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

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

Group retires with flourish.
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The historic national National Commission for Quality Long-Term Care apparently was not planning on dissolving quietly. The 22-member commission, which expires on Dec. 31, was to release its recommendations with...

Inflamed lawmakers target nursing homes.
December 1, 2007... Providers were bracing for the worst at press time, as various U.S. and state lawmakers raced into hearings to probe nursing home quality and ownership. Longtime observers could not recall a similar setting where so many legislators...

Room costs rise slightly.(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... Private and semi-private nursing home room costs rose by an average of 3 % this year, slightly higher than the rate of inflation. The average expense of a private room in a nursing home in 2007 was $213 per day, or $77,745 annually,...

Numbers up for dementia.(NEWS)
December 1, 2007... Nearly 15% of Americans aged 71 or older (3.4 million Americans) have dementia, a new study finds. Among this group, 2.4 million have Alzheimer's disease. The study, supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is the first to...

Long-term care leaders laud latest House bill.(NEWS)
December 1, 2007... At press time, pro-industry legislation introduced in the House arrived as a welcome gesture facing long odds. Among its highlights, the Long Term Care Quality & Modernization Act of 2007 would establish joint training programs for...

Trials often ignore aged.(NEWS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Seniors may be taking some Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs that are neither safe nor effective. How so? Because older adults are not always represented in drug trials, according to a new report from the...

MDS 3.0 to make debut in 2009.(NEWS)
December 1, 2007... After much anticipation, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services disclosed that the MDS 3.0 will take effect on Oct. 1, 2009. It represents the first update of the MDS since 1995. In an Open Door Forum held in late October, CMS...

President Bush vetoed a spending measure for health and education programs favored by congressional Democrats at press time.(At deadline)
December 1, 2007... President Bush vetoed a spending measure for health and education programs favored by congressional Democrats at press time. He also signed a big increase in the Pentagon's non-war budget.

Residents receiving eyeglasses for uncorrected refractive errors are less likely to suffer from depression than those who do not, investigators have found.(At deadline)
December 1, 2007... Residents receiving eyeglasses for uncorrected refractive errors are less likely to suffer from depression than those who do not, investigators have found. Researchers from the University of Alabama looked at nearly 200 residents of 17 nursing...

The changing age-mix of the population has not made a major impact on healthcare spending growth in the U.S., according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.(At deadline)
December 1, 2007... The changing age-mix of the population has not made a major impact on healthcare spending growth in the U.S., according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. In fact, per capita spending has grown faster for those under age 65 than...

60 seconds with ... Larry Deans.(NEWS)(Interview)
December 1, 2007... Q: Fillmore Capital Partners purchased Golden Living, formerly Beverly Enterprises, in March 2006. How has quality improved since then? A: We track ourselves against the health deficiency index. We are 10% better than the state average in...

Study: broader real estate woes not slowing expansion.(NEWS)
December 1, 2007... The top developers of continuing care retirement communities remain extremely bullish on growth prospects, despite the subprime mortgage meltdown that has gripped the U.S. housing market, according to results of a new study. "They're still...

Lawmakers hover over Manor Care deal.(NEWS)
December 1, 2007... Fueled by criticism from the Service Employees International Union, lawmakers in both chambers of the U.S. Congress and in at least a half dozen states at press time were investigating the planned sale of the nation's largest nursing home...

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has bumped up the date for mandatory use of a National Provider Identifier to Jan. 1, 2008, from May 23, 2008.(Regulatory Update)
December 1, 2007... The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has bumped up the date for mandatory use of a National Provider Identifier to Jan. 1, 2008, from May 23, 2008. Officials decided to change the date because the majority of providers already are using...

CMS last month was seeking comments on draft interpretive guidelines for surveyors.(Regulatory Update)
December 1, 2007... CMS last month was seeking comments on draft interpretive guidelines for surveyors of end-stage renal disease facilities.

A House Committee in late October approved a bill requiring the National Institute of Standards and Technology to develop or adopt standards.(Bill Watch)
December 1, 2007... A House Committee in late October approved a bill requiring the National Institute of Standards and Technology to develop or adopt standards for healthcare information technology for federal agencies within one year.

Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT) was expected to introduce draft legislation that would include new requirements for Medicare Advantage plans that cater to special populations.(Bill Watch)
December 1, 2007... Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT) was expected to introduce draft legislation that would include new requirements for Medicare Advantage plans that cater to special populations, also known as SNPs.

Ask the care expert.(NEWS: Resident Care)
December 1, 2007... We have a new resident that has a colostomy. I have never seen one like this as there is no stoma. We are having a hard time keeping the appliance on. Do you have any suggestions? What your resident has is most likely an inverted stoma....

Water therapy may aid daily functioning for osteoarthritis.(NEWS: Resident Care)
December 1, 2007... There's new evidence that people--particularly the elderly--who suffer from osteoarthritis receive real benefits from water therapy. Exercising in water, often referred to as hydrotherapy or pool therapy, can offer pain relief, improved...

ADA: Oral health a key to living longer.(NEWS: Resident Care)
December 1, 2007... The American Dental Association has launched an initiative to promote better oral health in seniors. Studies indicate that an unhealthy mouth might actually worsen other medical problems common in the elderly, including heart disease, diabetes...

Elderly adults who participated in exercises ranging from walking to tai chi not only improved their balance, but also cut their risk of falling, according to a review of 34 studies.(Caregiving Update)
December 1, 2007... Elderly adults who participated in exercises ranging from walking to tai chi not only improved their balance, but also cut their risk of falling, according to a review of 34 studies. The review, as reported in The Cochrane Library, did not find...

Each additional year of formal education delayed the accelerated memory decline associated with dementia by about two-and-a-half months, according to a study published in Neurology.(Caregiving Update)
December 1, 2007... Each additional year of formal education delayed the accelerated memory decline associated with dementia by about two-and-a-half months, according to a study published in Neurology. Once the symptoms set in, however, the people in the study...

Older women who decreased the amount of dietary fat they consumed were 40% less likely to develop ovarian cancer than women who followed a normal diet, according to a new study from the Women's Health Initiative.(Caregiving Update)
December 1, 2007... Older women who decreased the amount of dietary fat they consumed were 40% less likely to develop ovarian cancer than women who followed a normal diet, according to a new study from the Women's Health Initiative. Women who maintained a low-fat...

Ask the treatment expert.(NEWS: Wound Care)
December 1, 2007... We have a resident with a heavily draining wound on her left trochanter that is requiring dressing changes four times a day. What do you advise? First, you need to determine the cause of the drainage and treat accordingly. Drainage in a...

Collaborative effort helping cut pressure sore incidents.(NEWS: Wound Care)
December 1, 2007... When providers work together to cut pressure ulcers, the results can be dramatic, according to the results of a project sponsored by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The nationwide project stopped more than two-thirds of...

State will provide mattresses, cushions.(NEW: Wound Care)
December 1, 2007... Each nursing home in Indiana receive a pressure-reducing mattress and four pressure-reducing wheelchair cushions, the state's health department recently announced. The move comes as the state tries to reduce pressure sores, which accounted...

The Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society recently released a position statement supporting the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel Staging System.(Treatment Update)
December 1, 2007... The Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society recently released a position statement supporting the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel Staging System. The system calls for universally recognized terminology and descriptors in the staging...

A device the size of a half postage stamp in England monitors how well wounds are healing.(Treatment Update)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... A device the size of a half postage s gtamp in England monitors how well wounds are healing. It could bring faster relief to patients and save thousands of dollars from unnecessary dressings. The sensor, which now is under clinical trial, can...

Ask the nursing expert.(NEWS: Nursing)
December 1, 2007... Nursing staff spend all year accumulating vacation time and then they all want to use it during the final two months of the year. I cannot honor everyone's request, or I won't have any staff to work. How would you recommend I handle this? ...

Bush vetoes health package containing nursing funding.(NEWS: Nursing)
December 1, 2007... President Bush vetoed a $606 billion health and education spending measure at press time, igniting a fierce debate with Congressional Democrats over spending priorities. Nursing-related funds contained in the rejected budget are one of the...

New LTC nurse group begins on-site work.(NEWS: Nursing)
December 1, 2007... Long-term care's newest nursing association, the Web-based American Association of Nurse Executives (AANEX) plans to add on-site certification classes for nursing managers beginning next month. AANEX is modeled after its successful...

The FDA recently approved Voltaren[R] Gel, a topical treatment for pain associated with osteoarthritis.(Medication Update)
December 1, 2007... The FDA recently approved Voltaren[R] Gel, a topical treatment for pain associated with osteoarthritis. Patients can apply the gel, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication, directly to sites of pain.

The antibiotic minocycline, when administered within 24 hours after a stroke, reduces brain damage and physical impairment in patients, according to Israeli researchers in the Oct. 2 edition of the journal Neurology.(Medication Update)
December 1, 2007... The antibiotic minocycline, when administered within 24 hours after a stroke, reduces brain damage and physical impairment in patients, according to Israeli researchers in the Oct. 2 edition of the journal Neurology. Minocycline is a...

Merck & Co. agreed to pay $4.85 billion to settle product liability lawsuits surrounding the pain drug Vioxx.(Medication Update)
December 1, 2007... Merck & Co. agreed to pay $4.85 billion to settle product liability lawsuits surrounding the pain drug Vioxx. The agreement would cover an estimated 45,000 to 50,000 cases pending in state and federal courts, if certain conditions are met. The...

Statin drugs, which lower cholesterol, help prevent heart attacks for at least 10 years.(Medication Update)
December 1, 2007... Statin drugs, which lower cholesterol, help prevent heart attacks for at least 10 years after people stop taking them, according to a new study in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Ask the payment expert.(NEWS: Payment & Policy)
December 1, 2007... We always seem to be training our staff in how to complete the MDS. Will they ever learn everything they need to about that process? Accurate completion of the MDS remains a critical component of your assessment process. We continue to find...

Surveyors turn attention to activities guidance: expert.(NEWS: Payment & Policy)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... Providers should stay on guard, even if they haven't yet felt the heat from 18-month-old activity and psychosocial surveyor guidance. Some areas of the country already have seen aggressive interpretation of the requirements, and surveyor...

Policy purchasers younger.(NEWS: Payment & Policy)
December 1, 2007... For the first time ever, the average age of long-term care insurance purchasers has fallen below 60 years old, according to a new study. The implications could be significant for providers if the age keeps trending lower. Long-term care...

Go figure.(NEWS: Payment & Policy)
December 1, 2007... 14 Of the 80% of women who live longer than their spouses, the average additional length is 14 years, according to statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau. 15.5 Medicare beneficiaries' out-of-pocket health spending grew to 15.5% of income...

Kindred Healthcare Inc. lost $9 million in the third quarter as sales softened.(Business Briefs)(Financial report)
December 1, 2007... Kindred Healthcare Inc. lost $9 million in the third quarter as sales softened. Charges related to the spin-off of its institutional pharmacy business cut into earnings for the quarter, the company said. Still, each of its three operating...

Sun Healthcare Group Inc. returned to the black in the third quarter after losing around $1 million in the same quarter last year.(Business Briefs)
December 1, 2007... Sun Healthcare Group Inc. returned to the black in the third quarter after losing around $1 million in the same quarter last year. Sales soared by 74% to $440 million. The success of the Harborside acquisition has contributed to the company's...

Skilled Healthcare Group Inc. earned around $17 million in the third quarter, an increase of 73% compared with the same quarter last year.(Business Briefs)
December 1, 2007... Skilled Healthcare Group inc. earned around $17 million in the third quarter, an increase of 73% compared with the same quarter last year. Revenues also expanded by 19% to approximately $161 million. The company increased its revenues forecast...

Metro monitor.(NEWS: Companies)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... Metro Monitor The highest and lowest average revenues per day, per private-pay skilled nursing bed, for the second quarter of this year. Leaders Rank Metro Nursing Care 1 New York ...

REIT deals continue to stoke growth for seniors housing.(NEWS: Companies)
December 1, 2007... Despite its ripple effect across the housing market, the subprime market collapse has not shut down acquisitions and mergers among real estate investment trusts. A roundup of some major recent developments: * Extendicare REIT, through its...

Sunrise CEO support ebbs.(NEWS: Companies)
December 1, 2007... Shareholders of Sunrise Senior Living Inc. at the company's recent annual meeting voted for a number of measures that underscore their concerns about the company's accounting problems. For example, they approved a nonbinding resolution to...

In a nod to healthcare providers' enormous administrative responsibilities, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently asked for input about the information collection process.(IT Update)
December 1, 2007... In a nod to healthcare providers' enormous administrative responsibilities, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently asked for input about the information collection process. Providers largely responded by citing heavy paperwork...

The Department of Health and Human Services is recruiting 1,200 physicians from across the United States to participate in an incentive-oriented electronic health record pilot project.(IT Update)
December 1, 2007... The Department of Health and Human Services is recruiting 1,200 physicians from across the United States to participate in an incentive-oriented electronic health record pilot project. The project will reward physicians who use electronic...

Legislation introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives would authorize hundreds of millions of dollars in grants to accelerate the use of health information technology.(IT Update)
December 1, 2007... Legislation introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives would authorize hundreds of millions of dollars in grants to accelerate the use of health information technology. Sponsored by Reps. Anna Eshoo (D-CA) and Mike Rogers (R-MI), H.R. 3800...

Leapfrogging over the government and other information technology companies, Microsoft has introduced a free Web site for consumers and providers to store and manage medical information.(IT Update)(Website overview)
December 1, 2007... Leapfrogging over the government and other information technology companies, Microsoft has introduced a free Web site for consumers and providers to store and manage medical information. The Health-Vault site, which Microsoft officials claim is...

The Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology has certified the first six inpatient electronic health records products meeting specific criteria for functionality, security and interoperability.(IT Update)
December 1, 2007... The Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology has certified the first six inpatient electronic health records products meeting specific criteria for functionality, security and interoperability. The commission started its...

Report touts use of health IT in the long-term care sector.(NEWS: Technology)
December 1, 2007... Information technology can be used to improve long-term care by aiding data collection and reducing caregiver-resident isolation, according to a BearingPoint report prepared for the National Commission for Quality Long-Term Care. One of...

"I couldn't live without ...".(NEWS: Technology)(CareLetters.com)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Without having to lift a pen or lick a stamp, families of residents at Chelsea at Montville (NJ) are sending beautifully crafted letters to their loved ones. With the use of CareLetters.com, there is no need for the...

Facilities file Part D lawsuit.(NORTHEAST)
December 1, 2007... NEW YORK -- More than 160 nursing homes have filed suit against the state over Medicaid reimbursement, They claim the state erred in calculating reimbursements since the Medicare Part D prescription drug program went into effect in January...

Program promotes resident choice.(NORTHEAST)
December 1, 2007... RHODE ISLAND -- The state health department established a pilot program last month to promote resident-centered care for nursing home residents. The six-month program, which is part of the annual survey process for nursing homes in the...

Two dead as fires force 14 facility evacuations.(CALIFORNIA)
December 1, 2007... Many individuals and businesses are still recovering from fires that ravaged the southern part of the state. While several nursing homes in the region were affected, they largely fared well during the crisis, according to the California...

Infection disclosures mandated.(NORTHEAST)
December 1, 2007... NEW JERSEY -- The state's hospitals are now required to report infection rates to the state health department, as a result of a law signed by Gov. Jon Corzine (D). The legislation includes language that creates specific definitions and...

Evacuation rules perplex providers.(SOUTHEAST)
December 1, 2007... LOUISIANA -- Providers expressed frustration regarding the extension of "emergency" rules regarding emergency evacuations of nursing homes. The rules require nursing homes to submit plans both to evacuate residents and "shelter in place."...

Right-to-die law opposed.(SOUTHEAST)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... NORTH CAROLINA -- A new controversial law allows state residents to decide how they want to die. The law calls for an official directive that requires the signature of doctors or other health professionals. The new medical form,...

Candidates debate staffing levels.(SOUTHEAST)
December 1, 2007... KENTUCKY -- The governor and his Democratic opponent sparred over minimum staffing levels during a one-hour debate in the run-up to the gubernatorial election last month. While Gov. Ernie Fletcher (R) said nursing homes should be allowed...

Budget cuts nursing home funds.(SOUTHEAST)
December 1, 2007... FLORIDA -- Gov. Charlie Crist (R) signed fiscal year 2008 budget legislation that includes a reduction of $164.5 million for nursing homes that care for low-income residents. The budget slashes a total of $1.1 billion in spending, including...

Medicaid access shrinks.(SOUTHWEST)
December 1, 2007... UTAH -- Physicians increasingly are refusing to promptly treat new Medicaid beneficiaries. This has resulted in growing access problems in the state. The problem has not yet reached crisis proportions, but it is worsening, experts say....

Aide screening flaws questioned.(SOUTHWEST)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... TEXAS -- State Sen. Judith Zaffirini (D) would like to improve the background screening system for nurse aides and other caregivers. Her concerns stem from a recent report in the City Star-Telegram newspaper. The report revealed that some...

State uncovers abuses.(MIDWEST)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... OHIO -- A few nursing homes in the northeastern part of the state have admitted hundreds of mentally ill patients from hospital psychiatric wards who don't need that level of care, the Ohio Department of Mental Health found, according to a...

Ask the legal expert.(NEWS: Legal Matters)
December 1, 2007... Can you give me the scoop on admission arbitration agreements? Due to large judgments and increasing liability insurance costs, many nursing homes have incorporated arbitration agreements into their admissions contracts. Arbitration...

Expert: fraud costs on rise as managers take the lead.(NEWS: Legal Matters)
December 1, 2007... Fraud and embezzlement scares are costing nursing operators, other healthcare providers and U.S. taxpayers billions of dollars annually, warns a prominent accounting expert. "A dishonesty or fidelity coverage policy is definitely needed....

Officials investigate drug-plan steering.(NEWS: Legal Matters)
December 1, 2007... A federal investigation into whether the nation's largest long-term care pharmacist had illegally steered Medicare beneficiaries into certain government drug plans was continuing as of press time. Omnicare Inc. said it would cooperate with...

Genworth Financial.(Company Briefs)
December 1, 2007... Genworth Financial recently unveiled a book titled The Future of Long Term Care In America. Ten experts representing various constituencies each provide a chapter. The book was written to inform policymakers, academics, financial advisors and...

Gartner Inc.(Company Briefs)
December 1, 2007... Gartner Inc. predicted that global information technology spending will reach $3.1 trillion this year, That marks an 8% increase over last year, according to the firm.

The worldwide pharmaceutical market is expected to grow in the 5%-to-6% range next year, according to a new report from IMS Health.(Company Briefs)(Industry overview)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... The worldwide pharmaceutical market is expected to grow in the 5%-to-6% range next year, according to a new report from IMS Health. Investigators expect global pharmaceutical sales to expand to $735 to 745 billion next year, Key factors...

Evercare.(Company Briefs)
December 1, 2007... Evercare announced it would donate $100,000 to the John A. Hartford Foundation Centers of Geriatric Nursing Excellence. The funds will provide scholarships to graduate nursing students at five schools, in addition to grants for...

HealthMEDX.(Company Briefs)
December 1, 2007... HealthMEDX was one of three software vendors recognized by the consulting firm of Edward Koscic and Associates. HealthMEDX was cited for its knowledge management-based clinical application for nursing homes and home health providers. Two firms...

RF Technologies.(Company Briefs)
December 1, 2007... RF Technologies recently introduced its SensatecCare 3 product. The monitor has integrated fall management, incontinence detection and reposition reminders in one system, according to the firm.

Briggs Corporation.(Company Briefs)
December 1, 2007... Briggs Corporation recently released a sixth edition of its Clinical Guide to Skin & Wound Care. The latest version features new chapters on skin care and incontinence, new information on regulations and over 650 dressings, drugs and other...

IBM report sees conversion of advertising 'as we know it'.(NEWS: Vendors)
December 1, 2007... The ways advertising targets the long-term care market will change more in the next five years than it has in the past five decades, a new report predicts. Increasingly empowered buyers, more self-reliant advertisers and ever-evolving...

Group takes issue with Internet pricing.(NEWS: Vendors)
December 1, 2007... Each day, millions of people use the Internet to find bargains online. But a proposal to allow the government to do the same for power wheelchairs has come under heavy criticism. The American Association for Homecare lays out its concerns...

How to do it ... interior design.(Business & Marketing)
December 1, 2007... First impressions mean a lot for long-term care facilities. Residents, and perhaps just as importantly, family members, need to get a good feel for your facility from the very beginning. That means a lot of warm touches in the entryway, lobby...

A marriage of convenience: Florida community combines amenities with functionality, allowing residents to shelter-in-place, if necessary, in a comfortable setting.(Business & Marketing: Design)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] While most new construction projects in long-term care aim to address market demands or to improve resident care, one Florida community used a new $5 million expansion project to combine the two objectives. The...

Bathing, eating in comfort.(LEADING BY EXAMPLE)(Molly Forrest of the Jewish Home of Los Angeles)
December 1, 2007... The Jewish Home of Los Angeles conducted extensive research prior to building its own very progressive dementia care facility. Molly Forrest, CEO & President, shares implementations that made the most impact at her facility. The bathing...

Going from good to grating.(THE BIG PICTURE)(Editorial)
December 1, 2007... Columnists frequently fall into a predictable trap around this time of year. Many feel an almost primal urge to have their December essay babble about the amazing year that was. This almost invariably precedes a January piece promising an...

[Cartoon].(Opinion)
December 1, 2007... "Our residents have their own way of dealing with stress." [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

It's hard to resist allure of an interesting personality.(Editor's DESK)(Rick Miller)(Editorial)
December 1, 2007... Sometimes, it really is true: The ending is actually the beginning. Each month, any number of McKnight's readers prove it. Upon receiving their magazine, they promptly flip to the back pages first. That's OK with us. Really. Many magazines...

"What new goal do you have for 2008?".(Reader Poll)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "My number one goal is to work on being an owner. I've been in the business 20 years. Now I'm working on making contacts. I believe I run a good building and have never had a poor survey. We don't have a lot of...

We need to work together, not against each other.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2007... I am a psychologist who owns a group practice that provides mental health services in nursing homes. I was quite disturbed by a recent article ("CMS rule would slash physician payments in 2008," McKnight's Daily Update, Nov. 6,...

Stuffy situation: flu shots, proper hand hygiene and even 'sneeze etiquette' can make a big difference in reducing the spread of the flu.(Infection control)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Germophobes must be having a hard time summoning the courage to read a newspaper these days with all the ramped-up coverage of diseases. Consider the following developments in just the last couple of months: *...