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

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

States spend more for SNF care.
June 14, 2004... Though states cut costs last year, and revenues and reserves rose for the first time in three years, the states surprisingly also spent more money on Medicaid--and, more specifically, on nursing homes. As the demographics shift to an aging...

The American Health Care Association.(Late Breaking News)
June 14, 2004... The American Health Care Association announced May 18 that Harold J. "Hal" Daub Jr. will succeed Dr. Charles Roadman II as the group's president and CEO. Daub, a former U.S. Representative from Nebraska and mayor of Omaha, is currently a...

NeighborCare's board unanimously rejected another hostile $1.5 billion takeover bid from rival Omnicare, Inc.(Late Breaking News)
June 14, 2004... NeighborCare's board unanimously rejected another hostile $1.5 billion takeover bid from rival Omnicare, Inc, citing the deal as "blatantly opportunistic." NeighborCare compared the May 24 offer to a previous proposal by Omnicare that the board...

Noting a strong shift, community-based spending by state governments on long-term care now accounts for 30% of total Medicaid long-term care spending.(Late Breaking News)
June 14, 2004... Noting a strong shift, community-based spending by state governments on long-term care now accounts for 30% of total Medicaid long-term care spending, up from 15% in 1992, according to a report released by Health Strategies Consultancy.

Medicaid payments to nursing homes in Oklahoma would rise under a bill passed unanimously by the state senate and supported by providers--if the facilities use additional funds for staffing.(Late Breaking News)
June 14, 2004... Medicaid payments to nursing homes in Oklahoma would rise under a bill passed unanimously by the state senate and supported by providers--if the facilities use additional funds for staffing. Facilities that put a higher percentage of their...

Three-fourths of study respondents said they would accept a shorter life.(Late Breaking News)
June 14, 2004... Three-fourths of study respondents said they would accept a shorter life, seven months on average, for better quality in the final months, according to researchers at the University of Pittsburgh.

Databank ... citations.
June 14, 2004... On average facilities received 5.87 citations from state inspectors during the fourth quarter. Facilities that were: Substantially compliant 15,443 (95%) Deficiency free 1,908 (12%) In immediate...

Medicaid cuts pulled, vote delayed.
June 14, 2004... House and Senate budget conferees came one step closer to finalizing the fiscal year 2005 budget without potential Medicaid cuts of up to $2.2 billion over five years, much to the relief of providers. Providers weren't out of the woods as...

Hard data.
June 14, 2004... 3.1 Millions of foreign-born people age 65 and over In the United States according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Almost two-thirds have lived in this country for more than 30 years and 70% are naturalized citizens, nearly twice the proportion of...

Feeding assistants hired despite legal challenge.(Staffing)
June 14, 2004... Skilled nursing providers continue to hire feeding assistants despite a pending investigation requested by two congressional leaders and a consumer advocacy group's legal challenge. A rule issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid...

Residents to miss typical drug card benefit.(Pharmacy)
June 14, 2004... Nursing home residents generally won't see prescription drug savings under the new Medicare discount drug cards, which were to become effective June 1. The prescription drug needs of nursing home residents are so specialized, Congress and...

The Republican-led House passed a medical liability reform bill.(Legislative update)
June 14, 2004... The Republican-led House passed a medical liability reform bill, setting the stage for what could be a fourth rejection this Congress by their Senate counterparts. Three times already Senate Democrats have thwarted attempts to bring a companion...

In the final "75% rule" published May 7 by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.(Regulatory update)
June 14, 2004... In the final "75% rule" published May 7 by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the agency eliminated polyarthritis from a list of 10 qualifying patient conditions and added four other arthritis-related conditions and post-surgical...

Facility operators are saying that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services overstepped its authority when it announced a proposal in May that says long-term care hospitals located within another would not be able to accept more than 25% of its patients from its bigger host.(Regulatory update)
June 14, 2004... Facility operators are saying that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services overstepped its authority when it announced a proposal in May that says long-term Care hospitals located within another would not be able to accept more than 25% of...

Seeking powerful numbers: the direct return on investment for strength training may be hard to pinpoint, but it's not hard to see, say insiders.
June 14, 2004... By every thread of logic, the use of strength-building equipment in long-term care facilities seems to be a good business investment for facility operators, most observers agree. But there is something else they agree on: They wish there...

Dementia burden, job satisfaction, calories.(Nursing News)
June 14, 2004... Caregivers rate patients with mild to moderately severe dementia with a lower quality of life than the patients rate themselves, according to a study released by the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. Caregivers who felt a high...

Pennsylvania nurses satisfied, state says.(Nursing News)
June 14, 2004... About 8 in 10 registered nurses in Pennsylvania are satisfied with their jobs and careers, according to a survey by the Pennsylvania Health Department. This is the first time in more than two decades that the state has had comprehensive data on...

Weight lifting may treat depression.(Nursing News)
June 14, 2004... Depressed seniors can raise their spirits by lifting weights, said Dr. Nalin Singh, a geriatrician at Sydney's Royal Prince Alfred Hospital at the Australian Association of Exercise and Sports Science conference. Singh said treating 1,000 older...

Democrat introduces staffing ratio bill.(Nursing News)
June 14, 2004... Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) introduced a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives, in conjunction with National Nurse's Day, that would mandate specific nurse-to-patient ratios in hospitals by 2007. Hospital costs incurred because of the new...

Lower calories reduce risk of diabetes.(Nursing News)
June 14, 2004... People who severely restrict their caloric intake dramatically reduce their risk of developing diabetes or clogged arteries, the precursor for a heart attack or stroke, according to a study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of...

Research: insomnia drug works for seniors.(Pharmacy News)
June 14, 2004... A trial drug, a derivative of an older medicine, has been found to work well on seniors who have difficulty sleeping, according to researchers. In addition to creating more sleep at night, the pill led to healthier, sounder sleep at night and...

Lawmakers want drug-reuse program permanent.(Pharmacy News)
June 14, 2004... The Oklahoma House passed a bill that would make permanent a pilot program whereby nursing homes may send unused prescription drugs to pharmacies at the Oklahoma City and Tulsa city health departments, according to reports. The bill would...

Experts agree providers should wait on new ABN form.(News)
June 14, 2004... Though confusion still surrounds the Skilled Nursing Facility Advanced Beneficiary Notice, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services says it is on track to have it finalized by Oct. 1. "If things go well," the official said. "I would be...

McKnight's captures record number of editorial honors.(News)
June 14, 2004... The editorial staff of McKnight's Long-Term Care News was recently honored with four national awards for excellence by a premier journalism association. The four 2003 awards from the American Society of Healthcare Publication Editors lifts the...

Market monitor.(News)
June 14, 2004... MARKET MONITOR Occupancy Percentage Rates 2000 2001 2002 United States 82.44 82.53 82.45 Alabama 91.45 91.24 90.26 Alaska 72.47 ...

The wheel deal: long-term care facilities need to hit the books before they hit the road in a new minibus or van.(Special Report)
June 14, 2004... David McKenzie doesn't quite take it to Dr. Seuss levels when he quantifies the ways he likes his nursing home's minibus. There is no "One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish" chant. But there is no question that fish have something to do...

Sun Healthcare reported a first-quarter loss of $10.4 million.
June 14, 2004... Sun Healthcare reported a first-quarter loss of $10.4 million, compared with a loss of $13.3 million in the year ago quarter, mostly due to restructuring costs. The Irvine, CA-based company forecasts a $3 million to $5 million loss for 2004.

Beverley Enterprises reported first quarter earnings of $23.4 million.
June 14, 2004... Beverley Enterprises reported first quarter earnings of $23.4 million, compared with $12.2 million the year earlier, killing Wall Street estimates. The company saw its revenues jump 10.7%, to $527.4 million, mostly due to higher per diem rates,...

Kindred Healthcare reported a first-quarter profit of $13.8 million.
June 14, 2004... Kindred Healthcare reported a first-quarter profit of $13.8 million, compared with a $13.1 million loss a year ago. First quarter revenues rose 9%, to $871 million.

National HealthCare Corp.
June 14, 2004... National HealthCare Corp. earnings rose 15% in the first quarter to $3.9 million, compared with $3.4 million in the year ago quarter. The Murfreesboro, TN-based nursing home company reported quarterly revenues of $120 million, compared with...

Nursing-home operator Extendicare Inc. nearly doubled its first-quarter profits to $28.3 million (Canadian).
June 14, 2004... Nursing-home operator Extendicare Inc. nearly doubled its first-quarter profits to $28.3 million (Canadian), compared with $17.8 million (Canadian) a year ago, mostly due to a strong performance by its Milwaukee-based U.S. subsidiary.

Advocat Inc. reported first-quarter earnings of $4.6 million.
June 14, 2004... Advocat Inc. reported first-quarter earnings of $4.6 million, compared with a loss of $3.1 million in the year ago quarter.

Beverly Enterprises plans to aggressively export therapy services.(Worth Watching)
June 14, 2004... Beverly Enterprises plans to aggressively export therapy services through its Aegis Therapies subsidiary, according to Bill Floyd, the company's chairman and CEO. External revenues for Aegis grew by 70% in the first quarter.

Medicare dollars were a bigger part of Manor Care's mix of first-quarter revenues.(Worth Watching)
June 14, 2004... Medicare dollars were a bigger part of Manor Care's mix of first-quarter revenues, thanks to rate increases from October and growth in Medicare patient numbers. Medicare revenue was 37% of the total, up from 32% percent a year ago. Net income...

Mariner Health Care continued to improve its higher acuity patient mix during the first quarter.(Worth Watching)
June 14, 2004... Mariner Health Care continued to improve its higher acuity patient mix during the first quarter. Partly as a result, the company's profit was up 121% to $6.2 million. "Profitability of both our skilled nursing facility and long-term acute care...

Lenders show more interest.(Finance)
June 14, 2004... When cash flow runs low and government payments are late at nursing homes, there are options to re-ignite the business. Nursing homes that face a tight regulatory climate, cyclical reimbursements and thin margins need to stay apprised of these...

Profitable growth focus pays off for Beverly.(Executive Decisions)
June 14, 2004... Q Beverly started 2004 with a promising first quarter. Earnings before Interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) increased to 9% and your three principal business units were well ahead of last year. How do you account for the...

Providers hiring themselves must limit costs.(Legal Matters)
June 14, 2004... Q The owner of our facility apparently is starting a sub-company to take care of housekeeping and/or food services. Isn't there a danger in subcontracting or referring business to "yourself," so to speak? A There is nothing inherently...

CMS expands criteria for final '75% rule'.(Regulations/Compliance)
June 14, 2004... Q How does the final "75% rule" the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently issued differ from the proposed rule, and what does this mean for providers? A The long awaited so-called 75 % rule for inpatient rehabilitation...

How to honor all employees at functions.(Staffing Concerns)
June 14, 2004... Q We'd like to do something for the staff, but being a 24-hour operation, it seems impossible to be fair about organizing even a company picnic. How do you throw a party, have a nice "recognition" gathering, etc. so EVERYBODY can come and...

Cognition coding a key to bigger payday.(Payment Answers)
June 14, 2004... Q How important is cognition coding to reimbursement? A Correct coding of cognition makes the difference between SE1 and SE2 or between SE2 and SE3.This is a difference of $28 to $41 per day reimbursement for Medicare. It can also impact...

Current environment requires new capital strategy.(P&L Journal)
June 14, 2004... Struggling with whether and how to seek capital? You are hardly alone. It seems that the bond markets have become more volatile lately, leaving fixed income borrowers and investors to grapple with the current economic environment and its effect...

LTC getting better connected through Internet.(Managing Technology)
June 14, 2004... It's 10 a.m. on a Monday morning at the Country Meadows Retirement Center in Hershey, PA. And many residents are discovering the joys of being Web-enabled. Bill Hoos is sending an e-mail to his son-in-law, a Marine Corps officer stationed...

Point of sale dining solution.(New Products)
June 14, 2004... * Designed for resident dining, cafes, gift shops and employee cafeterias * Integrated to AAOD ELITE, meal processing, first or third-party billing or resident billing * Produced by Advanced Answers on Demand, Inc. Circle 164 on...

IPU'S new value line products.(New Products)
June 14, 2004... * Full range of PVC equipment at economical prices * Shower chairs, linen hampers, walkers, gurneys and bariatric products * Innovative Products Unlimited sells though a network of medical supply dealers Circle 165 on reader...

Clickeze safely loading unit.(New Products)
June 14, 2004... * Eliminates need for ladders or step stools to take down cubicle curtains * Twist wand system unlocks and comes down easily * Reduces potential injury, saves time and improves housecleaning efficiency * Made by InPro Corporation...

New features for watchmate.(New Products)
June 14, 2004... * Alarm window displays resident's image for rapid identification * Offers central control of all door monitors * Has powerful reporting options to document wander incidents and staff response * Produced by Xmark Corporaton ...

Carino height adjustable hygiene chair.(New Products)
June 14, 2004... * Patented arch-shaped design gives caregiver easy access to resident * Provides comfort, security and support for the resident * Comes with foot, leg and arm rests * Produced by Arjo Circle 168 on reader service card New...

Covenant Care Inc. says it will use a new $40 million senior credit facility.(Supplier Notes)
June 14, 2004... Covenant Care Inc. says it will use a new $40 million senior credit facility to pay off existing bank debt, finance possible acquisitions in the skilled nursing and assisted living facility markets and generally expand services. Its new funding...

Wescom Solutions announced recently that Ontario Community Care Access Centres (CCAC) have selected the company's Web-based RAI-HC for province-wide implementation in Canada.(Supplier Notes)
June 14, 2004... Wescom Solutions announced recently that Ontario Community Care Access Centres (CCAC) have selected the company's Web-based RAI-HC for province-wide implementation in Canada. Wescom officials touted it as one of the biggest MDS implementations...

Waterloo Wally.(New Products)
June 14, 2004... * Designed for safe, secure, hands-free disposal of medical waste * Measures 8.25" by 8" by 14" with a lid that opens with the touch of a knee * Can be mounted on a wall or medical cart * Made by Waterloo Healthcare Circle 169...

Viking series mobile lifts.(New Products)
June 14, 2004... * Light in weight, with strong lifting capacity * Comes with user-friendly hand controls, large wheels and built-in battery charger * Four separate models available: Small, Medium, Large and Extra-Large * Made by Liko Circle...

Accident/incident reporting.(New Products)
June 14, 2004... * Answers who, what, when, where and why of an accident investigation * Users chart pain and injury on system * State-specific parameters ensure facility meets state requirements * New feature added by ADL Data Systems, Inc. ...

Attendant[TM] bed and chair alarm with nurse call.(New Products)
June 14, 2004... * When the magnet is displaced, the alarm sounds * Includes a nurse call jack to alert you immediately when a resident needs assistance * Comes with a high/low volume switch and low battery indicator * Offered by Direct Supply ...

Understanding Long Term Care Insurance.(Resources)
June 14, 2004... The American Health Care Association and the National Center For Assisted Living are giving away free pocket-sized 16-page booklets called "Understanding Long Term Care Insurance." It's part of their Consumer's Guide series. The booklet is a...

Nobody's Home: Candid Reflections of a Nursing Home Aide.(Resources)
June 14, 2004... A certified nursing aid who worked for a for-profit nursing home for three years has written a candid ethnography detailing his experiences and reflections in "Nobody's Home: Candid Reflections of a Nursing Home Aide." Cornell University Press...

Vital Connections in Long-Term Care: Spiritual Resources for Staff and Residents.(Resources)
June 14, 2004... A new book delves into reasons for integrating spiritual care with daily care for seniors. "Vital Connections in Long-Term Care: Spiritual Resources for Staff and Residents," by Julie Barton, Marita Grudzen and Ron Zielske, discusses how to...

Links to exercises and information on strength training.(Resources)
June 14, 2004... The majority of American seniors do not engage in strength training, according to a report put out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The report has links to exercises and information on strength training. Go to:...

A guidebook for assessing and documenting the 24 quality indicators.(Resources)
June 14, 2004... Julia Hopp has written a guidebook for assessing and documenting the 24 quality indicators to improve patient care in nursing homes: "Quality Indicators: A Practical Guide to Assessment and Documentation." Hopp details how indicators relate to...

Depicting the health disparities amongst racial and ethnic minorities.(Resources)
June 14, 2004... A book depicting the health disparities amongst racial and ethnic minorities has been published by the Gerontological Society of America. "Closing the Gap: Improving the Health of Minority Elders in the New Millennium," edited by Keith E....

Hospice and palliative care organizations have joined a consortium.(Resources)
June 14, 2004... Major U.S. hospice and palliative care organizations have joined a consortium and developed the first national clinical practice guidelines for quality palliative care at www.nationalconsensusproject.org. The site includes complete guidelines,...

Worth repeating.(People & Opinions)
June 14, 2004... "Long-term care is the ultimate team sport. It only works when everyone pitches in and gives a full effort." James Lett, MD, medical director at three facilities of the Sacramento, CA-based Sutter Medical Group, commenting on cooperation...

'Be proud and have courage'.(Q & A)
June 14, 2004... After undergoing knee surgery to treat an old gymnastics injury and wrapping up other affairs this summer, Charles Roadman II plans to retire to San Antonio, TX, to be closer to his two sons and other family members. "I've been away from home...

Politics in the air.(Commentary)
June 14, 2004... One of the most candid remarks I ever heard from Chip Roadman--and there have been plenty--came during an interview with him nearly two years ago. I had asked him what he wished he had known better before becoming the head of the nation's...

Holiday Inn column a bad joke.(Readers' Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
June 14, 2004... Mr. Crim's suggestion that a Holiday Inn would be e better place for a sick elderly person than a typical nursing home might be humorous, if it weren't so uninformed ("This long term care option is a no-brainer," April 12,2004, p. 38). I am...

Caring staff overlooked.(Readers' Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
June 14, 2004... Dear Mr. Crim: As the Administrator of a 100-bed skilled nursing facility located in New York, I took great offense to your article suggesting seniors check into a hotel instead of a nursing home to save money. Have you ever been inside a...

No place like Nome: the sole nursing home in isolated Nome, AK, has tremendous support from native families, and draws staff from the 'Lower 48'.(LTCN profile)
June 14, 2004... When the lone nursing home in Nome, Alaska, gets low on fresh meat--caribou, seal, salmon, moose, and muktuk (whale blubber)--director Gwendolyn Minners alerts the native Alaskan families, who kill the game and haul it in. The elderly...

Chairman and CEO: a job for one or two? More companies are opting to divide the two positions. But is the shift good for business?(Parting Shots)
June 14, 2004... At most large nursing home chains, the chairman also is the chief executive officer. And that's hardly unusual. In fact, the same person holds both posts at most American companies--377 of the corporations in the Standard & Poor's 500...