McKnight's Long-Term Care News articles from January 2004

McKnight's Long-Term Care News archives from January 2004

NCSL sets sights on Medicaid.
January 12, 2004... Because Medicaid reform is slated prominently on the federal government's 2004 healthcare agenda, the National Conference of State Legislatures' health committee approved a document outlining its position on it in mid December. Medicaid is...

The average number of deficiencies per nursing home facility increased to 6.2 from 5.1, according to a recent semi annual report from the Office of Inspector General.(Late Breaking News)
January 12, 2004... The average number of deficiencies per nursing home facility increased to 6.2 from 5.1, according to a recent semi-annual report from the Office of Inspector General, States, however, were found to vary widely in how they determined types and...

Just four of 19 states the General Accounting Office studied cut Medicaid per diem reimbursement rates from 1998 to 2004, the agency said in a controversial report.(Late Breaking News)
January 12, 2004... Just four of 19 states the General Accounting Office studied cut Medicaid per diem reimbursement rates from 1998 to 2004, the agency said in a controversial report. The American Health Care Association called the findings "one-dimensional" and...

After hailing the approval of a long-awaited Medicare bill, President Bush turned his attention toward medical liability caps..(Late Breaking News)
January 12, 2004... After hailing the approval of a long-awaited Medicare bill, President Bush turned his attention toward medical liability caps. He urged the Senate to debate a House passed measure that would limit non-economic--pain and suffering--damages to...

Spending for services at nursing homes and assisted living facilities nationwide rose 5.6%.(Late Breaking News)
January 12, 2004... Spending for services at nursing homes and assisted living facilities nationwide rose 5.6% in 2002, to $122.9 billion, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Beverly Enterprises' Hawaii operation agreed to a $1.2 million settlement.(Late Breaking News)
January 12, 2004... Beverly Enterprises' Hawaii operation agreed to a $1.2 million settlement with the slate for over-billing Medicaid services at its Hale Nani Rehabilitation and Nursing Center.

More than half the adults surveyed in a recent nationwide telephone poll.(Late Breaking News)
January 12, 2004... More than half the adults surveyed in a recent nationwide telephone poll didn't know who would pay expenses associated with assisted living.

Bush signs Medicare bill into law.
January 12, 2004... When President Bush signed the Medicare reform bill into law Dec. 8 amid fanfare at the Daughters of the American Revolution's Constitution Hall in Washington, nursing homes got an immediate reprieve from Part B therapy caps for two more years....

Databank ... bathing numbers.
January 12, 2004... More than half of all nursing home residents in 2002 needed the assistance of one or two staff members while bathing. Just one in 20 residents was fully independent while bathing. Independent 5% Dependent ...

Hard data.(News)
January 12, 2004... 1.2 Healthcare services and social assistance accounted for this many trillions of dollars in the U.S. economy in 2002, a 9% rise over a year earlier, according to the Census Bureau. 3.7 Adults with diabetes are this many times more likely...

Providers set to pursue Medicaid and tort reforms.(2004 Outlook)
January 12, 2004... When President Bush signed the sweeping Medicare reform bill in December, the Republican party lauded it as a domestic victory, perfectly timed for 2004 election year momentum. During election years, Congressional agendas are typically pushed...

Controversy dogged CMS boss to the end.(Reimbursement)
January 12, 2004... The less than three-year tenure of Thomas Scully as head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services ended with a snap and a bang. The commotion over it may not subside for a while, depending on how far some members of Congress carry...

A bill (H.R. 3656) that would impose minimum nurse staffing ratios in Medicare participating hospitals was referred jointly to the committees on Energy and Commerce and Ways and Means on Dec. 8.(Legislative update)
January 12, 2004... A bill (H.R. 3656) that would impose minimum nurse staffing ratios in Medicare participating hospitals was referred jointly to the committees on Energy and Commerce and Ways and Means on Dec. 8. Rep. Lois Capps (D CA) is the bill's sponsor.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said it could not implement a new rule governing rehabilitation hospital payments on Jan. 1 because of time constraints and publication requirements.(Regulatory update)
January 12, 2004... The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said it could not implement a new rule governing rehabilitation hospital payments on Jan. 1 because of time constraints and publication requirements. The agency was expected to have published the...

High risks, high rewards: compensation for leaders of top public nursing home chains ranged from about $500,000 to ten times that much in 2002.(Analysis)(Cover Story)
January 12, 2004... By most accounts, 2002 was a tough year for many long-term care companies. But it was a rewarding year for many of the executives who ran them. Chief executives at the country's biggest publicly traded nursing home chains earned from more...

The top players and how they got there.(News)
January 12, 2004... Paul Ormond, 54 Manor Care CEO of Manor Care since August 1991, Ormond was one of a few CEOs of top long-term care companies to successfully evade bankruptcy in the turbulent late-1990s. Ormond led Owen-Illinois' healthcare division before...

Ethical nurses, more students, stress effects.(Nursing News)
January 12, 2004... Nurses scored the highest of 23 professions in an annual Gallup poll of Americans rating the ethical standards of professions. Eighty-three percent of respondents rated nurses "very high" or "'high" for honesty and ethics in the mid-November...

Enrollment rises at degreed nursing schools.(Nursing News)
January 12, 2004... Enrollment in entry-level baccalaureate nursing degree programs jumped by 15.9%, essentially doubling increases realized in the fall of 2002. It was the third straight year of increases according to preliminary results released by the American...

High stress levels may impair memory.(Nursing News)
January 12, 2004... Nurses may want to gauge residents" stress levels. A study in Neurology shows people who are easily stressed are more likely to suffer memory loss than those who are relaxed. Robert S. Wilson, a professor of neurophysiology at Rush University...

California's staffing ratios take effect.(Nursing News)
January 12, 2004... California's hospital nurse-to-patient staffing ratios were to take effect Jan. 1 as scheduled, despite an executive order issued by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) during his first day in office in November. The regulations, were approved by...

Groups warn about diabetes drugs.(Pharmacy News)
January 12, 2004... Use of the class of diabetes drugs known as thiazolidinediones (or TZDs) by patients who also have heart failure could be a prescription for bigger problems. The American Diabetes Association and American Heart Association jointly issued a...

Massachusetts to allow e-prescriptions.(Pharmacy News)
January 12, 2004... A new law permits pharmacies to fill electronically ordered prescriptions for approximately 80% of all drugs prescribed in Massachusetts, according to state officials. "A prescription may be transmitted electronically with the electronic...

DON study sheds new light on old challenges, perceptions.(News)
January 12, 2004... Ask most directors of nursing what drew them to the profession and they'll likely cite resident care and family relations as major motivating factors. Unfortunately, it's those very areas that many DONs are doing less in these days, thanks to...

Lifts on the rise, bathing equipment evolving to ease care.(News)
January 12, 2004... When J. Robert Wilson was building a new 90-room nursing facility to add to the 13 that were already a part of his Fort Collins, CO-based system two years ago, he decided to make a statement. He said he was speaking for both staff and...

Michigan ruling adds new wrinkle to issue of bed-taxes.(News)
January 12, 2004... At a time when more states are using bed fees and taxes to improve Medicaid payments, a handful of Michigan providers appear to have successfully blocked their implementation there. Bed taxes have been hailed by many as a much needed...

Notification law, testing fraud, state givebacks.(State News)
January 12, 2004... NOTHEAST/MARYLAND State regulators have moved ahead with rules that will require providers to notify family members if residents have suffered from sudden health setbacks or poor care. The notification rules were expected to become effective...

Pennsylvania: fired nurse confesses to dozens of murders.(State News)
January 12, 2004... A lawsuit filed four years ago in Allentown, PA, contended that a nursing home should have dismissed a nurse who now professes to have committed 30 or 40 murders at various healthcare facilities in the Northeast--instead of a nurse who...

New York: governor wants more scrutiny of workers.(State News)
January 12, 2004... Holding up the Charles Cullen case as justification (see previous item), Gov. George Pataki said he would push legislation that would mandate more stringent background checking of nursing home workers and other healthcare professionals....

Florida: collusion suspected on fraudulent CNA test taking.(Southeast)
January 12, 2004... A woman was arrested in December in West Palm Beach for allegedly gaining multiple, fraudulent nursing assistant certifications under false names. The police in Florida suspect she could be part of a statewide ring. Sandra Lazarre, 32,...

Florida: AARP reconsiders stance on nursing-home lawsuits.(Southeast)
January 12, 2004... Observers were bracing to see if AARP would change its mind and support nursing home owners in their quest for greater insulation from abuse and neglect claims. Providers and AARP have met to discuss legislation that would introduce damages...

Alabama: moratorium issued on licensing nursing home beds.(Southeast)
January 12, 2004... Gov. Bob Riley's administration issued a moratorium on licensing new nursing home beds, blaming the decision on the state's Medicaid funding crisis. The state's Medicaid program will need an estimated $185 million more to stay afloat during the...

Alabama: nursing homes to fight Medicaid cuts with others.(Southeast)
January 12, 2004... The Alabama Nursing Home Association has joined other provider and consumer groups to form the Care Coalition and fight possible Medicaid funding cuts. The Medicaid deficit has been projected to be $175 million. The coalition said it would...

Oregon: successful wave of union organizing opens eyes.(West)
January 12, 2004... The Service Employees International Union Local 503 gained recognition in the national news media by its recent flurry of successful organizing at nursing homes, most of it without much management opposition, the Associated Press reported. ...

Indiana: high court ruling keeps SNF funding cuts in place.(Midwest)
January 12, 2004... About $110 million in annual cuts to state nursing home reimbursements will continue, due to a ruling by the Indiana Supreme Court. The unanimous ruling allowed dozens of legislative vetoes by past and present governors to stand. Nursing...

Wisconsin: county homes get state giveback funding.(Midwest)
January 12, 2004... The state's 49 county-run nursing homes saw dollars signs in their eyes last month, when Gov. Jim Doyle signed legislation granting each of the facilities hundreds of thousands of dollars. The bill released $13 million in state funds, which is...

Colorado: SNF flu tracker suspects hundreds of deaths.(Plains)
January 12, 2004... A physician who monitors effects of the flu on the state's nursing home residents said he thinks that hundreds of them died from it during less than a month late last year. Dr. Greg Gahm, a geriatrician at Presbyterian St. Luke's Medical Center...

The number of Infinia skilled.(Bankruptcy)
January 12, 2004... The number of Infinia skilled nursing facilities filing for Chapter 11 by the end of the year rose to 23. The Bountiful. UT-based provider announced 20 more facilities filed Dec. 1. The struggling properties are in Utah, Minnesota, Kansas,...

Beverly Enterprises is selling 21.(M&A)
January 12, 2004... Beverly Enterprises is selling 21 skilled nursing facilities in the western U.S. for an undisclosed price to Salt Lake City-based Heritage Management as part of its strategy to shed facilities with high liability costs and geographic...

Kindred Healthcare completed its.(M&A)
January 12, 2004... Kindred Healthcare completed its purchase of 10 money-losing facilities from landlord Ventas for $85 million. The nursing home giant said it would sell the properties to relieve its debt load and risk-66 management quotient.

Mariner Health Care announced.(M&A)
January 12, 2004... Mariner Health Care announced Dec. 3 it had completed the sale of seven skilled nursing facilities in Florida and three others in Louisiana. Since the start of the fourth quarter of 2003, Mariner has sold 19 facilities and ended leases for 10...

On the same day President Bush.(Worth Watching)
January 12, 2004... On the same day President Bush signed legislation overhauling the Medicare program. Democrats announced a counter attack would "take back Medicare." Democrats criticized the bill, saying it fails to provide adequate coverage and allows...

With a strong new flu strain.(Worth Watching)
January 12, 2004... With a strong new flu strain sweeping through the states this year, a Mayo Clinic doctor predicted as many as 70,000 American could die, almost double the average annual death toll of 36,000. Published reports say it could be the nation's worst...

Broad gaps in data handling.(Technology)
January 12, 2004... When it comes to the adoption of information management systems in tong-term care, it appears there's reason For both optimism and frustration. On one hand, the pool of F[' vendors that cater to the long-term care sector is growing, with...

With chain size, sometimes less is more.(Executive Decisions)
January 12, 2004... Q While some large operators have sought bankruptcy protection, Lutheran Homes of Michigan has operated for more than a century. What Is your secret to success? A The key is a strong sense of mission that guides the decision-making of...

The Department of Health and Human Services' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality is seeking applications for $41 million in grant money, which will be used to validate the value of health information technology.(Enterprise)
January 12, 2004... The Department of Health and Human Services' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality is seeking applications for $41 million in grant money, which will be used to validate the value of health information technology. This follows a recent...

The National Influenza Summit.(Enterprise)
January 12, 2004... This follows the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's announcement that this year's influenza strain could create the worst season in 30 years. The summit, comprising 50 partners, will have television radio spots with Department of...

Deal with suspected drug abuse before you see it.(Legal Matters)
January 12, 2004... Q I suspect that at least two of my employees uses illegal drugs. Their work isn't noticeably affected if they are drug abusers, but what can I do? A Employers who do not have drug and alcohol policies risk becoming the haven for drug and...

Hope for even more CMS openness post-Scully.(Regulations/Compliance)
January 12, 2004... Q How do you assess the Tom Scully years as administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and what differences do you hope for in his successor? A Under Scully's watch, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has...

National DAVE rollout here--take it seriously.(Payment Answers)
January 12, 2004... Q With the national rollout of the Data Assessment and Verification (DAVE) project starting this month, what do we have to know? A About 2,000 providers across the country will be involved in this project over the next year. That may...

LTC managers need these coping tools.(Staffing Concerns)
January 12, 2004... Q What coping characteristics do you see as most valuable in nursing home managers? A Ours is an industry ripe with stressors. Burnout is one of the biggest issues that leaders need to be aware of and deal with. Here are some ideas...

Aging in place affects capital budgets in various ways.(P&L Journal)
January 12, 2004... One of the questions I am sometimes asked is: Where is the greatest vulnerability in a capital budget? The answer varies, depending on whether new or older buildings are being considered. During the first 10 years of a new building,...

People with Alzheimer's disease in nursing homes and assisted living facilities may not be getting proper care.(Quality Corner)
January 12, 2004... People with Alzheimer's disease in nursing homes and assisted living facilities may not be getting proper care, according to a study that looked at pain, depression, and eating and drinking among more than 400 residents at 45 facilities. ...

Women who take regular walks and remain active have a much better chance of living independent lives as they age.(Quality Corner)
January 12, 2004... Women who take regular walks and remain active have a much better chance of living independent lives as they age. University of Pittsburgh researchers examined 171 women whose average age was 74 at the start of a 14-year study, They found that...

ASPs help providers get better connected.(Managing Technology)
January 12, 2004... As operators grapple with how best to manage information, more are turning to Application Service Providers (ASPs). ASPs offer benefits such as convenience, expertise and regulatory compliance, as well as more predictable costs. Five...

Maxwell Thomas furniture.(New Products)
January 12, 2004... * Attractive and affordable line of resident furniture and furnishings * Designed for eldercare, durably built with special laminates * Many pieces ship within 48 hours * Produced by Direct Supply Circle 161 on reader service...

BacPac bacterial enhanced detergent.(New Products)
January 12, 2004... * Biologically-enhanced detergent removes organic waste * An enzyme controls odors by detroying waste matter * Produced by PortionPac Chemical Corporation Circle 162 on reader service card [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Beaufort Armoire.(New Products)
January 12, 2004... * Extensive range of polymer products that are virtually indestructible * Can be fully customized for dimensions, colors and inlays * Comes with 10-year warranty * Produced by Duracase Circle 163 on reader service card ...

Elect-R-Matic dispenser.(New Products)
January 12, 2004... * Automatically dispenses one towel at a time * Dispenses high-quality, highly-absorbent 600 ft. sheets or hard roll towels * Reduces cross contamination damage and contains an AC adapter option * Produced by Kimberly-Clark...

In-Room Air Purifier Model 501.(New Products)
January 12, 2004... * Offers a 620 sq. ft. room capacity and an increase of nearly 25% in airflow * Offers high energy efficiency and very low noise levels for its room capacity * Produced by Blueair Circle 165 on reader service card ...

Falls Detector Model IRM-1.(New Products)
January 12, 2004... * Attaches to a bed or door either by Velcro or a specially designed custom-mounting bracket * Will alert a caregiver if a resident is attempting to exit a bed when not permitted * Equipped with an audible alarm or chime sound *...

Garon Treds[TM].(New Products)
January 12, 2004... * Makes worn-out stairs safe without costly rebuilding * Made from heat-resistant extruded aluminum alloy, it outwears ordinary treds by years * Custom cut for a perfect fit and can be applied to any type or stair * Made by Garon...

Tempbadge Visitor Software.(New Products)
January 12, 2004... * Includes pre-set badge templates, sign-in, sign-out, pre-registration * Enhances security by creating a badge that turns red after 24 hours * Produced by Tempbadge Identification Products Circle 168 an reader service card ...

White Index Tabs.(New Products)
January 12, 2004... * Allows for quick and easy tabbing of charts, documents, books, and folders * Ideal for customizing or personalizing reference without marking on the page * Available in packages of 48 tabs, 2 tabs per sheet * Made by Redi-Tag[R]...

Health Gards[R] metered aerosols.(New Products)
January 12, 2004... * Presents five new fragrances to enhance the atmosphere in establishements * Contain double Neutrex[TM], an odor fighting compound specially formulated to eliminate malodors * Produced by the Hospital Specialty Company Circle 170...

Walkarooiii Mobile PC Cart Polypak.(New Products)
January 12, 2004... * Designed to help healthcare facilities more efficiently implement computerized patient charting * Secures expensive charting equipment * Produced by Carstens. Inc. Circle 171 on reader service card [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Top Notch[TM] food pans.(New Products)
January 12, 2004... * Have an easy-lift spoon notch that allows easy removal from steam tables or counters * Designed with spoonable bottoms to allow easy access to contents to eliminate waste * Made by Carlisle Food Products Circle 172 on reader...

Hydrophilic Personal Catheter[R].(New Products)
January 12, 2004... * Packaged with its own sterile water * Product design makes it easy on delicate urethral tissues * Produced by the Rochester Medical Corporation Circle 173 an reader service card [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Ethyl Chloride[R] topical skin refrigerant.(New Products)
January 12, 2004... * Minimizes the pain of minor surgeries * 4- to 10-second spray provides topical anesthesia * Instantly controls pain of bruises, contusions, swelling, and minor sprains * Made by the Gebauer Company Circle 174 on reader...

Interactive Health Network.(Product Focus)
January 12, 2004... IHN Suite, our Integrated Clinical and Financial Solution for long-term care, includes the software modules necessary to assist you in successfully automating the clinical and financial management functions within your nursing center. Contact...

Health Care Software.(Product Focus)
January 12, 2004... For more, than 34 years. Health Care Software has been dedicated to supporting healthcare information systems. HCS Interactant is a fully integrated clinical and financial information system designed for long-term care and sub acute care...

Accu-Med Services.(Product Focus)
January 12, 2004... Accu-Med Services offers comprehensive implementation, on-site training, unlimited support, free updates and no hidden costs. Now offering Orcas enterprise software and Cypress therapy management. Accu-Care for Windows is the industry's most...

Quickcare Software Services.(Product Focus)
January 12, 2004... Virtually runs itself. Powerful, affordable and scalable clinical A/R, Billing, A/P, G/L and payroll software includes: drug interactions with real time assistance for resident care strategies, tighter database controls that assist with HIPAA...

PointClickCare Multi-Site Edition.(Product Focus)
January 12, 2004... PointClickCare Multi Site Edition is specifically designed to meet the needs of larger more complex providers. With Multi Site Edition, you get the best of both worlds: the power to support large organizations, with the ease of use and low...

CareTracker.(Product Focus)
January 12, 2004... Resource Systems is the developer of CareTracker, an innovative system for collecting ADLs, mood/behavior, bowel/bladder, restorative and all types of supportive documentation using wall-mounted touch screens. The additional accuracy of...

Keane Care.(Product Focus)
January 12, 2004... Looking for sophisticated, yet easy-to-use software for today's challenges? Then take a look at VistaKEANE from Keane Care. Our system of integrated windows-based financial and clinical software helps long term and post-acute providers collect,...

ADL Data Systems.(Product Focus)
January 12, 2004... ADL's C.N.A. Assignment Module uses touch screen tablet Pe's to capture CNA flowsheet information at the point of care, helping staff accurately document daily activities, observations and services (often leading to higher RUGs groupings)....

ULTRACare.(Product Focus)
January 12, 2004... A comprehensive census driven, financial and clinical software package for CCRC, Assisted Living and nursing facilities, ULTRACare[R] integrates marketing, admissions, billing and clinical applications for all levels of care. ULTRACare...

Prime Care Technologies.(Product Focus)
January 12, 2004... Prime Care Technologies, a leader in Information Management focused on the Healthcare industry, offers Linux and Windows based IT consulting, LTC software tools, applications hosting (ASP), remote access, voice, and data networking...

Smart Charting.(Product Focus)
January 12, 2004... Smart Charting is a fully integrated automated charting system that delivers real-time, two way clinical communication directly at the point of care. It addresses industry concerns by helping maximize staff while optimizing billing. And because...

MDI Technologies.(Product Focus)
January 12, 2004... MDI Technologies proudly introduces e-charting. This exciting new capability allows the clinical staff to complete resident documentation on the fly. Using wireless technology, clinicians can efficiently document medication dispensation,...

Worth repeating.(People & Opinions)
January 12, 2004... "I can assure you that I won't be here in January 2006. But I will have everything set up and operating smoothly before I leave." Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson, who said he would stay in office through the 2004...

Lawmaker holds feet to fire.(Q&A)
January 12, 2004... As one of the most influential politicians regarding long-term care funding and regulation, Sen. Charles "Chuck" Grassley (R-IA) has vowed to ensure extra funds actually go toward direct patient care costs. He says quality of care and the...

Rewarding work indeed.(Commentary)
January 12, 2004... Hopefully, by this time you've taken the opportunity to peruse our cover story package on CEO salaries. This is the first time the numbers, backgrounds and faces of these nursing home titans have been brought together like this anywhere. ...

Genesis HealthCare.(Milestones)
January 12, 2004... GEORGE V. HAGER JR. became chairman of the board of Genesis HealthCare on Dec. 1. He is also CEO. Previously, he was executive vice president and CFO, responsible for corporate finance, information services, reimbursement and risk management.