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

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

Study: public wants more for seniors.
October 4, 2004... As many as 67% of Americans believe the healthcare needs of elderly are not being met and 59% said the needs of children are not met, according to a recent public survey. The study commissioned by the Nemours Foundation also found that 90%...

The two major nursing home.(Late Breaking News)
October 4, 2004... * The two major nursing home associations sent out appeals for donations and other terms of relief for members in the Southeastern states damaged by a trio of hurricanes. Dozens of facilities wore damaged, thousands of residents were at least...

Medicare will pay for specialized PET.(Late Breaking News)
October 4, 2004... * Medicare will pay for specialized PET (positron emission tomography) brain scans in patients with atypical symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, according to a new Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services decision.

The 14th quality care case.(Late Breaking News)
October 4, 2004... * The 14th quality care case within the past eight years to he contended in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania wrapped up with another facility settling with the federal government, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Green Acres...

In what some have billed as the first nursing-home program.(Late Breaking News)
October 4, 2004... * In what some have billed as the first nursing-home program of its kind, two Kentucky organizations have teamed up to train facility workers how to identify and deal with sexual assault in facilities. About one in every 100 complaints involves...

Workers at seven nursing.(Late Breaking News)
October 4, 2004... * Workers at seven nursing homes run by HealthBridge Management Inc. of Hackensack, N.J. were threatening to strike on Sept. 29 unless state officials took over the facilities.

Databank ... funding cut off.
October 4, 2004... DATABANK... FUNDING CUT OFF. The number of facilities involuntarily terminated from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services reimbursement since Jan. 1, 1999. For-profit 143 Nonprofit 18 Government 6 ...

Don't delay therapy rules, SNFs argue.
October 4, 2004... Nursing homes and rehabilitation hospitals are squaring off over new therapy requirements. Nursing home advocates want the more stringent rules put in place, claiming they will cut government costs by more than $1 million each day. The...

Hard data.(News)
October 4, 2004... 1.3 Billions of medications prescribed, ordered or administered in 2002, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 11.2 Average percentage that employer-sponsored health Insurance rates rose in 2004, according to a study...

Providers challenged to rally on abuse, neglect issues.(Regulatory)
October 4, 2004... Long-term care professionals have made solid progress toward reducing elder abuse and neglect in skilled nursing facilities, but more needs to be done on both the prevention and perception fronts, industry advocates say. While widespread...

Mental test proposed for some facility voters.(Legal)
October 4, 2004... Nursing home operators should take special note of the election process as legal policy and medicine experts are recommending more oversight of the votes cast by residents of nursing homes and other long-term-care facilities. As many as 23...

The House of Representatives voted.(Legislative)
October 4, 2004... * The House of Representatives voted 223 to 193 on Sept. 9 to block rules that would exempt from overtime eligibility nurses and other workers who earn more than $23,660 annually. Under the new rules, workers who earn less than the $23,660...

To avert a recently announced 17.4%.(Legislative)
October 4, 2004... * To avert a recently announced 17.4% increase in Medicare Part B premiums, a group of Democratic senators introduced a bill that would hold next year's hike to the rate of inflation. The Bush administration is in favor of the announced hike....

The Bush administration, over the objections of some drug companies.(Regulatory)
October 4, 2004... * The Bush administration, over the objections of some drug companies, unveiled a new feature of a federal Web site. It compares prices for similar brand name drugs that can be used to treat conditions like high blood pressure, high...

When disaster blows in: a trio of hurricanes tests the mettle of Southeastern providers while giving providers nationwide reason to re-examine their own emergency preparedness plans.(Cover Story)
October 4, 2004... Disaster plans at the ready and well-rehearsed, long-term care facilities in the path of recent hurricanes in Florida prepared for the worst and sometimes found themselves reacting to yet totally different realities under unique circumstances....

Case could put the survey/certification system on trial.(Regulatory)
October 4, 2004... Brook Chambery feels he may finally get his day in court. And that, he thinks, could be a good thing for nursing home operators around the country. Particularly for those who feel the process for appealing alleged deficiencies is flawed. ...

CMS to get tough on incontinence management programs.(Regulatory)
October 4, 2004... Long-term care providers that lack well constructed and well implemented incontinence management programs could soon face tougher penalties under updated guidelines from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Although specific...

New Mexico: undercover investigators study nursing homes.(Southwest)
October 4, 2004... Employing a new method of reviewing questionable nursing homes, the state of New Mexico recently began training investigators to pose as a new residents in long-term care facilities and give a firsthand account of their treatment, according to...

Oregon: program tries to improve care for elderly patients.(West)
October 4, 2004... An Oregon program designed to improve medical care for elderly patients has also helped caregivers clarify what patients' meaning of "do not resuscitate" may be, according to researchers at Oregon Health & Science University. "'Do not...

California: requirement for interpreter unjust--lawsuit.(West)
October 4, 2004... Nursing homes and other healthcare providers will no longer have to provide language interpretation services for non-English speaking patients if a lawsuit filed last month succeeds. Pacific Legal Foundation (PLF) filed a lawsuit in San...

California: nursing home workers win battle to unionize.(West)
October 4, 2004... A two-year battle to unionize a California nursing home ended last month in a victory for the Service Employees International Union. The National Labor Relations Board upheld a May 2002 vote by Sonoma Health Care Center workers to join SEIU...

Idaho: $13 million needed to continue funding Medicaid.(Plains/Mountains)
October 4, 2004... Idaho state officials at the Department of Health and Welfare said an additional $13 million might be needed to fund the state's Medicaid program through June 30, 2005, because of higher than expected use of services this fiscal year. The...

Georgia: governor asks for cuts in Medicaid budget.(Southeast)
October 4, 2004... Gov. Sonny Perdue (R) has asked all state agencies, including the Department of Community Health, which runs the state-federal Medicaid program, to trim their budgets for fiscal year 2006 budget. Perdue asked department heads to prepare...

Arkansas: Advocat reaches $1.3 million settlement with state.(Southeast)
October 4, 2004... Advocat Inc. reached a $1.3 million agreement with the State of Arkansas to settle all civil claims resulting from charges of resident abuse and neglect filed against the Franklin, TN-based company. With the lawsuits, the state originally...

New Hampshire: state plans overhaul of Medicaid program.(Northeast)
October 4, 2004... After numerous public forums with the state's healthcare leaders, New Hampshire slate officials last month were close to releasing a draft plan of their Medicaid reform effort. Although the specifics of the plan had not yet been laid out at...

New Jersey: judge dismisses lawsuits in killer-nurse cases.(Northeast)
October 4, 2004... A New Jersey state judge has dismissed lawsuits against a nursing home and three hospitals that had employed a former nurse who has admitted to killing as many as 40 patients. The lawsuits were dismissed in September because the...

Mississippi: CMS approves Medicaid waiver: Gov. Haley Barbour (R) announced Sept. 9 that the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services approved a Medicaid waiver that will allow at least 17,000 people threatened with removal to remain in the Medicaid program.(Southeast)
October 4, 2004... The waiver approval comes as the state remains under significant criticism for eliminating coverage for more than 60,000 low-income retirees and people who are permanently disabled, a group known as Poverty Level Aged and Disabled, or PLAD. A...

Rhode Island: state nursing homes deficient--monthly report.(Northeast)
October 4, 2004... The Rhode Island Health Department found that of the 11 nursing homes listed in its first monthly quality of care report, all were cited with deficiencies. Lt. Gov. Charles Fogarty instigated the monthly reports after Hillside Health...

Wisconsin: nursing home to be focus of PBS documentary.(Midwest)
October 4, 2004... A documentary intended for national broadcast on PBS in fall 2005 will examine a full year in the lives of the residents, staff and administrators at Saint John's on the Lake, a Milwaukee nursing home. The documentary, titled "Almost...

Higher flu rate, antibiotic dangers, pill practice.(Nursing News)
October 4, 2004... The number of hospitalizations from the flu has risen to an average of more than 200,000 per year, almost double previous estimates, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. People 85 and older are hospitalized because of...

Teachers in low supply, extend nursing shortages.(Nursing News)
October 4, 2004... A shortage of qualified personnel to instruct and train nurses is keeping enrollment at nursing schools low, exacerbating the nursing shortage gripping long-term care and other healthcare providers around the country. The number nurses...

Feds give cash for workplace safety.(Nursing News)
October 4, 2004... The Department of Labor pledged hundreds of thousands of dollars to various researchers to improve workplace safety in long-term care settings. Included in the grants was $183,000 to Rutgers University to develop and implement...

Common antibiotic may raise heart attack risk.(Pharmacy News)
October 4, 2004... Erythromycin, a common antibiotic prescribed for many conditions over the last 50 years, significantly increases the risk of heart attack, particularly when combined with some newer, popular drugs, according to a new study. Wayne A. Ray, a...

Study: splitting pills a dangerous practice.(Pharmacy News)
October 4, 2004... Cutting pills in half can lead to an improper dosage of a prescription drug, according to a Rutgers State University study published in the September/October Journal of the American Pharmacist Association. The researchers split 45 tablets...

Court: whistleblower rules don't apply to contractor.(Legal)
October 4, 2004... Do whistleblower protections apply if a company does not renew the contract of a nonconforming medical director? Not according to a recent ruling by the Tennessee Court of Appeals. The verdict stems from a lawsuit filed by Larry Howard, a...

Effective management begins with cultural awareness.(Workforce)
October 4, 2004... Last year, Kathy Anderson, president and CEO of Goodwin House Inc., went to shake hands with one of her employees, after he had been recognized for his outstanding service to the organization. But the man pulled his hand back, refusing to...

LTC nursing workforce to make staffing recommendations.(Staffing)
October 4, 2004... Representatives from long-term care organizations, the nursing industry, community colleges, labor unions and other organizations are fine-tuning staffing recommendations that will be made to Congress in the coming months. The American...

White House Conference on Aging putting itself 'on guard'.(Policy)
October 4, 2004... "Some call them a tsunami." Or, as Dr. Dorcas Hardy concedes, many simply call them baby boomers. There are 78 million of them, and they re on the brink of turning 65. Long-term care providers, policymakers and consumer advocates are now...

Resident acuity levels renew interest in fall rates, prevention.(Patient Care)
October 4, 2004... An aging population, which is bringing more acute healthcare problems with it each day, has led to renewed and more powerful emphasis on the topic of falls among nursing home caregivers. "All things being constant, we'd expect to see a...

Seeking mass appeal: although CCRCs with all the bells and whistles continue to spring up, less expensive living options are also finding their way onto the menu.(Marketplace)
October 4, 2004... As the concept of continuing care grows increasingly popular, providers are looking to position themselves in a broader but more segmented marketplace. While demand for amenities and luxuries continues to rise, there is also a push to make...

SNF operators getting more precise market intelligence.(Marketplace)
October 4, 2004... Making consequential business decisions based on guesswork is a risky proposition that even the boldest speculators try to avoid. Yet, this seems to have been the typical approach when it comes to analyzing potential new markets in the...

Most profitable seniors housing, care providers share trails.(Analysis)
October 4, 2004... Profitability in seniors housing and care properties is a somewhat mysterious subject, especially in the assisted living segment, where the median occupancy rate has been stuck in the 84% to 85% range since 2000. To shed light upon this...

Extendicare Inc.'s Health Services.(Earnings)
October 4, 2004... * Extendicare Inc.'s Health Services unit will record a third-quarter revenue boost of $4.5 million because of a retroactive Medicaid rate increase, the company announced. The governor of Pennsylvania approved the rate increase retroactive...

Extendicare also is selling its only nursing home in British Columbia.(Sales)
October 4, 2004... * Extendicare also is selling its only nursing home in British Columbia and closed the sale on its Arkansas operations, due to difficult market conditions and insignificant earnings performance. The sale price of the 75-bed nursing facility in...

Kindred Healthcare.(Market change)
October 4, 2004... Kindred Healthcare announced Sept. 14 that it would switch from listing its shares with the Nasdaq Stock Market to the New York Stock Exchange on Oct. 28. Its listings will appear under the ticker symbol "KND."

Employer-sponsored health.(Worth Watching)
October 4, 2004... * Employer-sponsored health insurance premiums increased an average of 11.2% in 2004--the fourth straight year of double-digit increases, according to a survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation and Health Research and Educational Trust. This...

The federal budget deficit will reach $422 billion.(Worth Watching)
October 4, 2004... * The federal budget deficit will reach $422 billion, or 3.6% of gross domestic product, in fiscal year 2004 and is expected to rise to $2.3 trillion over the next 10 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office, The report blames the...

Bathing flaws get cleaned up.(Resident Care)
October 4, 2004... Long-term care providers have often felt their budgets were at risk if they wanted to explore innovative skin-care regimens. But not only do some of the latest skin care products and techniques promise better outcomes, including more...

More than enough assets to solve LTC financing.(Executive Decisions)
October 4, 2004... Q How did the nation's long-term care system get so tangled up in your opinion? A Long-term care today is plagued by bankruptcies, inadequate revenue, a dearth of capital, staff shortages, access and quality problems, huge tort liability,...

Market monitor.(Business)
October 4, 2004... Beds by type of certification * Medicare Medicaid Dually Total only only certified beds United States 60,896 454,837 1,188,054 1,768,686...

Make arbitration pacts valid the right way.(Legal Matters)
October 4, 2004... Q What decisions do we need to make before trying to make mandatory arbitration agreements part of our admission contracts? A To avoid the unpredictability of jury trials in malpractice and negligence actions and reduce liability exposure,...

Regulators may ease up--after a natural disaster.(Regulations/Compliance)
October 4, 2004... Q What happens to regulatory burdens when events out of our control--such as a severe weather event--make our Jobs harder? A In the wake of hurricanes Charley and Frances, many long-term care facilities struggled to assess damage and...

To best manage RUGs III, study, investigate.(Payment Answers)
October 4, 2004... Q Can you give us more specific information on RUGs III Management? A Management of RUGs means knowing your RUGs distribution and identifying what your reformation is telling you. Your accounting system needs to be set up to track your...

Find employees' personal motivations, address them.(Staffing Concerns)
October 4, 2004... Q Other than raising salaries or giving money, what's your favorite way of rewarding nursing home employees--so they'll really appreciate It? A Appreciation is in the eye of the beholder. By that mean each person will determine how he or...

The 'right mix' is a moving target across property types.(P&L Journal)
October 4, 2004... What's the "right" number of independent living units for a CCRC? The right number of beds in a skilled nursing facility? The best number of assisted living units? A key element in managing a senior living organization effectively and...

Ready to get rid of those old PCs? Not so fast.(Managing Technology)
October 4, 2004... If you think buying a new computer is hard, just try getting rid of an old one. Privacy issues, environmental concerns, rapid depreciation and other hurdles can quickly get in the way. One facet of computer disposition that shouldn't be...

Software acquisitions still tripping up many providers.(Purchasing)
October 4, 2004... Although nursing homes and other long-term care facilities are in a very hands-on business of taking care of people, the business simply wouldn't "go" today without proper software and information technology acquisitions. In fact, despite...

Expert: look at software transactions from the inside out.(Purchasing)
October 4, 2004... In any transaction, the buyer must make sure she or he gets what is needed, fair and proper. But the buyer also has an obligation to help vendors make a potential deal run as smoothly as possible. To that end, many providers are not always...

AAHSA annual meeting in Nashville has broad appeal.(Business)
October 4, 2004... More than 200 educational group sessions, dozens of networking opportunities and the largest exposition in the aging services field await long-term care professionals at the annual meeting of the American Association of Homes and Services for...

Antron.(Business)
October 4, 2004... Antron[R] carpet fiber became the first and only carpet fiber to receive Environmentally Preferable Product certification by Scientific Certification Systems in 2002. The legacy continues as Antron[R] is the first to receive re-certification....

RF Technologies.(Business)
October 4, 2004... Code Alert, manufactured by RF Technologies, offers a range of safety solutions for residents in long term care and independent and assisted living environments. These resident monitoring and nurse call systems can be used independently or...

Bridge Healthcare Finance, LLC.(Business)
October 4, 2004... Bridge Healthcare Finance, LLC, was founded to "bridge" the financial gap for healthcare, providers that experience difficulty qualifying for loans from established financial institutions. For these small to mid-sized healthcare providers, BHF...

Invacare.(Business)
October 4, 2004... At this year's AHCA and AAHSA shows, Invacare is proud to introduce Carroll Healthcare as a member of the Invacare Corporation. Carroll Healthcare is a leading manufacturer of electric low beds and resident room furnishings for nursing...

Donovan Industries.(Business)
October 4, 2004... The DawnMist Adult Washcloth is the "new standard" among adult washcloths. These large (8" x 12"), hypoallergenic, and alcohol free washcloths help moisturize as they clean. Each washcloth contains aloe, lanolin, and a clean fresh scent that...

Onetouch Technologies System.(Business)
October 4, 2004... The OneTouch Technologies System is the only complete electronic medical record system for long term care and is setting the standard for clinical software in long-term care. The One I ouch System is the complete clinical software solution...

Kindred Pharmacy Services.(Business)
October 4, 2004... Kindred Pharmacy Services strives to provide value and quality to our residents every day, as we have for over 30 years. KPS provides pharmacy, clinical support and infusion therapy services across the continuum of long-term care. We are...

Polaris Group.(Business)
October 4, 2004... Polaris Group, a full-service consulting firm, illuminates the way by providing post acute healthcare providers with clinical, operational, financial and compliance solutions to the problems and challenges presented by today's long term care...

Space tables.(Business)
October 4, 2004... Transportable, tiltable, height adjustable tables for dining to meet the needs of all residents. Available in many sizes, shapes and color combinations. As your census changes, you needn't disrupt the seating of other residents. Will...

Briggs.(Business)
October 4, 2004... Briggs' MDS Guru[TM] is a Web-based MDS training and reference product--and now offers 19.6 CE credits. Train your staff and keep MDS information organized and easily referenced. Use it to find information in the MDS User's Manual,...

HCS Interactant.(Business)
October 4, 2004... HCS Interactant is a fully integrated clinical and financial information system supporting the full continuum of post-acute care. HCS supports regulatory billing and clinical documentation requirements, including HIPAA and PPS. Please visit us...

Monette.(Business)
October 4, 2004... ULTRACare is a comprehensive software application which manages the marketing, admissions, clinical and billing needs of your long-term care facility. Scalable to your size and needs, ULTRACare has been chosen by facilities coast-to-coast that...

Accu-Med Services.(Business)
October 4, 2004... From bedside MDS entry to QM, clinical, financial, rehab and integrated software solutions, Accu-Med Services is the software leader in long-term care. Now offering Orcas enterprise software and Cypress therapy management. Please visit...

Capital Funding Group.(Business)
October 4, 2004... Capital Funding Group is your guide to the money, experience and professional service for originating, processing, closing and servicing Bridge Loans and FHA-Insured Loans for healthcare facilities nationwide. With over $800 million in...

Interactive Health Network.(Business)
October 4, 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-O-meter electronic chair scale.(Business)
October 4, 2004... Health-o-meter's electronic chair scale is ideal for those who cannot stand on a scale and do not use a wheelchair. Durable and accurate, it also offers swing-away arms and a fold up footrest to facilitate sate patient entry and exit. Go to...

SCA more natural skin environment.(Business)
October 4, 2004... Get a free brochure and skin-friendly demonstration to find out how you can keep your residents drier, cooler and more comfortable with TENA[R] products with the Air Dry Layer[TM]. Only TENA [R] has the Air Dry Layer [TM] that is 20 times more...

EnduraCare Therapy Management.(Business)
October 4, 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...

Bellevue University.(Business)
October 4, 2004... Be prepared to lead in long-term care with your Master of Science in Healthcare Administration with emphasis in long-term care. This new master's degree delivers today's most current and relevant learning on the business of healthcare-what you...

Maytag Commercial Laundry.(Business)
October 4, 2004... Nursing homes and assisted living facilities will find that the Maytag[R] Commercial Soft Mount High-Speed Extractors feature programmable cycle options and help reduce drying time. Floor bolting is not necessary, so installation is flexible...

GE Healthcare Financial Services.(Business)
October 4, 2004... GE Healthcare Financial Services is the premier provider of capital, financial solutions and related services for the global healthcare market, offering a full range of financing capabilities from equipment leasing and real estate financing to...

RehabWorks.(Business)
October 4, 2004... At RehabWorks, we provide the right people, the right training, the right resources and the right direction to deliver the right results. And we do it at the right price. By keeping the formula simple, RehabWorks has grown to become the largest...

Kwalu.(Business)
October 4, 2004... Kwalu's wall protection systems complement our virtually indestructible ranges of seating, casegoods and tables. Our repairable finish comes with a 10-year warranty. Waterproof, scuff-resistant and class "A" fire-rated, we offer several styles...

American Data Electronic Chart System.(Business)
October 4, 2004... Dedicated to Long Term Care computer software solutions since 1984, American Data has focused on daily "documentation" of care delivery staff as the true source of all other required documents. Thus, ECS, Electronic Chart System with accounts...

Healthcare Services Group, Inc.(Business)
October 4, 2004... Healthcare Services Group, Inc. is a cost effective management of housekeeping, laundry and food services customized per long term care or healthcare facility, designed to reduce expenses and improve productivity while enhancing the facility's...