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

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

Panel: staff issues linger.(Alliance for Health Reform and the Kaiser Family Foundation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Two decades after a landmark nursing home reform law was passed, staffing and quality remain serious challenges. That was the view among several panelists who participated in a briefing jointly sponsored by the...

CMS 'secret' names list sparks protest.(Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Federal regulars set off a maelstrom last month by releasing part--but not all--of a list of 128 of the nation's worst performing nursing homes. It was the first time in the 10-year history of the "Special Focus Facilities" list that the...

Study swings at SNF rehab.
January 1, 2008... As Congress was preparing to hammer out critical Medicare legislation, a therapy company issued a report that called the so-called 75% Rule "counterproductive." Nursing home providers support the rule, which funnels more patients to skilled...

Incontinence widespread.(NEWS)
January 1, 2008... As many as 25% of U.S. adults will be incontinent at some point, a government panel has found. Scientists at the National Institutes of Health called for more research into prevention and to remove the stigma attached to incontinence. ...

Off-label drug probe starts.(NEWS)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee has asked the Office of the Inspector General to investigate the widespread off-label use of antipsychotic drugs in nursing homes. Facilities frequently use the...

Panel warns: it's time for U.S. to tackle LTC.(NEWS)
January 1, 2008... The United States is not ready to deal with the caregiving costs that will result from a growing elderly population, a bipartisan national commission has warned. The 22-member panel, headed by former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA), and...

Second online expo coming soon.(NEWS)(McKnight's Online Expo)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Experts will offer their insights into long-term care during the next McKnight's Online Expo. The free, two-day virtual trade show will take place March 26-27. Five webcasts will be held. Keynote Speaker Andrew Carle will examine...

McKnight's Long-Term Care News now has a simpler Web site address: www.mcknights. com.(At deadline)(Website overview)
January 1, 2008... McKnight's Long-Term Care News now has a simpler Web site address: www.mcknights. com. The site also will be making dramatic improvements in appearance and navigation in the months ahead.

Serious citations at nursing homes increased by 22% from 2000 to 2006, according to a USA Today analysis.(At deadline)
January 1, 2008... Serious citations at nursing homes increased by 22% from 2000 to 2006, according to a USA Today analysis. Last year, inspectors issued 2,000 such citations at 850 facilities, the paper reported.

Congress passed an omnibus bill that would eliminate revisit user fees in fiscal 2008 for skilled nursing facilities.(At deadline)
January 1, 2008... Congress passed an omnibus bill that would eliminate revisit user fees in fiscal 2008 for skilled nursing facilities. It was awaiting the president's signature at press time.

The Senate has approved legislation allowing employees to use leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act in certain circumstances.(At deadline)
January 1, 2008... The Senate has approved legislation allowing employees to use leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act in certain circumstances. The leave may be requested when a spouse, child, or parent is called for active duty in the military.

60 seconds with ... Eric Carlson: Director, National Senior Citizens Law Center LTC Project.(NEWS)(Interview)
January 1, 2008... Q: You say your study of 175 Missouri nursing facility admission agreements revealed 'improper and unfair' provisions. What was the worst? A: We found that 25% of them contained at least one provision designed to lower the expectation of...

Senators demand that CMS name all poor performers.(NEWS)
January 1, 2008... A handful of U.S. senators are leading a push to release all names on a federal "worst performing" nursing homes list. Sens. Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Hillary Clinton (D-NY) introduced legislation that would force the Centers for Medicare &...

Senate passes slimmer Medicare bill.(NEWS)
January 1, 2008... Just before its winter recess, Congress passed a pared down Medicare bill that offered both relief and frustration for nursing home providers. The $6 billion measure would extend the exceptions process for Medicare therapy caps through...

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has issued a proposed rule that would permit a waiver of nurse aide training disapproval in certain cases.(Regulatory Update)
January 1, 2008... The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has issued a proposed rule that would permit a waiver of nurse aide training disapproval in certain cases in skilled nursing facilities and nursing facilities.

Spouses of nursing home residents on Medicaid may keep as much as $104,400 this year.(Regulatory Update)
January 1, 2008... Spouses of nursing home residents on Medicaid may keep as much as $104,400 this year, according to new guidelines released by CMS.

The House last month passed the Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly Act., H.R. 2930.(Bill Watch)
January 1, 2008... The House last month passed the Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly Act., H.R. 2930. The bill would preserve the current supply of affordable senior housing and encourage further development. It also would allow owners to refinance...

Ask the care expert.(NEWS: Resident Care)
January 1, 2008... Do you have any idea where to find online geriatric assessment training? I think you're in luck! There is something excellent available online. "How to Try This" is a collaborative project of the Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing at...

Abrupt sleep pattern change can be lethal, study finds.(NEWS: Resident Care)
January 1, 2008... Dramatic changes in a person's long-established sleep patterns increase the likelihood of death, sleep researchers warn in the Dec. 1 issue of Sleep. Either adding or taking away significant amounts of sleep could cause problems,...

High blood pressure may affect dementia.(NEWS: Resident Care)
January 1, 2008... High blood pressure appears to exacerbate Alzheimer's disease, researchers said. High blood pressure lessened the flow of blood in the brains of adults with Alzheimer's, heightening the disease's effects, according to University of...

Hand washing as well as wearing masks, gloves and gowns, may be more effective than drugs to prevent the spread of the flu, SARS, and other respiratory viruses, according to new findings published in the British Medical Journal.(Caregiving Update)
January 1, 2008... Hand washing as well as wearing masks, gloves and gowns, may be more effective than drugs to prevent the spread of the flu, SARS, and other respiratory viruses, according to new findings published in the British Medical Journal. Researchers...

Making sure residents have proper eyeware will lead to lower rates of depression, University of Alabama-Birmingham researchers have found.(Caregiving Update)
January 1, 2008... Making sure residents have proper eyeware will lead to lower rates of depression, University of Alabama-Birmingham researchers have found. Their study revealed that giving residents appropriate eyeglasses, including replacing lost sets, leads...

The National Council on Aging released a progress report on a national action plan for fall-prevention programs for seniors.(Caregiving Update)
January 1, 2008... The National Council on Aging released a progress report on a national action plan for fall-prevention programs for seniors. To see the full report, visit www.healthyagingprograms.org/content.asp.

Ask the treatment expert.(NEWS: Wound Care)(Medical condition overview)
January 1, 2008... Do you have any suggestions to keep a sacral wound free from incontinence contamination? The ultimate goal to keep the wound free from contamination would be management of the underlying incontinence. For fecal incontinence: *...

Moderate exercise is linked to more rapid wound healing.(NEWS: Wound Care)(Medical condition overview)
January 1, 2008... An active lifestyle has many known benefits. A University of Illinois study may have found another: faster wound healing. "The key point is that moderate exercise sped up how fast wounds heal," said researcher K. Todd Keylock. He said the...

Bristol-Myers may sell wound care firm.(NEWS: Wound Care)(Medical condition overview)
January 1, 2008... In the wake of a financial downturn, Bristol-Myers Squibb appeared poised to sell its ConvaTec business. ConvaTec specializes in products for wound care and ostomies. The move is part of a larger belt-tightening move by Bristol-Myers...

The Food and Drug Administration has given Derma Sciences clearance to market a second dressing in its Medihoney line.(Treatment Update)
January 1, 2008... The Food and Drug Administration has given Derma Sciences clearance to market a second dressing in its Medihoney line. This dressing is indicated for use on wounds with light to moderate exudate. The dressing forms a gel when it comes into...

Oculus Innovative Sciences has enrolled 67 patients in a Phase II clinical trial of a treatment for diabetic foot ulcers that have become infected.(Treatment Update)
January 1, 2008... Oculus Innovative Sciences has enrolled 67 patients in a Phase II clinical trial of a treatment for diabetic foot ulcers that have become infected. The firm seeks to develop treatments for infections in chronic and acute wounds. The clinical...

Wound Care Innovations has entered into enhanced agreements with the licensors of its wound care products.(Treatment Update)
January 1, 2008... Wound Care Innovations has entered into enhanced agreements with the licensors of its wound care products. The company now has the exclusive worldwide license to market and sell the current products and any new developed products for the human...

Ask the nursing expert.(NEWS: Nursing)
January 1, 2008... Any suggestions on how to juggle the administrative duties of being a director of nursing, along with the clinical responsibilities? Hopefully you work in an environment where you have an assistant director of nursing and unit managers on...

WHO adds evidence linking night work, cancer odds.(NEWS: Nursing)
January 1, 2008... Working at night could lead to higher cancer risks, according to a new study from the World Health Organization. Exposure to light while working the night shift might create hazardous exposure equal to that from ultraviolet radiation,...

More nursing school applicants rejected.(NEWS: Nursing)
January 1, 2008... Enrollment in undergraduate nursing programs rose again this year, but a lack of qualified teaching personnel continues to hurt efforts to beef up the number of qualified nurses. Enrollment in baccalaureate programs grew 5% in 2007,...

Newer antipsychotic drugs are not beneficial--from a cost-benefit viewpoint--for treating Alzheimer's-related psychosis and aggression.(Medication Update)
January 1, 2008... Newer antipsychotic drugs are not beneficial--from a cost-benefit viewpoint--for treating Alzheimer's-related psychosis and aggression, a report in the Archives of General Psychiatry found.

Diabetes medications known as thiazolidinediones (TZDs) significantly increased the risk of heart attack, congestive failure and death in older patients, a study in an issue of JAMA last month found.(Medication Update)
January 1, 2008... Diabetes medications known as thiazolidinediones (TZDs) significantly increased the risk of heart attack, congestive failure and death in older patients, a study in an issue of JAMA last month found. GlaxoSmithKline recently agreed to place a...

Side effects associated with three drugs caused one-third of emergency room visits by those 65 and older in 2004, according to a new study in the Annals of Internal Medicine.(Medication Update)
January 1, 2008... Side effects associated with three drugs caused one-third of emergency room visits by those 65 and older in 2004, according to a new study in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Warfarin, insulin and digoxin were responsible for 58,000 ER visits...

The Food and Drug Administration is reviewing the potential risk for hip fractures associated with the best-selling heartburn drugs Prilosec and Nexium.(Medication Update)
January 1, 2008... The Food and Drug Administration is reviewing the potential risk for hip fractures associated with the best-selling heartburn drugs Prilosec and Nexium. Meanwhile, the agency cleared the AstraZeneca Plc drugs of links to heart problems.

Fast-acting agent for long-term maintenance of asthma.(News: DRUG UPDATE)(Drug overview)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Symbicort 160/4.5 Company: AstraZeneca Rx Pharmacologic class: Antiasthmatic (corticosteroid + long-acting [[beta].sub.2]-agonist) Active ingredients: Budesonide 160mcg, formoterol fumarate dihydrate...

Combo drug blocks vascular resistance, cuts hypertension.(News: DRUG UPDATE)(Drug overview)
January 1, 2008... Exforge 5/160 Company: Novards Rx Pharmacologic class: Calcium channel blocker (dihydropyridine) (CCB) + angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) Active ingredients: Amlodipine (as besylate) 5mg, valsartan 160mg; tabs. Also:...

Antibacterial solution requires fewer doses for conjunctivitis.(News: DRUG UPDATE)(Medical condition overview)(Clinical report)
January 1, 2008... AzaSite Company: Inspire Rx Pharmacologic class: Antibiotic (macrolide) Active ingredient: Azithromycin 1%; oph. soln; contains benzalkonium chloride. Indication: Susceptible bacterial conjunctivitis. Pharmacology:...

Patch helps treat patients with early-stage Parkinson's.(News: DRUG UPDATE)(Drug overview)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Neupro Companies: UCB and Schwarz Pharma Rx Pharmacologic class: Dopamine agonist (non-ergot) Active ingredient: Rotigotine 2mg/24 hours, 4mg/24 hours, 6mg/24 hours; transdermal patch; contains...

Ask the payment expert.(NEWS: Payment & Policy)
January 1, 2008... If we have a resident with a medical RUGs and therapy wants to pick up that resident, do we have to complete an OMRA assessment? There is no mechanism in the rules that mandate an OMRA when you want to change from a medical RUG and now are...

Researchers create unique national quality database.(NEWS: Payment & Policy)
January 1, 2008... Brown University researchers soon will start creating a first-of-a-kind nursing home national database to track policy and facility performance. "At the end of this project, we'll have the single-most comprehensive data set on long-term...

MedPAC: freeze 2009 pay.(NEWS: Payment & Policy)
January 1, 2008... A congressional advisory arm has again recommended skilled nursing Medicare rates be frozen for the upcoming fiscal year. The decision disappointed but did not surprise providers. If it follows through, it would be the third year in a row...

Go figure.(NEWS: Payment & Policy)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... 23 In just 23 years there will be twice as many (71.5 million) U.S. citizens 65 or older as there were in 2000, according to an Administration on Aging analysis. 40 An estimated 40% of individuals 65 or older who are hospitalized for hip...

Sunrise Senior Living Inc.(Business Briefs)
January 1, 2008... Sunrise Senior Living Inc. said that its restatement of earnings from 1999 to 2005 will reduce net income for those periods by approximately $130 million, excluding the impact of stock option adjustments. The company previously disclosed that...

Ventas Inc.'s.(Business Briefs)
January 1, 2008... Ventas Inc.'s profits fell for the third quarter while total revenues more than doubled. Earnings for the real estate investment trust slipped by 13% to $28 million. Revenues surged to approximately $226 million from about $107 million in the...

The Federal Reserve.(Business Briefs)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... The Federal Reserve lowered interest rates by a quarter of a point last month in an effort to help the economy overcome the credit and mortgage crisis. Investors. however, were hoping for a more aggressive half-point cut. The benchmark federal...

Carlyle completes $6.3 bln acquisition of Manor Care.(NEWS: Companies)(Carlyle Group)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... The privately held Carlyle Group last month completed its $6.3 billion purchase of Manor Care Inc. after regulators in one state agreed to lift a stay on the proposed sale. "With the notification received today from West Virginia, we have...

Chain CEO hits flat note.(NEWS: Companies)(chief executive officer Ray Termini of Haven Healthcare)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Haven Healthcare, one of Connecticut's biggest nursing home operators, recently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the wake of accusations of financial wrongdoing. Attorney General Richard Blumenthal in late November accused the company of...

Private payments.(Good month)
January 1, 2008... Private payments: Reimbursement for private and semi-private nursing home rooms increased by nearly 3% this year, according to a study commissioned by the New York Life Insurance Company.

Cardio health.(Good month)
January 1, 2008... Cardio health: Higher levels of cardio respiratory fitness are stronger indicators of longevity than body-fat levels for adults over age 60, according to the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study.

Fall awareness.(Good month)
January 1, 2008... Fall awareness: Fall prevention initiatives at the federal, state and local levels are increasing public awareness of the issue, a National Council on Aging report says.

The third shift.(Bad month)
January 1, 2008... The third shift: People who work at night may face a higher cancer risk, according to a report from the World Health Organization. Exposure to light while working after dark could be the cause, the report suggested.

Poor performers.(Bad month)
January 1, 2008... Poor performers: CMS publicly identified 54 nursing homes on its "special focus facilities" list. They are among the nation's worst-performing facilities when it comes to meeting health and safety standards.

Physician self-policing.(Bad month)
January 1, 2008... Physician self-policing: Almost half of all doctors don't report peers' medical incompetence and mistakes, a new survey found.

Metro monitor.(NEWS: Companies)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Metro Monitor The top and bottom percentage rates for the penetration rate of skilled nursing beds in households with residents aged 75 or older. (Based on third-quarter 2007 figures) Leaders Rank Metro area Rate ...

Helping develop and disseminate information technology such as electronic health records would improve the nation's long-term care system, according to a report released in December by the National Commission for Quality Long-Term Care.(IT Update)
January 1, 2008... Helping develop and disseminate information technology such as electronic health records would improve the nation's long-term care system, according to a report released in December by the National Commission for Quality Long-Term Care. Their...

The eHealth Initiative Foundation.(IT Update)
January 1, 2008... The eHealth Initiative Foundation recently launched a collaborative research effort that uses information technology to improve drug safety. The project will assess the value and utility of blinded, anonymized, electronic clinical health...

Health and Human Services.(IT Update)
January 1, 2008... Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt recently endorsed electronic prescribing for Medicare services on his Weblog, However, he did not announce a formal policy change. "Large healthcare providers, including Medicare and Medicaid,...

Robert Kolodner, M.D.(IT Update)
January 1, 2008... Robert Kolodner, M.D., national coordinator for health information technology in the Department of Health and Human Services, has named Charles Friedman, Ph.D., as deputy national coordinator. He will serve as operations officer for the...

The Federal Communications Commission.(IT Update)
January 1, 2008... The Federal Communications Commission will provide up to $400 million to help statewide or multistate telemedicine programs create or expand their networks, and use broadband public Internet or the advanced Internet2 or National LambdaRail...

Nurses rely more on IT tools, even if others choose them.(NEWS: Technology)
January 1, 2008... More nurses are embracing information technology as a tool, even though they remain relatively uninvolved in choosing the kinds of IT their facility uses, a survey from CDW Healthcare has found. In fact, more than 4 in 10 nurses (42%) spend...

"I couldn't live without ...".(NEWS: Technology)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Staff members at Cornerstone Health Care in Rogers, AR, say they're more than pleased with the company's recent decision to move toward a more advanced, electronic process for new, existing or paper documentation....

Nursing home cuts proceed.(NORTHEAST)
January 1, 2008... NEW YORK -- Nursing homes have made progress toward eliminating 3,000 beds, the state Health Department said last month. The cuts are in response to recommendations from the Berger Commission, which last year issued a report entitled...

Facility suspensions soar.(TENNESSEE)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Gov. Phil Bredesen (D) seemed empathetic toward nursing homes last month as he addressed the sudden rise in admission suspensions in the state. A total of 23 nursing homes in the state were banned from accepting new residents in 2007. That...

State tightens Medicaid eligibility.(SOUTHEAST)
January 1, 2008... FLORIDA -- New state rules that went into effect Nov. 1 tighten the ways under which seniors can be eligible to receive Medicaid for nursing home care. One rule lowers the threshold for the maximum amount of equity interest that applicants...

Facilities accused of dumping.(SOUTHEAST)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... KENTUCKY -- More and more nursing homes are finding ways to offload difficult residents, according to a lawyer and an industry advocate. Typically, these facilities discharge the residents to a hospital and then refuse to admit them upon...

Eat right? Take the day, state says.(SOUTHEAST)(Arkansas)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... ARKANSAS -- How's this for an employment incentive? If you eat well, exercise and refrain from smoking, you get a day off. All state employees now will be able to take advantage of a program that gives time off of work for leading a healthy...

State studies chronic disease care.(SOUTHEAST)
January 1, 2008... LOUISIANA -- The Louisiana Health Care Quality Forum is conducting a checkup on the overall health of the state. Using data from a recent report, the forum is examining the percentage of residents who are obese, the number of residents who...

Lawmaker decries staff pay.(PLAINS)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... SOUTH DAKOTA -- Turnover is creating a staffing crisis in the state's nursing homes and adjustment training centers, according to Jerry Apa, chairman of the state Senate Appropriations Committee. Apa, who cites low pay as the cause of the...

Funding urgent, providers say.(MIDWEST)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... MINNESOTA -- Nursing homes are asking the state for more funding in 2009 to offset the costs of rising resident care. Care Providers of Minnesota and the Minnesota Health and Housing Alliance are asking the legislature, which convenes in...

Ruling repeals malpractice caps.(MIDWEST)
January 1, 2008... ILLINOIS -- A Cook County judge recently struck down a state law limiting medical malpractice compensation to victims. The ruling once again stirred up controversy regarding tort reform in the state. As in the rest of the country, the issue...

Judge dismisses staffing suit.(WEST)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... CALIFORNIA -- Because of a state law gone awry, a Sacramento Superior Court judge last month threw out a lawsuit alleging understaffing in nursing homes. Judge Loren E. McMaster ruled that state officials have failed to write regulations...

House Speaker touts state's IT.(WEST)(Nancy Pelosi)(Oregon's use of a centralized electronic health records facility)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... OREGON -- Healthcare providers may one day look to the state as a model for creating centralized electronic health records, according to U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). Pelosi, who participated in a roundtable discussion at Oregon...

Facilities lose power.(SOUTHWEST)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... OKLAHOMA -- More than 60 nursing homes and care centers for the mentally retarded lost power during an ice storm last month, according to a Tulsa World-newspaper report, No injuries or deaths were reported, as of press time. Most of the...

Ask: the legal expert.(NEWS: Legal Matters)
January 1, 2008... Under what circumstances can I discharge a resident we no longer want to serve? When assessing the issue of moving a resident against his or her choice, it is important to follow federal regulations very carefully. First, a nursing home...

Lawmakers accuse labor panel of being anti-union.(NEWS: Legal Matters)
January 1, 2008... The federal panel that oversees labor disputes is "tilted against working people and more in favor of employers," a Democratic congressman alleged at a yearend congressional hearing. The result of the Bush administration seating a majority...

Court: provider readmission penalty OK.(NEWS: Legal Matters)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Long-term care providers have been put on notice: Keep open your residents' beds appropriately if they ever depart for hospital care. Not doing so could cost you dearly. The Delaware Superior Court for New Castle County recently issued a...

Hill-Rom.(Company Briefs)
January 1, 2008... Hill-Rom will create a research and development center in Singapore. The Asia-Pacific Innovation Center will focus on microelectronics and embedded software products, the company said. Hill-Rom is one of the industry's largest bed...

Arjo.(Company Briefs)
January 1, 2008... Arjo recently unveiled a showroom in Orange County, CA. The 6,000 square-foot facility lets customers evaluate the firm's extended care and infection control products in realistic settings, according to the firm. For more than three decades,...

ElDorado National.(Company Briefs)
January 1, 2008... ElDorado National made one of its TransElite buses available to transport soldiers with the Kansas National Guard's 1st Battalion, 161st Field Artillery, and their families from the armory to the location where a deployment ceremony was held....

Briggs Corporation.(Company Briefs)(Medical condition overview)
January 1, 2008... 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, as well as new information on regulations and more than 650 dressings,...

Samarion.(Company Briefs)
January 1, 2008... Samarion announced it has selected The Guardian House as its first outcome-based study site. The 60-bed facility is based in Lake Charles, LA, and specializes in dementia-related care. Installation is expected to be completed by February.

Royal Philips Electronics.(Company Briefs)
January 1, 2008... Royal Philips Electronics will acquire Emergin Inc., a provider of clinical alarms used in healthcare facilities. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Upon closing, Emergin will be folded into Royal Philips' patient monitoring...