McKnight's Long-Term Care News articles from September 2007

McKnight's Long-Term Care News archives from September 2007

Bad pub for poor homes.
September 1, 2007... Nursing homes that "yo-yo" in and out of regulatory compliance might soon get some unwanted publicity, courtesy of Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA). [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee wants CMS to...

Salaries increase for DONs, administrators.
September 1, 2007... Good nursing leaders are a hot commodity--at least if the most recently compiled salary findings are to be believed. The national median salary for directors of nursing (DONs) at nursing homes soared 5.2 % this year. Their assistants...

War of words over new ads.
September 1, 2007... Union officials have wrongly implied that an industry-backed ad campaign seeks reduced funding for children's healthcare services, according to the Alliance for Nursing Home Care. "SEIU inaccurately described the Alliance's position," said...

Older adults ignore drugs.(NEWS)
September 1, 2007... Americans' failure to follow drug regimens leads to increased nursing home use, a new report finds. Poor adherence is associated with up to 40% of nursing home admissions, according to the National Council on Patient Information and...

Checkups for men's bones.(NEWS)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... It may be cost-effective to screen and treat some older men for osteoporosis, according to a recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Measuring bone density and then administering oral...

Reconciling SCHIP bills more than child's play.(NEWS)
September 1, 2007... Lawmakers return from their summer recess this month with a hefty homework assignment: reconciling two very different versions of the State Children's Health Insurance Program bill. Depending on the compromise, skilled nursing facilities...

Webcast targets LTC meds delivery.(NEWS)
September 1, 2007... New laws and emerging technology have many providers confused about how best to proceed with medication delivery. While such concern is understandable, opportunities are also emerging, according to Shelly Spiro, president of Spiro...

Sunrise Senior.(At deadline)
September 1, 2007... Sunrise Senior Living announced it might be put up for sale in an effort to assuage unhappy stock holders. But analysts countered that a recent debt-market downturn might result in fewer, lower buyout offers.

President Bush.(At deadline)
September 1, 2007... President Bush said he is willing to consider lower corporate tax rates to help U.S. companies be more competitive.

Industry experts.(At deadline)
September 1, 2007... Industry experts will convene in Philadelphia later this month to examine reimbursement, technology's impact on long-term care, chronic disease and the ethics of aging. Additional conference information is available at www. the...

After finishing sixth in an Iowa straw poll.(At deadline)
September 1, 2007... After finishing sixth in an Iowa straw poll, former Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson announced he was dropping out of the race for the Republican presidential nomination.

60 seconds with ... Jane F. Potter MD.(NEWS)(Interview)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... Q: Your new study says we're in a "crisis I situation" regarding physician specialists and caregivers for the elderly. What do you mean by that? A: There have been a declining number of physicians entering primary care disciplines, a...

Prosecutor also 'on trial' in New Orleans homicide case.(NEWS)
September 1, 2007... Many observers have questioned why government prosecutors would charge a pair of Louisiana nursing home owners for criminally negligent homicide after an unprecedented natural disaster such as Hurricane Katrina. With the owners'...

Bill targeting poorly performing facilities.(NEWS)
September 1, 2007... Low-performing nursing homes would receive more attention from Quality Improvement Organizations, under a new Senate bill introduced last month. The legislation (S. 1947) aims to streamline the mission of QIOs. Senate Finance Committee...

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released a final rule establishing procedures for excluding providers from the Medicare program.(Regulatory Update)
September 1, 2007... The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released a final rule establishing procedures for excluding providers from the Medicare program. The rule allows CMS to act on behalf of providers recommended for exclusion, in some cases.

A proposed rule would require suppliers of durable medical equipment to furnish Medicare with a surety bond.(Regulatory Update)
September 1, 2007... A proposed rule would require suppliers of durable medical equipment to furnish Medicare with a surety bond. The rule would help protect Medicare from fraudulent DME suppliers.

Sen. John Thune (R-SD) and Rep. Lee Terry (R-NE) recently introduced legislation that would allow individuals to use.(Bill Watch)
September 1, 2007... Sen. John Thune (R-SD) and Rep. Lee Terry (RNE) recently introduced legislation that would allow individuals to use, without penalty, pre-tax dollars from retirement savings plans to purchase long-term care insurance policies.

The Senate last month passed a bill that would crack down on gift giving by lobbyists.(Bill Watch)
September 1, 2007... The Senate last month passed a bill that would crack down on gift giving by lobbyists. The measure would also would require lawmakers to disclose more about their fundraising efforts.

Ask the care expert.(NEWS: Resident Care)
September 1, 2007... I am a relatively new supervisor in a LTC facility. I am aware of the requirements regarding setting up and implementing a flu vaccine program, but I have no idea where to start. Could you offer some suggestions? I recommend that you first...

Hip protectors do not cut falls risk, new study finds.(NEWS: Resident Care)
September 1, 2007... It appears that energy-absorbing hip protectors do not help prevent the nearly 340,000 hip fractures that occur each year, including those that occur in nursing homes, a study from Harvard Medical School suggests. After examining more than...

Study: elderly lacking heart attack care.(NEWS: Resident Care)
September 1, 2007... People over the age of 75, women and minorities are among 10% of eligible patients who don't receive emergency angioplasty and clot-busting drugs to treat their heart attack. This is according to a recent study in the American Journal of...

Memory problems in older women may contribute to sleep troubles, new research suggests.(Caregiving Update)
September 1, 2007... Memory problems in older women may contribute to sleep troubles, new research suggests. Those who showed signs of mental decline on the tests were nearly twice as likely to have difficulty staying asleep and one-and-a-half times as likely to...

High-intensity walking yields greater health benefits for older people, according to a study published in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings.(Caregiving Update)
September 1, 2007... High-intensity walking yields greater health benefits for older people, according to a study published in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Older adults who were engaged in high-intensity walking training showed greater improvements in blood...

Assessing the elderly's sense of smell may help determine their risk for impending dementia, an Archives of General Psychiatry study finds.(Caregiving Update)
September 1, 2007... Assessing the elderly's sense of smell may help determine their risk for impending dementia, an Archives of General Psychiatry study finds. Those who were found to have difficulty identifying familiar odors at study onset developed mild...

Ask the treatment expert.(NEWS: Wound Care)
September 1, 2007... We have a resident with a skin tear on her lateral (outer) calf. We are having trouble choosing an appropriate cover dressing. We have tried wrapping with gauze, but that slides down and anything we tape to her skin causes a new skin tear....

Providers share knowledge and pressure ulcers go down.(NEWS: Wound Care)
September 1, 2007... Preventive techniques and recommended practices can greatly reduce pressure ulcers, according to a study involving nursing homes, hospitals and home health agencies across New Jersey. The study revealed a 70% reduction in new pressure ulcers...

Green tea showing promise for skin care.(NEWS: Wound Care)
September 1, 2007... Medical College of Georgia researchers have found that green tea holds promise as a new treatment for psoriasis and other skin-related disorders. Investigators studied an animal model for inflammatory skin diseases, which are often...

The Food and Drug Administration has given Derma Sciences permission to market and sell manuka honey absorbent dressing.(Treatment Update)
September 1, 2007... The Food and Drug Administration has given Derma Sciences permission to market and sell manuka honey absorbent dressing. This represents the first FDA clearance of a honey-based product for the management of wounds and burns. The dressings...

The FDA has given Nucryst Pharmaceuticals Corp. clearance for a prescription topical cream containing NP132101.
September 1, 2007... The FDA has given Nucryst Pharmaceuticals Corp. clearance for a prescription topical cream containing NP132101, the company's patent-protected nanocrystalline silver, as a broad-spectrum antimicrobial barrier. In vitro studies have demonstrated...

The domestic medical adhesives and sealants market is projected to reach $1.7 billion.
September 1, 2007... The domestic medical adhesives and sealants market is projected to reach $1.7 billion by the year 2009, according to a report from Global Industry Analysts Inc.

Ask the nursing expert.(NEWS: Nursing)
September 1, 2007... I am having a hard time getting my licensed staff to be open to the idea of updating their skills. Any ideas? The day-to-day tasks of nursing in long-term care leaves our nurses fatigued. Often, they have more than one job, and families to...

Web helping nurses receive degrees, advance in careers.(NEWS: Nursing)
September 1, 2007... A growing number of Web sites are offering degrees and continuing education options to help nurses begin or advance their careers. The assistance is well timed, given a new report from PricewaterhouseCoopers' Health Research Institute....

Pneumonia rates tied to staffing levels?(NEWS: Nursing)
September 1, 2007... The risk of late-onset ventilator-associated pneumonia in residents rises when the nurse-to-patient ratio declines, a new study finds. Among post-acute patients on mechanical ventilation, the risk of late-onset pneumonia was 58% lower when...

Two diabetes drugs, Avandia and Actos, double the risk of heart failure in patients.(Medication Update)
September 1, 2007... Two diabetes drugs, Avandia and Actos, double the risk of heart failure in patients, a new study in the August issue of Diabetes Care said.

A drug commonly used to fight osteoporosis also may treat osteoarthritis in older, postmenopausal women.(Medication Update)
September 1, 2007... A drug commonly used to fight osteoporosis also may treat osteoarthritis in older, postmenopausal women. Preliminary lab research found that calcitonin could be effective for this second condition, according to a study published in last month's...

Medicare patients whose doctors prescribe medications for "off-label" uses are being denied coverage of these drugs, according to an August report by the Medicare Rights Center.(Medication Update)
September 1, 2007... Medicare patients whose doctors prescribe medications for "off-label" uses are being denied coverage of these drugs, according to an August report by the Medicare Rights Center. The group recommends that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid...

Senate Finance Committee leaders last month introduced a bill (S. 1954) that would require Medicare prescription drug plans.(Medication Update)
September 1, 2007... Senate Finance Committee leaders last month introduced a bill (S. 1954) that would require Medicare prescription drug plans to reimburse pharmacies within 14 days for electronically submitted claims and within 30 days for paper claims.

Ask the payment expert.(NEWS: Payment & Policy)
September 1, 2007... What should our facility do to minimize our risk of medical review? Recently, we have seen more evidence of medical review activity. Medical review can be prepayment or post payment review by your Fiscal Intermediary, requested review based...

LTC modernization measure earns providers' approval.(NEWS: Payment & Policy)
September 1, 2007... A comprehensive pro-industry measure has captured immediate support from its primary beneficiaries: the long-term care sector. The effusive praise may be premature, however. A companion bill had not yet surfaced in the House at press time. ...

New feeding aide guidance.(NEWS: Payment & Policy)
September 1, 2007... The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is adding surveyor guidance to a measure that allows nursing homes to use paid feeding assistants. It comes nearly four years after the agency first published the rule that permits feeding aides...

Go figure.(NEWS: Payment & Policy)
September 1, 2007... 48 The death rate per 100,000 white males and females due to stroke is about 48--while the rate for black females is 64 and black males 73, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke said. 80 The United States spends about...

Manor Care Inc.'s earnings slipped for the second quarter to approximately $44 million.(Business Briefs)(Financial report)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... Manor Care Inc.'s earnings slipped for the second quarter to approximately $44 million. Transaction costs related to the company's strategic review and higher than normal stock-based compensation contributed to lower profits, the company said....

Sun Healthcare Group Inc.'s profits soared for the second quarter of 2007 on healthy sales.(Business Briefs)(Financial report)
September 1, 2007... Sun Healthcare Group Inc.'s profits soared for the second quarter of 2007 on healthy sales. Earnings increased by 78% to $13 million as sales rose by 73% to $447 million. The April 2007 acquisition of Harborside Healthcare Corp. contributed to...

Skilled Healthcare Group Inc. lost $1.5 million for the second quarter as sales rose by 15% to $151 million.(Business Briefs)(Financial report)
September 1, 2007... Skilled Healthcare Group Inc. lost $1.5 million for the second quarter as sales rose by 15% to $151 million. The company, which went public in May, said its net loss of 7 cents per diluted share takes into account the effect of the conversion...

Sunrise mulls company sale as possible strategic option.(NEWS: Companies)
September 1, 2007... Another major publicly traded long-term care company may be putting up a "for sale" sign. Sunrise Senior Living Inc., the biggest player in assisted living in the United States, disclosed in late July that its board is exploring strategic...

Major chain reports loss.(NEWS: Companies)(Financial report)
September 1, 2007... Kindred Healthcare Inc. lost nearly $62 million in the second quarter of 2007 on slightly higher sales. "Despite continued improvements in our nursing center business and solid performance from Peoplefirst rehabilitation services, our...

Private equity.(Good month)
September 1, 2007... Private equity: The U.S. Federal Trade Commission approved the sale of Manor Care Inc. to the Carlyle Group, a privately held company. The Carlyle Group will buy the nation's largest nursing home chain for $6.3 billion. The deal is expected to...

Carnivores.(Good month)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... Carnivores: Scientists at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston have good news for people who want to stay strong in their old age: Older bodies are just as good as young ones at turning protein-rich food into muscle. A study...

Rehab access.(Bad month)
September 1, 2007... Rehab access: In an attempt to prevent patient losses to skilled nursing facilities, the hospital lobby unveiled an ad campaign that portrays rehab care in long-term care facilities as inferior. The campaign followed a new federal study showing...

SCHIP.(Bad month)
September 1, 2007... SCHIP: The House approved legislation that would effectively reduce payments to providers in order to pay for expanded children's healthcare coverage. Providers find the Senate version less odious.

The median age of nursing facilities in various major metro markets.(MetroMonitor)
September 1, 2007... Metro Monitor The median age of nursing facilities in various major metro markets. Leaders Rank Metro Years 1 Las Vegas 17 2 Orlando 20 3 San Diego ...

Information technology.(IT Update)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... Information technology is the best tool for improving care quality, a new survey of healthcare leaders has found. A total of 66% of 214 policy leaders indicated that rapid adoption of electronic health records and other IT systems is the best...

A proposed rule by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services would require providers to implement more advanced data transmission standards when sending electronic prescriptions.(IT Update)
September 1, 2007... A proposed rule by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services would require providers to implement more advanced data transmission standards when sending electronic prescriptions. The measure would eliminate an exception to the technology...

Healthcare organizations using radio frequency identification systems for asset tracking will more than double when current rollouts now under way go online.(IT Update)
September 1, 2007... Healthcare organizations using radio frequency identification systems for asset tracking will more than double when current rollouts now under way go online. However, more that 75 of organizations don't have RFID and have no plans to implement...

The Office of Management and Budget will examine how well four government agencies are adopting health IT standards and promoting the release of health quality and cost data.(IT Update)
September 1, 2007... The Office of Management and Budget will examine how well four government agencies are adopting health IT standards and promoting the release of health quality and cost data. OMB will evaluate the departments of Health and Human Services,...

Protecting IT-related information remains a challenge for most large federal agencies.(IT Update)
September 1, 2007... Protecting IT-related information remains a challenge for most large federal agencies, according to a new Government Accountability Office report.

IT to play minor role in total healthcare overhaul: study.(NEWS: Technology)
September 1, 2007... Legislation that improves information technology will not be enough to create a high-performance healthcare system, according to a Commonwealth Fund analysis. Pending IT-related proposals offer mechanisms for setting standards, would fund...

"I couldn't live without ...".(NEWS: Technology)
September 1, 2007... At Cedar Ridge Nursing Home double-amputees and other wheelchair-bound residents are playing tennis and baseball. Bowling leagues and boxing matches also take place. All the action is thanks to a new video game system that most associate...

Grant pushes home care.(WEST)
September 1, 2007... HAWAII -- The state is receiving $10.3 million, thanks to the federal government, to help shift elderly Medicaid beneficiaries from nursing homes and hospitals to home settings. The state calls the program "Going Home Plus." Twelve other...

State to build five VA homes.(WEST)
September 1, 2007... CALIFORNIA -- The state is planning to build five new veterans homes, a reaction to veterans' overwhelming need for long-term care, experts say. Construction began on one in west Los Angeles in July. Bulldozers began tearing down old...

Medicaid crisis strikes.(CALIFORNIA)
September 1, 2007... A long-term care association sued the state last month for failing to make Medicaid payments. The state had halted Medicaid reimbursement to providers following a budget impasse that began July 1. At presstime, a budget deal had not...

State forges Medicaid cost plan.(SOUTHEAST)
September 1, 2007... NORTH CAROLINA -- The General Assembly approved a budget in which the state government will take over the counties' share of Medicaid costs. In exchange, counties will give a portion of their sales tax revenue. North Carolina is among a...

State ranks higher in tort reform.(SOUTHEAST)
September 1, 2007... MISSISSIPPI -- Tort reform has paid off in the state, suggests a recent ranking in Directorship, a publication for corporate boards and directors. The state is ranked 33rd out of 50 in a list of how well states protect businesses from...

Suit gains class-action status.(SOUTHEAST)
September 1, 2007... ARKANSAS -- The state Supreme Court recently granted class-action status to a lawsuit against a nursing home in Fort Smith. Annette Thomas, a former resident of Batesville Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, filed a suit two years ago. She...

Law targets infection rates.(NORTHEAST)
September 1, 2007... PENNSYLVANIA -- The governor signed into law a bill that attempts to reduce infections at nursing homes and hospitals, [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Under the law, nursing homes and hospitals must report patient infections to state health...

Bill expands community options.(NORTHEAST)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... NEW HAMPSHIRE -- A new bill in the state Legislature would allow more Medicaid beneficiaries access to home- and community based services. Under the bill, sponsored by Claremont Rep. Tom Donovan, the state Department of Health and Human...

Facilities bid for make-good funds.(NORTHEAST)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... NEW YORK -- A total of 62 nursing homes and hospitals in the state have applied to the New York state Department of Health for a portion of $550 million in grant money. The funding is available to reimburse facilities, which incurred costs...

State owes retirees $58 billion.(NORTHEAST)
September 1, 2007... NEW JERSEY -- The state will be paying--literally--for a decision it made in the 1990s to stop contributing to a retiree healthcare reserve fund. It recently disclosed it needs $58 billion to provide promised health benefits to current and...

Gays receive special unit.(NORTHEAST)
September 1, 2007... MASSACHUSETTS -- A nonprofit nursing home in a Boston suburb is planning to build a skilled unit for homosexual elderly. When completed, it likely would be the first of its kind in the nation. The Chelsea Jewish Nursing Home Foundation is...

Nursing woes challenge state.(NORTHEAST)
September 1, 2007... MARYLAND -- The state is struggling with a severe nursing shortage and the problem will only continue to worsen, according to the Maryland Hospital Association. The vacancy rate for nursing positions rose to 13% in 2006 from 10.3% in 2005....

Facility claims two world titles.(MIDWEST)(Heritage House Convalescent Center)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... INDIANA -- A nursing home in Shelbyville has earned a second distinction: It houses the oldest person in the world. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Edna Parker, 114, lives at the Heritage House Convalescent Center, where the world's tallest...

Kenyans suspected in tax scam.(MIDWEST)
September 1, 2007... MISSOURI -- State authorities were still on the lookout, as of last month, for suspects from Kenya involved in a multi-million dollar nursing home tax scan Six of 17 people from the East African nation had already been charged in...

Law mandates background checks.(MIDWEST)
September 1, 2007... ILLINOIS -- A new law requires background checks for anyone seeking employment as a healthcare worker. Long-term care providers have backed the law, which mandates fingerprint-based background checks for all healthcare workers hired after...

Ask the legal expert.(NEWS: Legal Matters)
September 1, 2007... This issue we continue a discussion of corporate compliance programs, including how suspected fraud or abuse should be reported. Enforcing federal agencies encourage healthcare organizations to develop compliance programs--indeed some...

Tougher immigration policy spurs angry union response.(NEWS: Legal Matters)
September 1, 2007... Labor unions are mulling a legal response to a strict new Bush administration policy that targets illegal workers and their employers. Under new rules set to take effect this month, employers have to fire workers whose numbers don't match...

Appeals court dismisses staffing lawsuit.(NEWS: Legal Matters)
September 1, 2007... An appeals court has rejected a class-action lawsuit filed over California's mandated nurse staffing levels. A state trial court acted appropriately when it dismissed the case, the appeals court ruled last month. Courts have the discretion...

Nurse managers' labors bear fruit: administrator national median salary climbs to $82,400, while DON median skips to $72,515.(NEWS: Analysis)
September 1, 2007... The long-term care industry has experienced a period of relative stability and managers' salaries are reflecting that reality this year, a new survey suggests. While the national median salary for administrators rose a respectable 3.0% in...

Alarming growth in Alzheimer's costs: new study gives lawmakers millions of reasons to increase dementia care funding.(NEWS: Analysis)
September 1, 2007... The nation's price tag for providing Alzheimer's care in 2005 topped $76 billion, according to a study sponsored by the Alzheimer's Association. The worldwide cost topped $315 billion, the group claimed. More than 5 million Americans are living...

AmerisourceBergen Corporation.(Company Briefs)
September 1, 2007... AmerisourceBergen Corporation and Kindred Healthcare Inc. announced that they have completed the transaction which combines their respective institutional pharmacy businesses to create PharMerica Corporation, a new, independent, publicly-traded...

Baxter Healthcare Corp.(Company Briefs)
September 1, 2007... Baxter Healthcare Corp. has reduced its packaging by 13% since 1995 and cut its air toxic emissions by 99% since 1988, according to company sources. The company currently is working with its customers to identify and address the potential...

Bayer HealthCare.(Company Briefs)
September 1, 2007... Bayer HealthCare has announced that 74% of Americans have indicated that aspirin should be named one of the Wonders of the World. For more than 110 years, aspirin has provided mankind with significant health benefits which include everything...

Siemens Medical Solutions.(Company Briefs)
September 1, 2007... Siemens Medical Solutions and Partners Healthcare of Boston have announced that Partners will implement Siemens Medical's Soarian Financials patient administration and revenue cycle management system.

McKesson Corporation.(Company Briefs)
September 1, 2007... McKesson Corporation has released version 4.0 of CareEnhance Clinical Management Software, a management workflow solution that helps payors provide efficient and effective case, utilization and disease management programs. Along with improved...

Bank of America now poised to complete LaSalle deal.(NEWS: Vendors)
September 1, 2007... In its effort to buy LaSalle Bank, Bank of America Corp. has asked a U.S. District Court in New York to dismiss its breach-of-contract lawsuit against ABN Amro Holding NV. Bank of America had earlier sued ABN as a way to force it to...