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

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

CMS wants revisit fees.
August 1, 2007... Nursing home providers are sharply criticizing a new federal proposal that would charge facilities a fee for follow-up inspections. A so-called "revisit user fee" regulation would charge nursing facilities a flat fee of $2,072 for each...

As rehab rule nears, hospitals fight back.
August 1, 2007... As the nursing home industry begins to deliver more rehab care, a tough adversary has emerged: hospitals. Acute-care providers are in no hurry to see patients siphoned away, and they have stepped up efforts to delay or prevent full...

RN pay rate increases 4%.
August 1, 2007... The median hourly pay for registered nurses in nursing homes rose by about 4% this year, according to a new study published by Hospital & Healthcare Compensation Service. The median rate this year is $25 per hour. That compares to $24.07...

Study: MRSA infects more.(NEWS)
August 1, 2007... A superbug appears to be wreaking more havoc than previously thought. At least 30,000 U.S. hospital patients may have methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, also known as MRSA, at any given time, according to a survey released by the...

Patch OK'd for dementia.(NEWS)
August 1, 2007... The Food and Drug Administration has approved the first skin patch to treat Alzheimer's related dementia. The drug in the patch, Exelon, or rivastigmine, also is available in capsule form. The patch, however, provides a continuous dose...

Secret ballots continue but new union in play.(NEWS)(SEIU Healthcare )(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Nursing home owners breathed a collective sigh of relief when the Senate recently voted down the Employee Free Choice Act. The legislation (S.1041) would have ended the longstanding practice of secret ballot elections and made it easier for...

Loan volume continues to climb.(NEWS)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... The long-term care industry started the year with another robust financial quarter. Loan volume, a key indicator, skyrocketed to $2.28 billion in the first quarter of 2007, according to the National Investment Center for the Seniors...

The Senate Finance Committee.(At deadline)
August 1, 2007... The Senate Finance Committee recently met to consider the nomination of Kerry Weems as CMS administrator. Leslie Norwalk, who had been the acting administrator, left the agency July 20.

Despite their speed and accuracy in tracking resident care, electronic health records may have little or no impact on care quality, according to a new study.(At deadline)
August 1, 2007... Despite their speed and accuracy in tracking resident care, electronic health records may have little or no impact on care quality, according to a new study. Researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital found there was no overall difference in...

Resident-on-resident violence is more common than many experts believe, say researchers from Cornell University.(At deadline)
August 1, 2007... Resident-on-resident violence is more common than many experts believe, say researchers from Cornell University. By examining police records they found the most common violence triggers included competition over TV viewing seats, unwanted...

60 seconds with ... Thomas Clark.(NEWS)(Interview)
August 1, 2007... Q: How has implementation of the Medicare drug benefit progressed? A: Providers in many cases have figured out a way around some things. Certainly it's better than early 2006. CMS has issued some guidances. Some plans are following them....

Hospitals to Congress: SNF rehab care is second-rate.(NEWS)
August 1, 2007... In a sign of how fierce the fighting for patients has become, hospitals are essentially warning Congress that nursing homes deliver substandard rehab care. Nursing homes are depicted as second-class places to receive therapy in a new print...

GAO: poor performers need closer look.(NEWS)
August 1, 2007... Quality Improvement Organizations should direct more of their attention to poor-performing nursing homes, a new study from the Government Accountability Office recommends. QIOs have largely excluded facilities with a high level of survey...

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has issued a tip sheet.(Regulatory Update)
August 1, 2007... The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has issued a tip sheet to address questions related to DAVE 2 MDS coding for fluids administered for nutrition and hydration.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has updated its guidelines for preventing the spread of infection in healthcare settings.(Regulatory Update)
August 1, 2007... The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has updated its guidelines for preventing the spread of infection in healthcare settings. It now addresses SARS and avian flu.

The House last month passed a bill that would expand Food and Drug Administration oversight of prescription drug safety.(Bill Watch)
August 1, 2007... The House last month passed a bill that would expand Food and Drug Administration oversight of prescription drug safety. It would also reauthorize the Prescription Drug User Fee Act, which is set to expire next month.

President Bush vetoed a stem cell research bill that would have lifted restrictions on such research.(Bill Watch)
August 1, 2007... President Bush vetoed a stem cell research bill that would have lifted restrictions on such research. It was his second veto of this type of bill.

Ask the care expert.(NEWS: Resident Care)
August 1, 2007... Last month, I recommended practices to make staff members more sensitive to residents' needs. There were too many good ones so by popular demand I've included some more here. Remember that all facility employees, not just nurses, can...

Doctors, patients stay better connected via telemedicine.(NEWS: Resident Care)
August 1, 2007... Telemedicine is still rare in nursing homes, but some are finding it can yield huge benefits. "With telemedicine technology, we can give our residents instantaneous access to a physician," explains Elaine Tetreault, director of nursing at...

Stroke patients readmitted to the hospital are more liable to be suffering from heart or pneumonia problems rather than another stroke, researchers at the Indiana University School of Medicine say.(Caregiving Update)
August 1, 2007... Stroke patients readmitted to the hospital are more liable to be suffering from heart or pneumonia problems rather than another stroke, researchers at the Indiana University School of Medicine say. As a result, stroke care protocols could...

The federal government spent upwards of $80 billion in fiscal year 2005 on diabetes care, according to the study.(Caregiving Update)
August 1, 2007... The federal government spent upwards of $80 billion in fiscal year 2005 on diabetes care, according to the study. A larger focus on prevention, early detection and early treatment, as well as better cooperation between federal programs, could...

Frequent participation in activities that involve mental processes was associated with a 50% reduced incidence of Alzheimer's disease among more than 700 elderly people studied by researchers at Rush Memory and Aging Project in Chicago.(Caregiving Update)
August 1, 2007... Frequent participation in activities that involve mental processes was associated with a 50% reduced incidence of Alzheimer's disease among more than 700 elderly people studied by researchers at Rush Memory and Aging Project in Chicago. While...

Ask the treatment expert.(NEWS: Wound Care)
August 1, 2007... What are some guidelines to use in determining whether a foot wound is a diabetic (neuropathic) ulcer or a pressure ulcer? Both diabetic ulcers and pressure ulcers can occur on the feet. Most diabetic ulcers actually are caused by pressure,...

Study: wound care market to grow at 5.9% annual rate.(NEWS: Wound Care)(Report)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... The worldwide market for wound care products is projected to grow at a 5.9% annual rate for the next half decade, according to a new report by Global Industry Analysts Inc. The United States represents the world's largest and fastest...

Researchers hope for 'berry' good news.(NEWS: Wound Care)(elderberries)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Researchers soon will explore whether the condition of human skin can be improved by anthocyanin. The compound gives elderberries their vibrant color. In next month's study, postmenopausal women will consume either extracts from...

The topical broad-spectrum antiseptic povidine-iodine (Betadine) has been shown to significantly improve the majority of chronic nonhealing wounds.(Treatment Update)
August 1, 2007... The topical broad-spectrum antiseptic povidine-iodine (Betadine) has been shown to significantly improve the majority of chronic nonhealing wounds, resulting in closure and reducing surface area in the majority of patients, according to a chart...

The Advanced Wound Management division of Smith & Nephew plc has announced plans to move the operations of its negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) business from California to Largo, FL.(Treatment Update)
August 1, 2007... The Advanced Wound Management division of Smith & Nephew plc has announced plans to move the operations of its negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) business from California to Largo, FL. Plans call for a phased transition over six months. The...

The Food and Drug Administration has approved new claims for two of Kinetic Concepts Inc.'s vacuum-assisted closure therapy systems.(Treatment Update)
August 1, 2007... The Food and Drug Administration has approved new claims for two of Kinetic Concepts Inc.'s vacuum-assisted closure therapy systems. The government cleared both the InfoV.A.C. Therapy System and the ActiV.A.C. Therapy System across all care...

Ask the nursing expert.(NEWS: Nursing)
August 1, 2007... Now that Nursing Week and Nursing Assistant Week have passed, I would like to begin planning something special that both groups of my staff will remember. Do you have any particular ideas that I can start working on? I am very traditional...

Expert: increasing retention involves change in attitudes.(NEWS: Nursing)
August 1, 2007... A system-wide change in thinking--not pursuit of "best practices"--is the key to improving nurse aide retention rates, a top nursing aide advocate told an Institutes of Medicine panel. "The eldercare field, to a very large degree, now knows...

Half of nurse aides like jobs, survey finds.(NEWS: Nursing)
August 1, 2007... Barely half of nursing assistants and nurses gave positive marks for job satisfaction, a new survey found. Only 54% rated their job satisfaction as "excellent" or "good," in 2006, according to research firm My InnerView. The company...

A class of antidepressants could be linked to faster bone loss in older adults, say studies in the June 25 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.(Medication Update)
August 1, 2007... A class of antidepressants could be linked to faster bone loss in older adults, say studies in the June 25 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine. The class of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors includes Prozac, Paxil and Zoloft.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will review and evaluate the quality and content of dietary supplements, according to a final rule released by the agency.(Medication Update)
August 1, 2007... The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will review and evaluate the quality and content of dietary supplements, according to a final rule released by the agency. The supplements must be produced in a quality manner, not contain contaminants or...

States are trying to offset the effects of a federal rule set.(Medication Update)
August 1, 2007... States are trying to offset the effects of a federal rule set to take effect in December that would reduce Medicaid reimbursements to pharmacies for generic prescription drugs.

Seniors are willing to split cholesterol pills if they receive a co-pay reduction, according to a study that appeared in the June issue of the American Journal of Managed Care.(Medication Update)
August 1, 2007... Seniors are willing to split cholesterol pills if they receive a co-pay reduction, according to a study that appeared in the June issue of the American Journal of Managed Care. University of Michigan researchers also found that splitting pills...

Ask the payment expert.(News: Payment & Policy)
August 1, 2007... Can you clarify which forms to use for denials when residents are no longer covered under Medicare Part A? I'm not surprised you're confused. CMS still has not finalized changes in the Advanced Beneficiary Notice requirements. The best I...

New government guidance targets hazards, supervision.(News: Payment & Policy)(F-tag 323 )(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Providers need to keep a close eye on revised federal guidance on accidents and supervision starting this month. That's because there is a mixed bag awaiting them, says Evvie Munley, a senior policy analyst for the American Association of...

Feds relax citizenship rule.(News: Payment & Policy)
August 1, 2007... Proving citizenship to qualify for Medicaid benefits has become even easier for many long-term care eligible individuals. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued a final rule in early July that added exceptions to an interim...

Go figure.(News: Payment & Policy)
August 1, 2007... 20 About I in every 5, or V about 20%, of senior citizens has diabetes. The overall incidence is expected to double by 2025. 47 Fee-for-service deals constitute 47% of continuing care retirement community resident contracts, surpassing...

A private equity joint venture finalized its sale of Genesis HealthCare Corp. last month.(Business Briefs)
August 1, 2007... A private equity joint venture finalized its sale of Genesis HealthCare Corp. last month. Private equity firms JER Partners and Formation Capital LLC purchased Genesis, one of the largest nursing home chains in the country, for $2 billion,...

Bankrupt Pleasant Care Corp. sold most of its facilities.(Business Briefs)
August 1, 2007... Bankrupt Pleasant Care Corp. sold most of its facilities. California's second-largest nursing home corporation auctioned off 21 facilities last month for $16.6 million. Pleasant Care will operate the facilities until the new owners receive...

AmerisourceBergen Corp.(Business Briefs)
August 1, 2007... AmerisourceBergen Corp. and Kindred Healthcare Inc. planned to spin off their respective institutional pharmacy businesses on July 20. The spin-off and subsequent combination of the business will create PharMerica Corp., a new publicly traded...

Metro monitor.(NEWS: Companies)(Table)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Metro Monitor The top 31 metropolitan areas for daily nursing-care revenue (per private-pay bed). Figures are for the first-quarter of 2007 Leaders 1 New York $304 2 Boston $279 3 San...

Manor Care going private in mammoth $6.3 billion deal.(NEWS: Companies)
August 1, 2007... Continuing a trend among major long-term care players, Manor Care Inc. has opted to sell itself to a privately held company. The Carlyle Group, a global private equity firm, last month disclosed that it is planning to purchase Manor Care,...

For-profit adopts PACE.(NEWS: Companies)
August 1, 2007... A for-profit nursing home company last month joined a government initiative stressing home-and community-based elder care. Genesis HealthCare Corp. said it became the first for-profit company to receive state and federal approval to operate...

Key senators have introduced a bill to advance healthcare information technology.(IT Update)
August 1, 2007... Key senators have introduced a bill to advance healthcare information technology. The legislation will streamline federal policies, enact IT standards and ensure privacy protections, according to sponsors, A similar measure, introduced in 2005,...

The Department of Health and Human Services has awarded grants totaling $430 million to help providers better respond to public health emergencies.(IT Update)
August 1, 2007... The Department of Health and Human Services has awarded grants totaling $430 million to help providers better respond to public health emergencies. Funds can be used to develop or improve interoperable communications, bed management systems,...

Medication errors can be reduced by implementing a computerized physician order entry (CPOE) system, according to a review of several studies conducted by researchers at the University of Minnesota.(IT Update)
August 1, 2007... Medication errors can be reduced by implementing a computerized physician order entry (CPOE) system, according to a review of several studies conducted by researchers at the University of Minnesota. The review compared the number of handwritten...

CMS has issued a proposed rule to force physicians and other providers to implement more advanced data transmission standards when sending electronic prescriptions.(IT Update)
August 1, 2007... CMS has issued a proposed rule to force physicians and other providers to implement more advanced data transmission standards when sending electronic prescriptions. The proposed rule would eliminate an exception to the technology rules HHS...

A new report by the Center for Information Technology Leadership estimates the long-term benefits of using information technology to manage and improve care for diabetes patients.(IT Update)
August 1, 2007... A new report by the Center for Information Technology Leadership estimates the long-term benefits of using information technology to manage and improve care for diabetes patients. Of existing technologies, electronic diabetes registries used by...

Providers use Web as tool to screen disqualified workers.(NEWS: Technology)
August 1, 2007... A technology-based background check system developed by Michigan State University prevented nearly 4,000 undeserving applicants from getting jobs in long-term care facilities in just over a year. Legislation introduced in the Senate by Aging...

"I couldn't live without ...".(NEWS: Technology)(Digital.iway Inc. )(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... This year some of the mothers who live at the Brethren Home Community Windber (PA) celebrated Mother's Day with their family members from afar, thanks to a lap top computer equipped with a Web cam. The technology also has allowed residents...

Medicare underpays, suit alleges.(WEST)
August 1, 2007... CALIFORNIA -- Seven counties filed a class-action suit alleging Medicare has underpaid doctors and other healthcare providers nationwide by billions of dollars. Fewer doctors are willing to treat Medicare patients or take on new ones when...

Rell approves budget with Medicaid increase.(CONNECTICUT)
August 1, 2007... Reversing her position, Gov. Jodi Rell (R) in late June signed a $36 million two-year spending plan that boosts Medicaid reimbursement rates. Nursing homes will receive a 2.9% increase in Medicaid rates the first year and no increase the second...

Governor replaces Medicaid.(MIDWEST)
August 1, 2007... MISSOURI -- Gov, Matt Blunt (R) last month signed legislation (S.B. 577) replacing the state's Medicaid program with MO HealthNet. The goal of the $6 billion program is to shift the focus of state-funded healthcare to prevention and early...

Providers get electronic mandate.(MIDWEST)
August 1, 2007... MINNESOTA -- Beginning in 2009, all healthcare providers and insurers in the state will be required to file claims electronically in a standard format. The Minnesota Department of Health recently announced the new law. The requirement will...

Flooding prompts evacuation.(MIDWEST)
August 1, 2007... KANSAS -- Fire teams in Independence in late June evacuated 50 residents from a nursing home as a result of flooding from the Verdigris River. The water entered homes in Coffeyville, displacing many families and creating hundreds of...

Law allows pharmacy choice.(SOUTHEAST)
August 1, 2007... MISSISSIPPI -- A new state law allows Medicare nursing home residents to choose their own pharmacist. Medicare Part D, which took effect last year, required that individuals on Medicare buy drugs from nursing homes rather than their own...

Scholarships for nurse teaching.(SOUTHEAST)
August 1, 2007... VIRGINIA -- Gov, Timothy M. Kaine (D) endorsed a scholarship program that encourages master's and doctoral nursing students to teach at state schools after they graduate. The program will award $20,000 in annual grants to 10 students over...

Bill would hike violation fines.(SOUTHEAST)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... LOUISIANA -- The state House was mulling legislation at press time that would establish higher fines for serious nursing home violations. The Senate-backed bill (S.B. 82) would increase maximum possible fines against nursing homes and other...

Distraught husband kills three.(SOUTHEAST)(William Wallace)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... FLORIDA -- A 70-year-old man shot his wife, one of his daughters and himself because he did not want his wife to move to a nursing home out of state. William Wallace was upset that some of his children wanted to move his wife, Barbara, 78,...

Home-based LIFE initiative grows.(NORTHEAST)(Living Independently for Elders)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... PENNSYLVANIA -- A new national long-term care program has made inroads in Philadelphia. LIFE (Living Independently for Elders) offers a less expensive and community-based alternative to nursing homes, It allows those who would otherwise live in...

State could alter LTC costs.(NORTHEAST)
August 1, 2007... NEW HAMPSHIRE -- State senators are considering shifting the state's portion of long-term care costs onto county taxpayers. Under a proposal, counties would pay both the state and local share of Medicaid costs of caring for the elderly in...

Budget proposal hurts facilities?(SOUTHWEST)
August 1, 2007... TEXAS -- Lawmakers agreed on a two-year budget that generally seems to shortchange nursing homes. Reimbursements for facilities and in-home providers would increase 5% under the new budget, Overall costs could increase substantially,...

Correction.(NEWS: State News)(Correction notice)
August 1, 2007... A caption on page 4 of our June Issue gave an incorrect name for award-winning state executive Al Santos.

Ask the legal expert.(NEWS: Legal Matters)
August 1, 2007... If I suspect one or more members of the board of directors of doing something unlawful how should I report it? Directors of a not-for-profit or a business entity have certain fiduciary duties to the organization. These include a duty of...

Court: St. Rita's owners can blame government agencies.(NEWS: Legal Matters)
August 1, 2007... The owners of the nursing home where 35 residents drowned after Hurricane Katrina may have scored an important victory barely a month before their trial on negligent homicide charges was scheduled to start. Salvador and Mabel Mangano's...

Secret hirings could cost operator millions.(NEWS: Legal Matters)(Avery Heights on labor relations)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... A Connecticut elder care community could be forced to pay more than $4 million to employees as punishment for secretly hiring strike replacements. The National Labor Relations Board has ruled that Avery Heights in Hartford, CT, broke...

The Department of Health and Human Services.(Company Briefs)
August 1, 2007... The Department of Health and Human Services has announced a two-year project to clamp down on suppliers of durable medical equipment (including wheelchairs, nebulizers and prosthetics) who defraud Medicare beneficiaries.

Achieve Healthcare Technologies.(Company Briefs)
August 1, 2007... Achieve Healthcare Technologies has received a software contract from Innovatix LLC, one of the nation's largest non-hospital group purchasing organizations. The contract provides access to Achieve Healthcare's Matrix eScribing software.

Infosys Technologies Limited.(Company Briefs)
August 1, 2007... Infosys Technologies Limited is among the leaders in global information technology infrastructure outsourcing, according to a report by Forrester Research. The study notes that "perfect reference client scores and a solid strategy for future...

CapitalSource Inc.(Company Briefs)
August 1, 2007... CapitalSource Inc. has amended its committed unsecured credit facility, increasing the size to $1.05 billion from $640 million. "This transaction further strengthens our diverse funding base, and meaningfully increases our funding capacity and...

Arkray USA Inc.(Company Briefs)
August 1, 2007... Arkray USA Inc. has received clearance from the Food and Drug Administration to market its Assure[R] Pro Blood Glucose Monitoring System. The product is designed for multi-resident use in long-term care facilities. Prior to 2006, the firm was...

CIT Group Inc. and Care Investment Trust Inc announced the closing of the initial public offering of 15 million shares of Care Investment Trust at $15 per common share.(Company Briefs)
August 1, 2007... CIT Group Inc. and Care Investment Trust Inc. announced the closing of the initial public offering of 15 million shares of Care Investment Trust at $15 per common share, The net proceeds of the offering will be approximately $200 million.

'Trick-or-treaters' viewed as yet another convention cost.(NEWS: Vendors)
August 1, 2007... Among long-time exhibitors, they are known simply as "trickor-treaters." These are the long-term care professionals who can be seen roaming exhibit halls with apparently just one goal in mind: loading up on as much free stuff as possible. ...

American firm to acquire LaSalle Bank?(NEWS: Vendors)
August 1, 2007... Chicago-based LaSalle Bank currently controls more than $2 billion in the eldercare sector. But for several months it had been unclear which suitor would ultimately take control of the Chicago-based firm. At press time, the Dutch Supreme...

How to do it ... resident security.(Business & Marketing)
August 1, 2007... Long-term care providers often are put in a Catch-22 situation when it comes to resident security. The more freely individuals can move around, the better it is for them--usually. But providers also are responsible for residents who should not...

Warm welcome for retirees: New York firefighters' association replaces century-old facility with elaborate new nursing home with many spaces for socializing.(Business & Marketing: Design)
August 1, 2007... The old building that housed the Firemen's Home in Hudson, NY, was riddled with dangerous ramps, an archaic electrical system, air conditioning units only where required by doctor's orders, and long, narrow, institutional-like corridors. ...

Manor care and the future.(THE BIG PICTURE)
August 1, 2007... More than a few heads were scratched when Carlyle Group announced plans to spend $6.3 billion for HCR Manor Care Inc. Among the questions asked: * Is the purchase a stroke of genius, or will Carlyle Group become another outside bidder...

Be warned: the money says you're not worthy.(Editor's DESK)
August 1, 2007... Nursing home operators, you've been fireballed. The temperamental healthcare giant called the American Hospital Association took off its gloves last month and made it clear it wanted to brawl. I have to admit I had been expecting it. ...

"What regulations currently concern you most?".(Reader Poll)
August 1, 2007... "The wound care tag (F-tag 314). Although the tag intends to capture negative treatment outcomes and poor prevention methods, it fails to recognize avoidable and unavoidable factors related to wounds." --MDS Coordinator, Elonda M. Wooden,...

On the road less traveled.(HAVING MY SAY)
August 1, 2007... Bar soap led Stephen Hopkins to a career in nursing homes. The sales representative added nursing homes to his clients of liquid soap during the 1970s when the Illinois Department of Public Health began cracking down on bar soap because of...

Impressed with webcast's service and content.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2007... Your recent webcast ("Make eLearning Work for You," May 22, 2007) was my first experience with My Meeting and listening as I was watching. The experience was good, and the content was understandable. I also was impressed that I could submit my...

Great to participate in McKnight's webcast.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2007... I truly appreciated the opportunity to participate in your webcast. I felt the information and ease of obtaining the information was exceptional. As I continue to pursue the possibility of having Silverchair a partner in education at our...