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

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

New era set for rankings.
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Providers had all but given up hope that the start of a controversial "five-star" facility-rating system would be postponed by the federal government this month. "They have not budged at all," said Evvie Munley,...

White House pointing in different directions.
December 1, 2008... Just a handful of weeks from inauguration day, long-term care providers were still scratching their heads, trying to figure out whether they were happy with the election win of Barack Obama more than a month earlier. Some nursing home...

SNF charges change little.
December 1, 2008... Nursing homes charge roughly the same amount for private rooms as they did a year ago, an annual report concludes. The average daily rate for a private room was $212, adding up to $77,380 per year, according to the 2008 MetLife Market...

Google tracks flu outbreaks.(NEWS)
December 1, 2008... A tool from the search engine Google may be able to detect regional flu outbreaks a week to 10 days before they are reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Google Flu Trends analyzes Google searches for the "flu" and...

Happiness is tied to health.(NEWS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... Don't stress about having a high quality of life in your old age. In fact, that actually could lead to poor health, according to a study in the October issue of the Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences. What are the secrets to living...

Baucus: shift funding from facilities to home.(NEWS)
December 1, 2008... Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT) provoked criticism from the long-term care community last month when he suggested that the next Congress consider policies to "shift the focus" from institutional care to home- and community-based care. Bancus said it...

Nursing homes up on technology.(NEWS)
December 1, 2008... Nursing homes are often depicted as laggards when it comes to embracing technology tools. But an analysis by the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging shows that they are more than holding their own. Nearly all nursing...

Congress had not passed a stimulus bill as of press time.(At deadline)
December 1, 2008... Congress had not passed a stimulus bill as of press time. The long-term care field was pushing for such a bill with an increase in the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) for states. Medicaid would benefit from this increase.

Nurses who smoke are more than twice as likely to die as non-smoking colleagues, a new UCLA study finds.(At deadline)
December 1, 2008... Nurses who smoke are more than twice as likely to die as non-smoking colleagues, a new UCLA study finds. Full findings appear in the November-December edition of the journal Nursing Research.

Poor lifestyle choices are twice as likely as genetics to destroy a brain's functional ability, according to Dr. Gary Small, director of the UCLA Center on Aging.(At deadline)
December 1, 2008... Poor lifestyle choices are twice as likely as genetics to destroy a brain's functional ability, according to Dr. Gary Small, director of the UCLA Center on Aging. Speaking last month at a McKnight's Webcast, Small said that people at any age...

60 seconds with ... Evvie Munley: Senior Health Policy Analyst, AAHSA.(NEWS)(Interview)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Q: Sometimes providers can help sway government officials' opinions about programs, but that doesn't appear to have happened with the new "five-star" rating system, does it? A: On this one, they developed a...

Union dues: Obama may feel pressure to back 'card check'.(NEWS)
December 1, 2008... President-elect Barack Obama's transition team was facing an onslaught of advice, and what some could call threats, after winning the popular vote Nov. 4. One of the brashest voices came from union advocates, who called for quick action on...

$4.2 billion hole in the Medicaid bucket.(NEWS)
December 1, 2008... Medicaid under-funded the actual cost of long-term care by a projected $4.2 billion in 2008, according to a newly analysis by Eljay LLC, released by the American Health Care Association. States with the largest shortfalls were New York...

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services last month laid out new guidelines governing Medicare Advantage Special Needs Plans.(Regular Update)
December 1, 2008... The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services last month laid out new guidelines governing Medicare Advantage Special Needs Plans. It defines the chronic conditions that certain plans must use to identify the beneficiary populations eligible for...

CMS announced new oxygen payment rules and supplier responsibilities.(Regular Update)
December 1, 2008... CMS announced new oxygen payment rules and supplier responsibilities. View the rules at www.cms.hhs.gov/center/dme.asp.

Chairman of the House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee Pete Stark (D-CA) disclosed his panel's agenda for the coming year.(Bill Watch)
December 1, 2008... Chairman of the House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee Pete Stark (D-CA) disclosed his panel's agenda for the coming year. Key objectives include: fixing the Medicare physician reimbursement system, changing the Medicare prescription drug...

Ask: the care expert.(NEWS: Resident Care)
December 1, 2008... I am a DON who is fairly new to long-term care. Do you know where I can find a new manual and more information for the new QIS survey? There are many Web sites available for the QIS survey. My favorite happens to be...

End-of-life care preferences are thought out, study finds.(NEWS: Resident Care)(Clinical report)
December 1, 2008... Most seniors do not waver about their preferences for end-of-life care when the time for it actually arrives, according to new study results. The findings hold true, regardless of any decline in mental or physical health, researchers said. ...

Sleep deficits tied to heart disease risks.(NEWS: Resident Care)
December 1, 2008... Caregivers have special reason to make sure residents with already elevated blood pressure get enough sleep each night: Failure to do so could raise the likelihood of heart disease. Sleeping less than 7.5 hours per night could be especially...

Nursing home residents who get assistance maintaining good oral hygiene cut the odds of dying from pneumonia, new study results suggest.(Caregiving Update)
December 1, 2008... Nursing home residents who get assistance maintaining good oral hygiene cut the odds of dying from pneumonia, new study results suggest. Pneumonia is often brought out by aspirating saliva or food, and it is likely that the "quality" of those...

Caregivers can get a window into how well a stroke patient might recover by considering his or her pre-event physical fitness.(Caregiving Update)
December 1, 2008... Caregivers can get a window into how well a stroke patient might recover by considering his or her pre-event physical fitness. Investigators in the ExStroke Pilot Trial call previous activity a main predictor for severity and recovery, even two...

Elderly patients fare better when caregivers include them in decision making that considers treatment trade-offs, say researchers at the Yale School of Medicine in a study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.(Caregiving Update)(Clinical report)
December 1, 2008... Elderly patients fare better when caregivers include them in decision making that considers treatment trade-offs, say researchers at the Yale School of Medicine in a study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. "More...

Ask: the treatment expert.(NEWS: Wound Care)(Interview)
December 1, 2008... What topical products should we include in our wound-care formulary? Topical wound care needs vary based upon the characteristics of the wound bed. The following list includes the basic products you should have on hand at all times for...

Skin problems may be result if resident is overstressed.(NEWS: Wound Care)(Report)
December 1, 2008... Wondering why one of your residents constantly seems to be scratching herself? The underlying problem may be that she's stressed out, according to a study appearing in the November issue of the American Journal of Pathology. Researchers...

Derma Sciences has announced the commercial launch of Xtrasorb Super Absorbent Dressing.(Treatment Update)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... Derma Sciences has announced the commercial launch of Xtrasorb Super Absorbent Dressing. The product can absorb roughly 50% more than absorbent foam dressing, according to the manufacturer. Its polymer-based core forms a gel that locks all the...

Celleration's Mist Therapy System results in faster healing when combined with conventional wound care, according to a new report.(Treatment Update)
December 1, 2008... Celleration's Mist Therapy System results in faster healing when combined with conventional wound care, according to a new report. The investigation also revealed an increased rate of complete wound closure. The study was published in the...

Oculus Innovative Sciences announced that it has launched its Microcyn Wound Care product into the U.S. podiatry market.(Treatment Update)
December 1, 2008... Oculus Innovative Sciences announced that it has launched its Microcyn Wound Care product into the U.S. podiatry market. The product has received three FDA 510(k) clearances for use in moistening, lubricating, cleaning and debriding wounds.

Ask: the nursing expert.(NEWS: Nursing)(Interview)
December 1, 2008... I have a new CNA who is always pushing the line of professionalism. How do I impress upon her that she needs to stop fooling around and start working? Sounds like she is looking for attention--any kind of attention. You might want to start...

Nearly 7 in 10 residents have an advance directive.(NEWS: Nursing)
December 1, 2008... Advance directive documentation is sharply on the rise in the nation's nursing homes, according to a report from the Institute for the Future of Aging Services. Nearly 70% of all nursing home residents over the age of 65 have at least one...

Study: Alzheimer's care hazardous duty.(NEWS: Nursing)
December 1, 2008... Researchers have gone to new lengths to document the hazards of caring for someone with Alzheimer's disease. Up to 1 in 4 family caregivers who care for a loved one with Alzheimer's become hospitalized themselves, University of Indiana...

A common epilepsy drug when used as a treatment in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease could reverse the effects the disease, according to a study published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine.(Medication Update)
December 1, 2008... A common epilepsy drug when used as a treatment in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease could reverse the effects the disease, according to a study published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine. Valproic Acid inhibits the activity of an...

Taking a monthly vitamin D supplement is as safe and effective as receiving smaller daily or weekly doses, researchers in Israel found.(Medication Update)
December 1, 2008... Taking a monthly vitamin D supplement is as safe and effective as receiving smaller daily or weekly doses, researchers in Israel found. Older patients who want to prevent fractures should take more than 30 nanograms per milliliter of the active...

The Food and Drug Administration has created a new Web site for consumers to research drug safety.(Medication Update)(Website overview)
December 1, 2008... The Food and Drug Administration has created a new Web site for consumers to research drug safety. The site is http://www, fda.gov/cder/drugSafety.htm. It's possible to search drugs by name under "latest safety information."

Ask: the payment expert.(NEWS: Payment & Policy)
December 1, 2008... Can we provide restorative nursing to residents receiving skilled therapy? Yes. In fact, in some cases such as Rehab Low or the Alternative Rehab Category for Medicaid, you must have both components. However, you must clearly define...

CMS now putting permanent Medicare auditors in place.(NEWS: Payment & Policy)
December 1, 2008... Providers who receive Medicare funding are up for closer inspection under a new auditing policy that federal regulators recently announced. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is now assigning "recovery audit contractors" to...

Feds offer MDS 3.0 specs.(NEWS: Payment & Policy)
December 1, 2008... The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently released data specifications for MDS 3.0, as the nursing home industry inches closer to the scheduled implementation date for the new system. MDS 3.0 will be the most drastic overhaul of...

Go figure.(NEWS: Payment & Policy)
December 1, 2008... 25 There was a 25% increase in the rate of patients discharged from hospitals still needing skilled nursing or rehab facility care from 1997 to 2006, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality found. 43 About 43% of U.S. nursing homes...

Sunrise Senior Living Inc.(Business Briefs)
December 1, 2008... Sunrise Senior Living Inc. lost $68.7 million in the third quarter of 2008. That compares with a profit of $38.2 million for the same period last year. Contributing to the loss were a write-off of abandoned development projects: severance...

Sun Healthcare Inc.(Business Briefs)
December 1, 2008... Sun Healthcare Inc.'s profits rose 66% to about $8.6 million in the third quarter on a slight increase in sales. "Although margins were not where we would like them to be as a result of the impact of current economic conditions on revenues, we...

Kindred Healthcare Inc.(Business Briefs)
December 1, 2008... Kindred Healthcare Inc. announced that Andy Whitehead, 62, senior vice president and chief financial officer for the chain's hospital division, died on Oct. 22. He had served in that position since 2001.

Metro monitor.(Business Briefs)(Table)
December 1, 2008... Metro Monitor Areas with the biggest net volume increase in skilled nursing care beds, from second-quarter 2007 to second-quarter 2008. Leaders Rank Metro Nursing care beds 1 Dallas ...

As economy falters, credit tightens in long-term care.(NEWS: Companies)
December 1, 2008... Long-term care companies looking to borrow money should not be surprised if the proverbial fish aren't biting. Capital in the sphere has been drying up, as it has for the rest of the housing market and the economy at large, experts in the...

Kindred posts quarterly loss.(NEWS: Companies)(Financial report)
December 1, 2008... Kindred Healthcare Inc. more than doubled its loss in the third quarter, compared with the same period last year. Poor results in the firm's hospital business hurt earnings, the company said. Kindred lost about $21 million. The company lost...

Benchmarking.(Good month)
December 1, 2008... Benchmarking: A new tool from the American Health Care Association--LTC Trend Tracker--lets members see how they compare with peers in areas such as staffing and survey citations.

Vitamin B3.(Good month)
December 1, 2008... Vitamin B3: Mice who received vitamin B3 showed reduced levels of a protein tied to Alzheimer's disease damage.

Frailty avoidance.(Good month)
December 1, 2008... Frailty avoidance: Researchers in Virginia have identified a drug that has increased muscle mass in older, frailer people. A once-daily dose of the drug MK-677 increased overall body weight by nearly six pounds.

Medicaid providers.(Bad month)
December 1, 2008... Medicaid providers: Medicaid payments are shorting providers by $4.2 billion this year, according to a report backed by the American Health Care Association. The funding shortfall, combined with the crippled economy and almost guaranteed state...

State coffers.(Bad month)
December 1, 2008... State coffers: The nation's governors have appealed to congressional leaders to boost federal Medicaid funding through an increase in the FMAP and change tax provisions to help states through the current economic slowdown.

Facility operators should embrace information technology as a way to create more efficient, profitable businesses.(IT Update)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... Facility operators should embrace information technology as a way to create more efficient, profitable businesses. So claim CEOs who spoke in October at the annual meeting of the National Association for the Support of Long Term Care. "You...

The Department of Health and Human Services' inspector general's office said that enforcement of the security rule contained in the 1996 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act has been inadequate.(IT Update)
December 1, 2008... The Department of Health and Human Services' inspector general's office said that enforcement of the security rule contained in the 1996 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act has been inadequate. The office lays blame on the...

Three organizations recently sent a joint letter to Congress urging adoption of the ICD-10 code sets.(IT Update)
December 1, 2008... Three organizations recently sent a joint letter to Congress urging adoption of the ICD-10 code sets. The Advance Medical Technology Association, the American Hospital Association and the American Health Information Management Association noted...

State and local health departments should put interoperable information technology to work on combating the rising risk of infectious diseases across the country, according to a report by the Trust for America's Health.(IT Update)
December 1, 2008... State and local health departments should put interoperable information technology to work on combating the rising risk of infectious diseases across the country, according to a report by the Trust for America's Health. "Health information...

Pelosi aide: expect Congress to make a push for health IT.(NEWS: Technology)(Nancy Pelosi)
December 1, 2008... Current healthcare information technology measures in Congress "don't really move the ball very far down the court," said Wendell Primus, a senior policy adviser to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). Primus said Pelosi would seek to pass a...

"I couldn't live without ...".(NEWS: Technology)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Providers might want to bookmark this URL: www.radiosandysprings.com. Or, if you happen to be in the Atlanta area at 4 p.m. on a Tuesday afternoon, flip on the radio. Radio Sandy Springs 1620AM will be airing...

State complies on Election Day.(SOUTHEAST)
December 1, 2008... FLORIDA -- After some cajoling by two U.S. senators, Secretary of State Kurt S. Browning changed his mind and allowed the Government Accountability Office access to the state's polling places on Election Day. Initially, his was the only...

Hidden cameras keep a watchful eye on care.(NEW YORK)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... New York's attorney general is expanding the use of hidden camera technology to the Buffalo region. The Attorney General's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit has been a national leader in using this high-tech surveillance to expose and prosecute...

Nurses rush to renew licenses.(SOUTHEAST)
December 1, 2008... WEST VIRGINIA -- An average number of nurses managed to renew their licenses, despite the earlier deadline, according to the state Board of Examiners for Registered Professional Nurses. Previously, nurses had until the end of the year to...

Budget cut hits LTC operators.(MIDWEST)
December 1, 2008... OHIO -- A recent $198 million cut in state spending may have backfired when it comes to taxpayer spending on long-term care, In September, Gov. Ted Strickland (D) ordered a $198 million, or 4.75%, across-the-board, budget reduction. That...

New business model roadblock.(MIDWEST)
December 1, 2008... WISCONSIN -- State regulators are questioning the legality of a new model of nursing home ownership in the state. The approach involves county nursing homes partnering to defray the costs of public nursing home ownership. As part of...

Computer crash eats fraud files.(SOUTHWEST)
December 1, 2008... TEXAS -- A number of providers who committed Medicaid fraud will not be brought to justice after a computer crash destroyed hundreds of documents in the office of the state attorney general, according to a news report in The Dallas Morning...

Governor asks for big cuts.(NORTHEAST)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... NEW YORK -- The state faces massive deficits in coming years and must take drastic action to offset them, Gov. David Paterson (D) said in late October, The budget deficit is growing to a projected $47 billion over the next three-and-a-half...

Unique end-of-life care act signed.(WEST)
December 1, 2008... CALIFORNIA -- Gov, Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) signed legislation providing terminally ill patients with full disclosure and counseling about all available end-of-life care options. The Terminal Patients' Right to Know End-of-Life Options Act...

LA union local under fire.(WEST)
December 1, 2008... CALIFORNIA -- The U.S. Labor Department has filed a civil complaint against the United Long-Term Care Workers, which is already under investigation for an alleged spending scandal. It alleges that the Los Angeles union local violated labor laws...

Ask: the legal expert.(NEWS: Legal Matters)
December 1, 2008... To avoid possible legal problems down the road, we've decided to aggressively "trust and verify" the accuracy of financial and background disclosures for admissions. What, however, are the legal concerns with how we do this? Many long-term...

Providers concerned about implications of 'card check'.(NEWS: Legal Matters)
December 1, 2008... Providers are looking ahead to the next session of Congress with apprehension and one of the main reasons is a union-organizing bill championed by many Democrats. Under the measure, which some say would be the biggest change to labor law...

U.S. cracks down again on illegal workers.(NEWS: Legal Matters)
December 1, 2008... Looking to make a final mark before leaving office, the Bush administration is pushing again to clamp down on illegal workers. Homeland Security Director Michael Chertoff said in late October he would ask a judge to lift an injunction so that...

Encompass Encompass Therapeutic Support Systems.(Company Briefs)
December 1, 2008... Encompass Therapeutic Support Systems will make AccuMax Quantum VPC Support Systems available for use with HillRom bed frames, the companies jointly announced.

Vocollect Healthcare Systems and PointClickCare announced that AccuNurse voice-assisted care can now interface with the latter's clinical software.(Company Briefs)
December 1, 2008... Vocollect Healthcare Systems and PointClickCare announced that AccuNurse voice-assisted care can now interface with the latter's clinical software. The option lets caregivers access resident care needs, complete paperwork simply by talking,...

Upstairs Solutions and Wound Care 101 have collaborated to provide wound care online training for senior facilities.(Company Briefs)
December 1, 2008... Upstairs Solutions and Wound Care 101 have collaborated to provide wound care online training for senior facilities. Nine wound care modules will be available, according to the firms.

Misys.(Company Briefs)
December 1, 2008... Misys has completed its merger with Allscripts to create Allscripts-Misys. The company will retain the Allscripts brand name. The merger creates one of the nation's largest electronic health record firms. The deal was recently approved by...

RecoverCare.(Company Briefs)
December 1, 2008... RecoverCare, a supplier of bariatric, wound care and patient handling products, has acquired a majority interest in T.H.E. Medical, which designs and makes patient handling and transfer equipment.

Royal Philips Electronics.(Company Briefs)
December 1, 2008... Royal Philips Electronics has reached an agreement to acquire Alpha X-Ray Technologies, Mumbai, India, for an undisclosed amount, according to the company. The transaction is expected to close before year-end.

Premier.(Company Briefs)
December 1, 2008... Richard Norling will retire as Premier's president and CEO on June 30, when his employment contract ends. The firm had not chosen a successor as of press time. Norling has served in his current role since 1998, one year after joining the...

Healthcare Finance Group.(Company Briefs)
December 1, 2008... Dan Chapa was recently named president of Healthcare Finance Group. He will be responsible for origination, underwriting, portfolio management, syndications and IT, the company announced, In addition, Claudia Gourdon has been named the firm's...

The lesson from Wall Street: eyes were on the wrong prize.(NEWS: Vendors)(Essay)
December 1, 2008... In the wake of massive corporate meltdowns, many are asking what insight they reveal. According to several professors, the trait that many of the troubled companies shared was a massive leadership failure. Executives at these firms ignored...

Novartis plans to cut 550 U.S. sales jobs.(NEWS: Vendors)
December 1, 2008... Novartis will eliminate 550 positions from its American sales force "in a socially responsible manner," with half coming from unfilled vacancies. It also will establish five new regional units with cross-functional responsibility for primary...

Old problem, new approach: the winners of AAHSA's 'Last Designer Standing' competition share their secrets to creating an attractive and functional resident room.(Business & Marketing: Design)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Visitors to the annual American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging conference in Philadelphia saw something new this year. There, on the floor at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, aspiring interior...

Power of community action.(LEADING BY EXAMPLE)
December 1, 2008... In the six months since Brinton Manor of Glen Mills, PA, teamed up with Kiwanis International, the nation's first SNF-based Aktion Club has already proven a huge success. Acting Administrator Linda Stevens says the biggest change she's...

Let's not shop 'til we drop.(THE BIG PICTURE)
December 1, 2008... Our elected officials appear to have embraced the notion that you have to spend money to make money. Or at least that you have to spend money. How have we been blowing through the Treasury lately? Let us count the ways: $29 billion for the...

[Cartoon].
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "Your husband is on line one and wants to know if you're available for Christmas dinner."

With new administration come fears, uncertainty.(Editor's DESK)
December 1, 2008... Now things are going to get interesting. That's about the only way a third-party observer can sum up the "What's next?" phase of presidential politics when it comes to long-term care. The vague "interesting" label comes into play because no...

Reader Poll.(Opinion)
December 1, 2008... "Would you be willing to accept staffing ratios as a condition for higher Medicare and Medicaid payments?" [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "Absolutely! We are a quality facility that uses a property tax subsidy to staff at a ratio we think is...

Time to get cracking on LTC's place at reform table.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2008... As the presidential race comes to a close and the United States decides its next president, the candidates' positions on reforming long-term care remain largely absent from the public eye. This is unfortunate, given that this is a top issue for...

'E'-harmony: while it might require some significant financial investment, information technology can positively affect an organization.(Information technology)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] With the U.S. economy slipping into recession, most providers are hesitant to pour money into information technology. But, done right, IT can strengthen an organization and provide a solid return on investment,...