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

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

Feds get first fraud conviction.
July 12, 2004... In a landmark case, a Louisiana nursing home owner faces up to 37 months in prison after pleading guilty to federal healthcare fraud for misusing $2.4 million in government payments. It's the first case in the country in which a nursing...

The federal government is going after $21.8 million in penalties from Tampa, FL-based PharMerica Drug Systems for allegedly paying too much for a small Virginia pharmacy to get referrals from nursing homes the pharmacy owned.(Late Breaking News)
July 12, 2004... * The federal government is going after $21.8 million in penalties from Tampa, FL-based PharMerica Drug Systems for allegedly paying too much for a small Virginia pharmacy to get referrals from nursing homes the pharmacy owned. PharMerica also...

The most commonly prescribed drug to treat Alzheimer's disease does not delay disability or the need for nursing home care, independent British researchers say in the June 25 issue of the medical journal The Lancet.(Late Breaking News)
July 12, 2004... * The most commonly prescribed drug to treat Alzheimer's disease does not delay disability or the need for nursing home care, independent British researchers say in the June 25 issue of the medical journal The Lancet. Aricept has...

African-American seniors are four times more likely than their white counterparts to reside in understaffed and poorly funded nursing homes, according to a study published in the Milbank Quarterly.(Late Breaking News)
July 12, 2004... * African-American seniors are four times more likely than their white counterparts to reside in under-staffed and poorly funded nursing homes, according to a study published in the Milbank Quarterly. University researchers from Brown and...

Eighty-two Senators sent a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson asking him to delay the planned July 1 implementation date set for the "75% rule" on inpatient rehabilitation care.(Late Breaking News)
July 12, 2004... * Eighty-two Senators sent a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson asking him to delay the planned July 1 implementation date set for the "75% rule" on inpatient rehabilitation care. At press time, House members were...

Databank ... mental problems.
July 12, 2004... As of December 2003, federal surveys found that nursing home residents displayed the following conditions: DATABANK... MENTAL PROBLEMS Dementia 45% Depression 43% Psych symptoms 31% Psych diagnosis...

More suits vs. providers, study shows.
July 12, 2004... Nursing home operators found their rampant fears of rising consumer lawsuits validated by a study sponsored by the American Health Care Association. Operators across the nation were slammed with more lawsuits last year--15.3 claims filed for...

Hard data.(News)
July 12, 2004... 14 Percent of intensive-care unit deaths involving someone 85 or older, the lowest rate of all age cohorts, according to researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. 17 The percentage of people 65 and ever who have a...

Medication delivery aided by technology, automation.(Pharmacy)
July 12, 2004... In an effort to reduce medication errors while saving time and money, long-term care providers are looking more to technology to automate the medication delivery process. "A growing number of facilities are starting to embrace technology...

Olmstead at five: full effects not yet seen.(Policy)
July 12, 2004... A half decade after the U.S. Supreme Court made a landmark ruling concerning the rights of the disabled to live in places other than institutions, many say they still have not seen expected benefits. While the June 1999 Olmstead ruling was...

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.(Regulatory update)
July 12, 2004... * The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said it will cover positron emission tomography (PET) scans for some diagnoses of Alzheimer's disease under Medicare. The scans will be covered when it's still unclear whether the patient has...

The Department of Health and Human Services.(Regulatory update)
July 12, 2004... * The Department of Health and Human Services has launched a Web site, www.TechForLTC.org, for nursing homes and assisted living providers so they can stay apprised of technologies for facilities--and improve quality. The site gives...

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services published in the Federal Register a proposed home health prospective payment system rule.(Regulatory update)
July 12, 2004... *Services published in the Federal Register a proposed home health prospective payment system rule that would provide for a 2.5% increase in Medicare payment rates for home health agencies in calendar year 2005.

Here comes the Sun again; Sun Healthcare's chief executive may have saved the company from liquidation with a little bit of luck, and a healthy helping of panache.
July 12, 2004... Rick Matros has a knack for getting people to trust him, though he doesn't always like playing by corporate rules. Sporting an ivory, flowing silk shirt and khakis, spiked salt and pepper hair and gleaming white smile, you would never be able...

Alzheimer's care issues emerging into fuller view.(Patient Care)
July 12, 2004... Thousands of people nationwide lined up in Washington D.C. last month to pay tribute to former 40th President Ronald Reagan, who died with Alzheimer's disease at age 93. For a brief period, it seemed, Alzheimer's disease may have entered the...

Oversleeping, suicide rates, worker vaccination.(Nursing News)
July 12, 2004... Nursing home residents in low-staffed homes may get too much sleep, according to a study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. Too much sleep, the study said, leads to lower appetites and social isolation. Researchers studied 882...

Nursing REPS support ban on mandatory overtime.(Nursing News)
July 12, 2004... Nursing representatives urged the Pennylvania Senate Judiciary Committee to support a ban on mandatory overtime. The committee is considering bill 722, sponsored by Sen. Christine Tartaglione (D-Philadelphia), which would limit nurses' work...

Older men have higher suicide rates than women.(Nursing News)
July 12, 2004... The suicide rate for men ages 75 to 79 is nine times that of women, according to a study by the University of Michigan. The Michigan researchers studied the ratio of male to female mortality rates in the United States and 19 other nations....

Study: estrogen may increase Alzheimer's risk.(Pharmacy News)
July 12, 2004... Estrogen pills appear to slightly increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia in postmenopausal women, according to a government study entitled "Women's Health Initiative" published in the June 22 issue of the Journal...

Report aims to improve employee vaccination rate.(Pharmacy News)
July 12, 2004... The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases has taken long-term care and other healthcare workers to task for low rates of employees taking flu vaccine. Now, the group has issued a comprehensive report discussing the problem and suggesting...

Three countries begin offering NCLEX exams.(Nursing News)
July 12, 2004... The National Council of State Boards of Nursing has announced the first three countries to offer the NCLEX examinations abroad so foreigners may get U.S. nurse licensures. NCLEX testing is expected to begin in Seoul, South Korea: London;...

Tennessee: sprinkler laws quickly enacted after fire.(Southeast)
July 12, 2004... Tennessee is about to become the first state in the nation to require every nursing home to have complete sprinkler system. Lawmakers quickly implemented measures in response to a fire last fall that killed 14 nursing home residents. By early...

Alabama: full sprinkler systems to be mandated.(Southeast)
July 12, 2004... The first deadline for full sprinkler-system coverage in nursing homes will be Jan. 1,2006, trader all amendment recently adopted by the State Committee of Public Health. Seven facilities without systems and nine in multistory buildings with...

Georgia: governor delays cuts to nursing home funding.(Southeast)
July 12, 2004... Gov. Sonny Perdue (R) announced June 21 that, although the state is shutting down the Nursing Home Medically Needy Medicaid program, the halt could be delayed about three months. The program helps those who make more than $1,692 per month...

Florida: state gives greater flexibility to fill empty beds.(Southeast)
July 12, 2004... Gov. Jeb Bush signed a bill that will give nursing homes greater flexibility to use beds for other purposes if they can't fill them. Both the state House and Senate voted unanimously on Bill S.B. 1062, which went into effect July 1. The...

Mississippi: governor expected to sign liability reform bill.(Southeast)
July 12, 2004... Mississippi lawmakers sent a general liability reform bill to Gov. Haley Barbour, who was expected to sign it into law. The measure would keep a $500,000 cap on non economic damages. Without the new measure, the limit would gradually...

Georgia: jury awards $5 million after facility fatality.(Southeast)
July 12, 2004... A jury awarded $5 million on June 6 to the family of a 90-year old woman who died at Marion Memorial nursing home in Georgia. Jurors indicated on the verdict form they did not find "specific intent to harm" by Columbus Regional Healthcare...

Florida: Supreme Court to hear Schiavo tube-feeding case.(Southeast)
July 12, 2004... The Florida Supreme Court has agreed 4-3 to hear the case on Terry Schiavo, the comatose woman who's been kept alive for 10 years on feeding tubes at a Pinellas County nursing home. Terry's husband, Michael Schiavo, says his 40-year-old...

Wisconsin: facility holds hearing on removing cross.(Midwest)
July 12, 2004... Countryside Home, based in Jefferson Country, is trying to determine if it has to remove a cross from an altar in its multi-purpose area. The facility has a chapel that becomes a multipurpose room when opened up with an adjoining community...

Missouri: governor will increase Medicaid reimbursement.(Midwest)
July 12, 2004... Gov. Bob Holden was to sign a law that would increase the Medicaid reimbursement rate for the state's 545 nursing homes at press time. Under the law, the state's reimbursement rate will be recalculated each of the next three years, increasing...

Michigan: governor threatens 22% Medicaid cut if no tax.(Midwest)
July 12, 2004... Nursing homes could lose $30 to $36 per resident day in Medicaid funding if Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D) follows through with her threat to cut payments 22% unless lawmakers passed a new cigarette tax. She proposed hiking the tobacco tax by...

Illinois: state's nursing homes lag in Medicaid pay.(Midwest)
July 12, 2004... The June 16 edition of the journal Health Affairs shows that, despite rising costs for nursing home care, the average annual percentage increase in Medicaid payments in Illinois was just 1.2% from 1999 to 2002. Taking inflation into...

Oklahoma: governor says liability caps are OK: the state has a new medical liability reform law that caps non-economic damages in medical liability cases at $300,000. Gov. Brad Henry signed the tort reform bill into law in late May.(Plains)
July 12, 2004... "This is the most sweeping, comprehensive tort reform package in Oklahoma's history, without question," Henry said. Providers supported the bill, though provisions of it were weaker than originally proposed. Among the key provisions, the...

Minnesota: officials urgently seek secure nursing home unit.(Midwest)
July 12, 2004... The state is urgently seeking a secure nursing home unit where current and former prisoners are separate from other residents, according to Minnesota Corrections Commissioner Joan Fabian. No such site exists, she told the Minneapolis Star...

Pennsylvania: Legionnaires' disease hits Philadelphia facility.(Northeast)
July 12, 2004... Health department tests confirmed the bacteria thai cause Legionnaires' disease showed up in three eases at a nursing home in Philadelphia, health officials said. A 92-year-old who died in April after developing pneumonia was infected with...

Rhode Island: Medicaid state's costliest program.(Northeast)
July 12, 2004... Medicaid is the state's costliest program nearly $1.7 billion for fiscal 2005--according to a report from the Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council. That's 28 cents of every dollar the state spends. The 2001 per capita rate was second in...

Therapy successes: working up (by working out problems) takes on new meaning.(Special Report)
July 12, 2004... To some, it might signify merely an aged sequel to a blockbuster movie: FX-2. To others, however, it is not a follow-up but rather a major first step. It is a key development toward recovery from a debilitating condition. And, like its movie...

Survey reveals Alzheimer's caregivers' wants, needs.(News)
July 12, 2004... People afflicted with Alzheimer's disease represent one of the most challenging and fastest-growing groups to care for in the United States. In fact, their numbers are expected to nearly triple in the next half-century, from 4.8 million to 14.2...

Beverly Enterprises Inc. continues to shrink.(Mergers & acquisitions)
July 12, 2004... Beverly Enterprises Inc. continues to shrink. The mammoth nursing home chain, which once boasted more than 800 facilities, is in the process of selling 10 of its Arkansas nursing facilities to Perennial Healthcare Management, Monkton, MD. The...

Beverly Enterprises announced it will acquire privately held Hospice USA, of Memphis, TN, thereby doubling its hospice operations.(Mergers & acquisitions)
July 12, 2004... Beverly Enterprises announced it will acquire privately held Hospice USA, of Memphis, TN, thereby doubling its hospice operations. Fort Smith, AR-based Beverly currently operates subsidiary AseraCare, which provides services to 1,100 hospice...

Senior Health Management LLC.(Mergers & acquisitions)
July 12, 2004... Senior Health Management LLC announced that it negotiated an agreement with Indiana-based Health Quest to lease six or its Florida properties totaling 360 skilled nursing beds and 307 assisted living units. The properties are located in...

Differences in the way women and men are managed.(Worth Watching)
July 12, 2004... Differences in the way women and men are managed--fueled by the differences in what they value most at work--puts both genders at risk for cardiovascular problems, depression and a higher susceptibility to infectious diseases, a new study has...

The nation's job market continues to be hot, as evidenced by the May employment report, released in June.(Worth Watching)
July 12, 2004... The nation's job market continues to be hot, as evidenced by the May employment report, released in June. Payrolls rose by 248,000 in May, their third consecutive big jump. The unemployment rate held at 5.6%. May was the third consecutive...

Contracting a matter of taste.(Services)
July 12, 2004... Larry Harris overhauled his facility's food service program after having an epiphany. The president of the Willowbrook Christian communities in central Ohio said all it took was a night out with his wife. "The restaurant we went to had a...

Bringing something special to the table.(Executive Decisions)
July 12, 2004... Q Do you believe facilities are paying more attention to service? A I think so, especially food service budgetary needs. The rising cost of beef and milk really challenge the kitchen operation. Costs go up, but the budget can't always...

Don't forget about uninvited guests.(LTCN Business)
July 12, 2004... Nursing homes are a complicated environment for pest control. On-site cafeterias, dining halls and food preparation areas attract pests constantly. But to ensure food safety and the health of the facility's residents, chemical pesticides often...

False marketing could cause headaches later.(Legal Matters)
July 12, 2004... Q There is a lot of talk about not "promising more than you can offer" with regard to marketing materials, or else you could be sued. I want to make my facility sound as attractive as possible and will, frankly, tout it to the best of my...

CMS expands interrupted stay, LTCH qualifications.(Regulations/Compliance)
July 12, 2004... Q Last month, CMS issued the final Long-Term Care Prospective Payment Rule for 2005. What does this mean for providers? A The final LTCH PPS, which included a 3.1% increase in 2005 payment rates starting July 1,2004, incorporated some...

Streamline MDS 'triple check' to avoid errors.(Payment Answers)
July 12, 2004... Q We hear that Section P errors are one of the top discrepancies Identified In DAVE reviews. What can we do to ensure our therapy minutes are correct on the MDS? A The first thing is to ensure that your therapy documentation system is...

Dismiss employees with respect and dignity.(Staffing Concerns)
July 12, 2004... Q I am faced with the difficult task of firing one of my employees, The difficulty is that while he should be terminated, I believe he will make a big deal out of it... get a lawyer, go to court, spread rumors, or who knows what. Any...

Prudence, planning keys to managing perishables.(P&L Journal)
July 12, 2004... Providers have long understood the financial pinch facing their residents. Regardless of whether the economy is in a boom or bust cycle, the combination of escalating costs and flat-to-declining income finds residents worried about making ends...

Bitter pill.(Business)
July 12, 2004... Between 2000 and 2003, drug costs for people 50 and older have risen nearly three times as fast as inflation. Cost of living 10.4% Drug costs 27.6% Source: AARP, 2004

Will mandated bar codes help control drug costs?(Managing Technology)
July 12, 2004... Bar codes have made their way into supermarkets and most other places where Americans shop. A new rule from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) may result in nursing homes using them to control drug costs. Earlier this year, the FDA...

Achieve Healthcare Technologies.(Corporate Profiles)
July 12, 2004... Achieve Healthcare Technologies is the largest privately held provider of information system products and services to the long term care industry. We serve clients across the United States and have long stood for higher quality and improved...

Accu-Med.(Corporate Profiles)
July 12, 2004... We read the news, too. More cuts are looming. Your business already feels the pinch. You don't need obstacles or instability from your software vendor. You need tools to help you deliver care efficiently. Tools to track your care for...

ADL Data Systems Inc.(Corporate Profiles)
July 12, 2004... Overview: ADL was founded in 1977 with a single mission: To design, develop, and support the best clinical and financial software available to the long-term care industry. Today, ADL is a leading provider to facilities and chains across the...

Advanced Answers on Demand Inc.(Corporate Profiles)
July 12, 2004... Overview: "AAOD" is fully integrated and seamless software, specifically designed to meet the needs and requirements of today's long-term healthcare industry. Over the past 10 years we have grown to become the leader in CCRC software in North...

American HealthTech Inc.(Corporate Profiles)
July 12, 2004... Overview: American HealthTech is the most reliable company in the long-term care industry, with 30-plus years of post-acute care software and technology solutions, nearly 3,000 customers nationwide and a proven record of customer loyalty. ...

American Data.(Corporate Profiles)
July 12, 2004... For 20 years American Data has been developing, marketing and supporting an EMR (Electronic Medical Record) for the long-term care industry, Focused on product and support rather than ad agency tactics to market their ECS--Electronic Chart...

e-Health Data Solutions, LLC.(Corporate Profiles)
July 12, 2004... CareWatch is our Internet-based Dashboard of MDS data (clinical and financial) from subscribing nursing homes that is an important link between quality and affordability. CareWatch gives you the ability to manage based on today's needs in...

Software Source 2004.
July 12, 2004... Software Source 2004 Advanced Accu-Med Achieve ADL Data Answers Services Healthcare Systems On Demand...

Health Care Software Inc.(Corporate Profiles)
July 12, 2004... About us: HCS was founded in 1969. HCS's product, INTERACTANT, is a fully integrated clinical and financial information system that supports skilled nursing, CCRC, subacute care and rehabilitation providers. About INTERACTANT: HCS...

Interactive Health Network.(Corporate Profiles)
July 12, 2004... Overview: Interactive Health Network (IHN) is a privately held business organized to provide a series of software solutions and services for long-term care. Our objective is to partner with our customers in their quest to efficiently manage...

HealthMEDX Inc.(Corporate Profiles)
July 12, 2004... HealthMEDX offers clinical and financial solutions to long term care providers. In the broadest sense, HealthMEDX's mission is to bring together people, processes and information with the goal of helping care organizations improve...

MDI Technologies Inc.(Corporate Profiles)
July 12, 2004... MDI Technologies, Inc. has been in the long-term care software industry since nursing homes first started using computers. In 1995, MDI introduced On-Line Advantage, the first fully integrated, Windows-based product in the long-term care...

Monette Information Systems.(Corporate Profiles)
July 12, 2004... Monette Information Systems has provided quality software solutions to the long-term care industry for over 25 years. Our flagship product, ULTRACare[R], is a comprehensive, census-driven financial and clinical software package installed in...

PointClickCare OnDemand clinical and financial software.(Corporate Profiles)
July 12, 2004... PointClickCare is the world's leading On Demand Long Term Care software. PointClickCare delivers all the functionality and benefits of a complete clinical and financial system without the frustration and expense of having to buy, install,...

OneTouch Technologies Corporation.(Corporate Profiles)
July 12, 2004... OneTouch Technologies was founded in 1999 to address the clinical documentation requirements and the operational procedures and processes of the post-acute care industry. OneTouch Technologies is a truly new brand of software solution company....

Prime Care Technologies.(Corporate Profiles)
July 12, 2004... Mission: Prime Care Technologies' mission is to increase customer revenues, help manage their costs, and streamline their operations through business process analysis and the application of appropriate technology. We are committed and dedicated...

QuickCARE Inc.(Corporate Profiles)
July 12, 2004... QuickCARE's integrated Clinical, Accounts Receivable, Billing, Accounts Payable, General Ledger and Payroll software suite provides complete solutions for the long-term care profession. Our goal is to increase our customer's productivity by...

Resource Systems.(Corporate Profiles)
July 12, 2004... Resource Systems is the developer of CareTracker, an innovative electronic documentation system for collecting all types of supportive documentation using touch screens and portable computers. CareTracker improves assessment accuracy...

AEGIS Therapies.(Product Focus)
July 12, 2004... AEGIS Therapies makes a significant difference in rehab outcomes and our ROM National Database proves just how dramatically your patients can progress. We've profiled more than 475,000 AEGIS patients and the average improvement was a full one...

EnduraCare.(Product Focus)
July 12, 2004... EnduraCare Therapy Management is the leading provider of on site speech therapy, occupational therapy and physical therapy services to hospitals, skilled nursing facilities and physician practices. We are a national company providing services...

Healthcare Services Group, Inc.(Product Focus)
July 12, 2004... We're the Largest provider of housekeeping and laundry services to the long-term care industry, servicing the healthcare/long-term care industries since 1977. All services are customized to your facility's specific needs and problem areas,...

Orkin Commercial Services.(Product Focus)
July 12, 2004... The presence of pests is unacceptable in a healthcare setting. Your patients are vulnerable. That's why long-term healthcare facilities across North America turn to Orkin Commercial Services for a customized Integrated Pest Management plan...

Allstate Brasilia rubber tile.(New Products)
July 12, 2004... * Rubber tile is antibacterial, resilient and generates no vibration * The slip-resistant tile is environmentally friendly * Made by Allstate Rubber Corp. Circle 165 on reader service card [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Warning tread.(New Products)
July 12, 2004... * Ideal for interior and exterior steps and landings in nursing homes * Tread increases safety on slippery surfaces * Plate comes pre-drilled and ready to attach * Produced by Sure Foot Corp. Circle 166 on reader service card...

Health Gards[R] toilet seat cleaner.(New Products)
July 12, 2004... * Alcohol-based cleaning solution with light scent * Packed in a 300 ml pouch for wall dispenser * Proprietary closed-pump system ensures accurate dosing without leaking * Made by Hospital Specialty Company Circle 167 on...

Maxwell Thomas furniture.(New Products)
July 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 168 on reader service...

The transcend series multi-purpose treatment chair.(New Products)
July 12, 2004... * Designed to meet patient handling,treatment and transport requirements * Comes with X-Ray, fluoroscopic-capable backrest * Holds 500 lbs and offers infinite positioning from chair to stretcher * Made by TransMotion Medical Inc....

12 handle transfer turner.(New Products)
July 12, 2004... * Relieves stress on caregivers who move patients * Has six handles on each side * Produced by Colonial Medical Assisted Devices Circle 170 on reader service card [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Ninjo infection-fighter.(New Products)
July 12, 2004... * Thermal flusher disinfector designed for bedpans, urinals and commodes * Empties, flushes, cleans and disinfects--so you don't have to * Developed based upon the ISO 15883 disinfector guidelines * Made by Arjo Circle 171 on...

Vertechs luminaire.(New Products)
July 12, 2004... * Uptight and downlight optics make the series versatile for indoor spaces * Comes with eight adjustable settings and lamp isolators * Easily installed continuously or mounted individually * Produced by Cooper lighting Circle...

Sharpsmart reusable products.(New Products)
July 12, 2004... * Sharpsmart containers are constructed from rigid puncture-resistant plastic * Offers leakproof seal, clear-view window and overfill protection * Made by Daniels Corporation Circle 173 on reader service card [ILLUSTRATION...