors Inc. $2,403 (HCP) 2 1 Manor...

Census low? Evaluate your product better. (Marketing Issues).
August 2, 2002... Q: We're having trouble filling our AL beds. Any suggestions? A: This is an age-old problem. The first thing you need to evaluate is your product. Look at it with a fine-toothed comb. You can't cover it up or gloss over problems. As Abe...

'Improving Access' most intriguing bill of year. (Regulatory Issues).
August 2, 2002... Q: Which new long-term care-related bill introduced this spring has most intrigued you, and why? A: The House Ways & Means Committee has approved the "Improving Access to Long-Term Care Act of 2002" (H.R.4946). The Act would allow premium...

Make termination a well documented occasion. (Legal Issues).
August 2, 2002... Q: I'm really itching to get rid of an employee who seems to stay just on the legal side of all her activities. I want to make sure I'm not sued for wrongful termination. What advice can you give? A: In Illinois, as in several other states,...

Empower CNAs with information properly. (Workplace Issues).
August 2, 2002... Q: It seems like CNA advocates always talk about putting them more in the loop, "empowering" them mare, etc. How does one know where to draw the line? A: Information is power and the more information you give people, the more you enable...

Recyclable soap dispenser minimizes waste. (New Products).
August 2, 2002... Kimberly-Clark Corporation All-N-1[TM] is a recyclable, 2.5 L, self-contained soap and dispenser system installed on wall-mounted brackets. The company says it provides easy dispensing without clogging or leakage and can be quickly...

Consistent pressure relief from new mattress. (New Products).
August 2, 2002... Direct Supply Healthcare Equipment Direct Supply Healthcare Equipment's exclusive new Panacea Ultimate mattress line features fully anatomically zoned surface areas, so residents receive consistent pressure relief, according to the...

Toe cushion eases foot pain. (New Products).
August 2, 2002... Silipos Orthopedic Silipos[R] offers a Gel Toe Crest designed to release pressure on toes and metatarsals for more comfortable walking. The silicone gel cushion loops around the toe and is washable and reusable. For more information, call...

Clean alternative for smoking areas. (New Products).
August 2, 2002... Rubbermaid Commercial Products LLC GroundsKeeper[TM], a plastic-covered, galvanized canister for cigarette waste keeps outdoor smoking areas clean. Rubbermaid[R] claims the cone-shaped, restricted opening keeps cigarette butts in the...

Back support gives pain sufferers freedom. (New Products).
August 2, 2002... United Pacific, Inc. Lumbar Support is a Thermoskin[R] product designed for active people with back pain and injury. The product's elastic straps and Trioxon[R] lining provide natural heat therapy, increase comfort and keep moisture away...

Direct Supply healthcare equipment. (Data Management Products & Services).
August 2, 2002... The Direct Supply Network lets registered users research over 750,000 LTC- approved products, review past orders and invoices--even check ship dates. Users log on to www.DirectSupply.net from the convenience of their own computers, where they...

Achieve Healthcare Information Systems. (Data Management Products & Services).
August 2, 2002... Achieve Healthcare Information Systems provides information solutions and services that allow our long-term care customers to improve both quality of care and bottom line results. Our products are available in self-host and web-host...

Alarm monitors wheelchair movement. (Data Management Products & Services).
August 2, 2002... Universal Medical Products The Seat Belt Alarm interfaces with the Chair Sentry system that alerts staff when a resident leaves their wheelchair. The company offers pressure pads, magnet-string release and wireless monitoring systems and...

Planning payoff. (People & Opinions).
August 2, 2002... Administrators don't have to feel guilty if they endorse some policies promoted by financial planners for the elderly. They also can raise census and cut down on payment problems if they stop adhering to "the myth of private pay," according to...

Batten down the hatches. (Commentary).
August 2, 2002... We started thinking about the Medicare add-on funding situation and the weather the other day, and you know what? The lines started to blur. As of this writing, members of the long-term care world were still checking for news updates every...

Life Care Services. (People).
August 2, 2002... Jack Barnes recently was promoted to associate director at Croasdaile Village, a United Methodist Retirement Community managed by Life Care Services in Durham, NC. Also at the facility, Headier March was named associated director and Jennifer...

Lakeside Health Center. (People).
August 2, 2002... Other recent Life Care Centers appointments to executive director include: Anne Deines (at Westminster); Karen DiPiero, Lakeside Health Center, Florida; Roger Gunther (Plainwell, MI); Anne Hathaway (Las Vegas); Cathy Ortega (Altamonte Springs,...

Ocean View Convalescent Center. (People).
August 2, 2002... Cleveland, TN-based Life Care also has named the following people to interim executive director positions: Kenneth Hiscox (Brookfield, MO); Michael Scupine, Ocean View Convalescent Center, Washington; Barbara Strombeck, Western Hills Health...

JoAnne Carlin. (People).
August 2, 2002... JoAnne Carlin has been named vice president of resident care, a newly created position, by Classic Residence by Hyatt. She will oversee clinical services provided in assisted living, memory support/Alzehimer's care, and skilled nursing care.

Rehabilitation Center. (People).
August 2, 2002... New administrators at West Virginia facilities include: Mike Stephenson at River side Nursing and Rehabilitation Center; Susan Williams at Ravenswood Village Health Center; George Couch at Bishop Joseph Hodges Continuous Care; Anthony Larson at...

Brookdale Living Communities. (People).
August 2, 2002... Brookdale Living Communities has announced that Cary Masiow is the new executive director at the Kenwood of Lakeview, Chicago, and Rick Harmon is the new executive director at the Meadows of Glen Ellyn, IL.

Glen Brichacek. (People).
August 2, 2002... Glen Brichacek is the new president at The Admiral, Chicago.

Mark Beliczky. (People).
August 2, 2002... Mark Beliczky was named vice president of operations, management services, for Sunrise Assisted Living Inc., McLean, VA.

Leila C. Knox. (People).
August 2, 2002... Leila C. Knox, director of nursing at Horizon Health & Subacute Center, Fresno, CA, beat out 39 other nominees to be named "RN of the Year" for the category of administration by Central Valley Coalition of Nursing Organization.

Steve McMillin. (People).
August 2, 2002... Steve McMillin was named administrator at The Imperial of Hazel Crest, a 204-bed skilled nursing and rehabilitation center in suburban Chicago.

Glenda Hart. (People).
August 2, 2002... Glenda Hart was appointed health center administrator at Freedom Village at Brandywine, West Brandywine, PA.

Richard C. Baker. (People).
August 2, 2002... Richard C. Baker has been named executive director for Classic Residence by Hyatt in Aventure, FL, which is scheduled to open in early 2003.

Letters.
August 2, 2002... QUESTIONING ALFA INTENTIONS I read with interest your commentary and interview of Paul Willging on his recent appointment as the new President and CEO of the Assisted Living Association of America (ALFA) (June 14, "A director wanting a new...

Senators Charles Grassley. (Late Breaking News).
August 23, 2002... Senators Charles Grassley (R-IA) and John Breaux (D-LA) called on the Centers far Medicare and Medicaid Services to give long-promised direction to nursing homes on daily staffing-level reporting. Facilities have until Jan. 1 to prepare and...

The former operator of Southlake Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. (Late Breaking News).
August 23, 2002... The former operator of Southlake Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Mandarin, FL, won $20 million in a lawsuit against a state agency after it forced him to turn over control of the facility in a dispute over Medicaid payment records and care...

California started paying. (Late Breaking News).
August 23, 2002... California started paying bonuses of $1,500 to each of 2,801 long-term care workers at 42 facilities under a new state program recognizing nursing homes for quality care.

Assisted living providers. (Late Breaking News).
August 23, 2002... Assisted living providers and lenders (53% each) made state regulation the favored choice over federal- and self-regulation in a poll of 100 industry leaders conducted by the National Investment Center for the Seniors Housing & Care Industries....

Bill urges staffing mandates.
August 23, 2002... Nursing homes would have to provide more staffing data to government agencies and consumers under a new bill proposed by three senators. The bill would extend certain reporting requirements that are to become effective Jan. 1. The measure...

Databank: all sources not equal.
August 23, 2002... Databank All sources not equal The largest funding source for long-term care by far is Medicaid. Medicaid 45% Out-of-pocket 23% Private Insurance 11% Other private 4% Other public 3% ...

Providers put their reputations on the line: consumer groups eager to hold providers' feet to the fire over new, voluntary quality improvement program. ('Quality First's Pledge).
August 23, 2002... When nursing home association leaders made a united pledge to improve quality of care recently, they said it was an unprecedented move. But what providers are already hearing over their splashy announcement is anything but unique. Consumer...

Providers outline concerns about quality pilot in letter to CMS. (CMS Quality Initiative).
August 23, 2002... The debate over proper risk adjustment topped a list of concerns providers had with the federal quality initiative pilot project. The country's two largest long-term care provider groups formally sent their concerns in a memo to Centers for...

Survey: DONs earn $55,100 annually. (McKnight's LTC News Annual Report).
August 23, 2002... Directors of nursing earn an average of $55,100 a year, according to the 11th annual McKnight's Long-Term Care News salary survey. It marks an increase of only $100 over our most recent survey, which gauged 2000 salaries. The median salary...

Nursing homes take the lead to improve quality through accountability, compassion, and leadership. (Advertisement: Quality First Nursing Homes Take The Lead).
August 23, 2002... * We are committed to making patient health and well-being paramount priorities in our organization's management. We also are committed to a philosophy of management that stimulates continuous quality improvement through the establishment of...

Code of conduct and ethical management practices. (Advertisement: Quality First Nursing Homes Take The Lead).
August 23, 2002... Leadership Commitment to Quality Management exhibits leadership by playing an active role in the establishment and implementation of a code of conduct that articulates the organization's expectations of all employees, a statement of...

Hard Data.
August 23, 2002... 2.5 The number or times a worker is more likely to suffer an injury or an illness in nursing or personal care facilities than other industries, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration. ...

Report: nursing shortage factor in deaths. (News).
August 23, 2002... Inadequate nurse staffing was a factor in 24% of the more than 1,600 studied cases involving death, injury or permanent loss of function over a five-year period, according to a new study. The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare...

Funding: CMS gives, will Congress take? (News).
August 23, 2002... The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services made it official: It is increasing payments to skilled nursing facilities by 2.6%, or $400 million, in fiscal year 2003. The increase reflects higher rates under Medicare's nursing home prospective...

HHS doesn't expand transfer policies. (Regulatory Update).
August 23, 2002... The Department of Health and Human Services said it will not be expanding the number of diagnostic related groups (DRGs) subject to its post-acute transfer policy. The decision will save hospitals $1 billion to $2 billion per year, according to...

Report: staffing affects quality more. (Regulatory Update).
August 23, 2002... A General Accounting Office study found that staffing levels, rather than spending, has more impact on the quality of care in nursing homes. Researchers surveyed skilled nursing facilities in three states and reported to the Senate Special...

Senate passes Medicaid increase amendment. (Legislative Update).
August 23, 2002... The Senate passed an amendment that would provide a 1.35% increase in the federal Medicaid match to states over an 18-month period. The amendment also provides $3 billion for state social services. The amendment was attached to S. 812, a...

House passes LTC insurance tax deduction. (Legislative Update).
August 23, 2002... H.R. 4946, a bill that would permit a tax deduction to defray the cost of long-term care for the taxpayer, the spouse, or a dependent, passed the House on July 25 by a 362-61 vote. The tax deduction would reduce federal revenue by approximately...

Bush signs Nursing Reinvestment Act. (Legislative Update).
August 23, 2002... President Bush signed into law the Nursing Reinvestment Act (S. 1864), which will increase funding to nursing schools for their long-term care programs. It also will add courses in gerontological nursing and continuing education opportunities...

Court, Labor review board hit Beverly on the same day. (News).
August 23, 2002... Substandard care and elder abuse at California facilities is going to cost Beverly Enterprises more than $2 million. The nation's largest nursing home chain pleaded "nolo contendere," or "no contest" to felony charges alleging abuse of two...

Market Monitor.
August 23, 2002... Market Monitor Nursing facility measure: Employee background check requirements State Type of check: Type of State National employee Alabama ## Alaska ...

Stock Watch.
August 23, 2002... STOCK WATCH WINNERS & LOSERS Company name Percent change * Winners ARV Assisted living (SRS) 25% Advocat(AVCA) 17% Alterra Healthcare Corp. (All)...