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

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

CMS softens the 75% Rule.
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services last month published a rule lowering the ceiling of the so-called 75% Rule to 60%. Publication of the rule in the Federal Register makes official a development that...

A revamped 'forecast' rescues $770 million.
September 1, 2008... Providers cheered a decision by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services not to trim $770 million from Medicare Part A payments to nursing homes during the coming fiscal year. "An outstanding development is what we're calling it," said...

Top salaries rise further.
September 1, 2008... Nursing-home managers fared well last year compared to their peers in the healthcare industry, according to analysis of a new salary survey. Administrators' national median salary rose 3.6% to a record $85,464, while the national median...

Trial drug offers hope.(NEWS)
September 1, 2008... An experimental Alzheimer's drug has been making waves because of its potential for halting the progression of the currently incurable disease. Results of research on the drug, Rember, were presented at the International Conference on...

FDA updates flu vaccines.(NEWS)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved six vaccines for the 2008-2009 flu season. In a break from past years, the FDA changed all three strains of the virus for the vaccines. Typically, it updates...

House subcommittee passes arbitration bill.(NEWS)
September 1, 2008... Nursing-home providers continue to lobby against the Fairness in Nursing Home Arbitration Act, which passed out of the House Judiciary Committee in late July. "Pre-dispute arbitration agreements are a viable legal option for long-term care...

Kurtz named CEO of Golden Living.(NEWS)
September 1, 2008... After operating 13 months without a chief executive, the nation's second-largest nursing-home chain named Neil Kurtz CEO and president. Kurtz, a physician with deep experience in pharmaceutical research and delivery, was expected to officially...

Nearly two in three providers cited for final enforcement actions by state Medicaid agencies did not land in a federal database of prohibited providers.(At deadline)
September 1, 2008... Nearly two in three providers cited for final enforcement actions by state Medicaid agencies did not land in a federal database of prohibited providers, according to a study by the Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Inspector...

Residents are less likely to be abused in states with background checks, according to a three-year pilot study.(At deadline)
September 1, 2008... Residents are less likely to be abused in states with background checks, according to a three-year pilot study. Sens. Herb Kohl (D-WI) and Pete Domenici (R-NM) are urging Congress to pass the Patient Safety and Abuse Prevention Act, which would...

Heart disease and neurology should be top eldercare research priorities, according to a report from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.(At deadline)
September 1, 2008... Heart disease and neurology should be top eldercare research priorities, according to a report from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The agency also cites cancer, infectious disease, electronic health records and prevention as key...

60 seconds with ... Timothy L. Veno.(NEWS)(American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging)(Interview)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... Q: What stands out the most in your mind with regard to the task force's report? (See story at right.) A: It's a very thoughtful and reasoned approach--a cry to the government that we really need to revisit the entire survey and...

Study finds survey system 'broken and can't be fixed'.(NEWS)(American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging)
September 1, 2008... A leading nursing-home association is calling for an independent panel to come up with new methods for overseeing nursing facilities. The association's task force issued 31 recommendations, highlighting steps that can be taken. "The...

Sex offenders pose variety of challenges.(NEWS)
September 1, 2008... The topic of sex offenders as nursing-home residents is a delicate one for providers. Industry officials asked lawmakers for additional guidance during a recent congressional hearing. The House Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight...

A crosswalk from MDS 2.0 to MDS 3.0 will be published soon, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said.(Regulatory Update)
September 1, 2008... A crosswalk from MDS 2.0 to MDS 3.0 will be published soon, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said. MDS 3.0 will be the new resident assessment instrument for long-term care facilities.

CMS released a list of 19 topics for potential national Medicare coverage determinations.(Regulatory Update)
September 1, 2008... CMS released a list of 19 topics for potential national Medicare coverage determinations. These include biological therapies for the treatment of chronic wounds.

Sens. John Kerry (D-MA) and Charles Grassley (R-IA) introduced a bill with tax-related provisions to increase access to home- and community-based services and promote the purchase of long-term care insurance.(Bill Watch)
September 1, 2008... Sens. John Kerry (D-MA) and Charles Grassley (R-IA) introduced a bill with tax-related provisions to increase access to home- and community-based services and promote the purchase of long-term care insurance. The Empowered at Home Act of 2008...

Ask the care expert.(NEWS: Resident Care)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... Formerly a relief nurse I have now taken a position as a supervisor. I hear there is a new survey called "QIS." What does it stand for and what is its purpose? The QIS survey stands for "Quality Indicator Survey." Picture the Wicked Witch...

Study: most nursing homes still need pandemic flu plan.(NEWS: Resident Care)
September 1, 2008... Fewer than a quarter (23%) of all nursing homes have a plan for dealing with a massive flu outbreak, according to a new study. In a broader view, about 25% had a pandemic response as part of a broader overall disaster plan. But more than...

Researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute say they have discovered how cranberry juice prevents urinary tract infections: the liquid alters thermodynamic properties of bacteria in the urinary tract.(Caregiving Update)
September 1, 2008... Researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute say they have discovered how cranberry juice prevents urinary tract infections: the liquid alters thermodynamic properties of bacteria in the urinary tract. This creates an energy barrier that does...

The rate of serious falls among the elderly can be significantly lowered through a combination of adjusting treatment, assessing risk and better educating individuals, said researchers at the Yale University School of Medicine.(Caregiving Update)
September 1, 2008... The rate of serious falls among the elderly can be significantly lowered through a combination of adjusting treatment, assessing risk and better educating individuals, said researchers at the Yale University School of Medicine. Investigators...

Low-dose aspirin intake might help stave off osteoporosis, researchers say.(Caregiving Update)
September 1, 2008... Low-dose aspirin intake might help stave off osteoporosis, researchers say. A study involving mice has shown that aspirin can reduce the effectiveness of cells that break down bone while also stimulating activity among bone-building cells....

Ask the treatment expert.(NEWS: Wound Care)
September 1, 2008... Do you have any recommendations to help our facility "go green" in relation to wound care? The following suggestions will help curb packaging and other waste, reduce energy consumption, cut the use of harmful chemicals and help the...

Study: Omega-3 may hinder the wound-healing process.(NEWS: Wound Care)
September 1, 2008... Omega-3 fish body oil supplements have been linked to cardiovascular health and the treatment of other illnesses. But new research suggests they may actually impede wound healing. In a recently published study, wounds on people taking fish...

Talley Group announced that its Venturi Negative Pressure Wound Therapy system has received marketing clearance from the Food and Drug Administration.(Treatment Update)
September 1, 2008... Talley Group announced that its Venturi Negative Pressure Wound Therapy system has received marketing clearance from the Food and Drug Administration. Its dressing technique involves the application of a moistened antimicrobial dressing gauze...

Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. has completed the sale of its dressing and wound-care business.(Treatment Update)
September 1, 2008... Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. has completed the sale of its dressing and wound-care business. The ConvaTec unit was sold for about $4.1 billion to two private equity funds, Nordic Capital and Avista Capital Partners.

Specialty pharmaceutical provider ULURU has entered into an agreement to purchase emergency medical product.(Treatment Update)
September 1, 2008... Specialty pharmaceutical provider ULURU has entered into an agreement to purchase emergency medical product developer Bio Med Sciences Inc. for $10 million.

Ask the nursing expert.(NEWS: Nursing)
September 1, 2008... How do you survive under a director of nursing who leads with a dictatorship style? Oh, dear, What a dilemma! With this style of management your DON can only manage by fear and intimidation. If you work better in an environment that...

Foreign-educated care staff would rise under legislation.(NEWS: Nursing)
September 1, 2008... Nursing-home providers are endorsing recently approved legislation that would increase the number of foreign-educated nurses and physical therapists in the U.S. The House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border...

Flu vaccine may be ineffective in protecting frail seniors from pneumonia, according to a new report in The Lancet.(Medication Update)
September 1, 2008... Flu vaccine may be ineffective in protecting frail seniors from pneumonia, according to a new report in The Lancet. Vaccinated seniors who had developed the flu were as likely to contract pneumonia as unvaccinated seniors who got the flu, the...

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved an injected drug to treat high blood pressure.(Medication Update)
September 1, 2008... The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved an injected drug to treat high blood pressure. Cleviprex (clevidipine butyrate), which is made by the Medicines Co. of Parsippany, NJ, is to be prescribed when oral high blood pressure drugs...

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Rep. John Dingell (D-MI) are leading the charge to restructure the Food and Drug Administration.(Medication Update)
September 1, 2008... Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Rep. John Dingell (D-MI) are leading the charge to restructure the Food and Drug Administration. They want the federal agency to recall medications and impose fines on drug companies for safety violations, among...

Blood-pressure drugs may lower the incidence and the slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease, researchers at the Boston University School of Medicine found.(Medication Update)
September 1, 2008... Blood-pressure drugs may lower the incidence and the slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease, researchers at the Boston University School of Medicine found. Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) seemed to especially help those who had...

Ask the payment expert.(News: Payment & Policy)
September 1, 2008... Is there any new guidance or regulation of which we should be particularly aware? In April 2008, the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) published its Draft OIG Supplemental Compliance Program Guidance for Nursing Facilities. When the...

Regulators decide to check their math, postpone cuts.(NEWS: Payment & Policy)
September 1, 2008... Apparently not eager to worsen the problems stemming from incorrect calculations, officials at the Centers for Medicare & Medication Services said in early August that they were postponing recalibration of Medicare Part A reimbursement...

CMS: Medicaid shouldn't reward snafus.(NEWS: Payment & Policy)
September 1, 2008... The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has told state Medicaid directors they can deny payment for serious adverse events for which Medicare no longer pays. A CMS letter asked states to coordinate their Medicaid policies with...

Ventas Inc.(Business Briefs)
September 1, 2008... Ventas Inc.'s earnings fell by 60% in the second quarter of 2008 to about $71 million, as property-level operating expenses increased. Still, funds from operations--a gauge of real estate operating performance--rose by 20%. Results benefited...

Skilled Healthcare Group Inc.(Business Briefs)
September 1, 2008... Skilled Healthcare Group Inc. earned a profit of nearly $9 million in the second quarter after posting a loss of $1.5 million last year, Revenues increased by 19% to more than $180 million. The company's skilled nursing facilities with Express...

Metro monitor.(NEWS: Companies)(Table)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... Metro Monitor The average daily revenue generated per private-pay nursing home bed during the first quarter of 2008. Leaders Rank Metro Daily revenue 1 New York $318 2 Boston ...

Sunrise reports $70 million loss, reduces growth plans.(NEWS: Companies)
September 1, 2008... Sunrise Senior Living Inc., the largest assisted-living provider in the United States, lost about $70 million in 2007, and it disclosed it would reduce its expansion plans and undergo a corporate restructuring to save costs. "We have a...

Kindred earns profit in the second quarter.(NEWS: Companies)(Financial report)
September 1, 2008... Kindred Healthcare Inc. returned to the black in the second quarter after posting a loss for the same quarter last year. The fourth-largest nursing-facility chain earned nearly $22 million this year on revenues of slightly more than $1...

Beginning in January, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will expand access to online records in Arizona and Utah.(IT Update)
September 1, 2008... Beginning in January, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will expand access to online records in Arizona and Utah. The move is part of an ongoing effort to encourage greater use of health information technology. Under this pilot, a...

Nine of 10 adults say they want easy access to their own medical records and think it's important that their physicians have similar access.(IT Update)
September 1, 2008... Nine of 10 adults say they want easy access to their own medical records and think it's important that their physicians have similar access, according to a new survey by The Commonwealth Fund.

Life sciences firms have begun using electronic clinical applications as a way to increase efficiency and reduce costs during the most expensive phase of drug development, according to a report from Data-monitor.(IT Update)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... Life sciences firms have begun using electronic clinical applications as a way to increase efficiency and reduce costs during the most expensive phase of drug development, according to a report from Data-monitor. These companies spend between...

Intel announced it has received approval from the Food and Drug Administration to begin selling Intel Health Guide.(IT Update)
September 1, 2008... Intel announced it has received approval from the Food and Drug Administration to begin selling Intel Health Guide. The personal healthcare system includes a small touch-screen PC and a Web portal that allows physicians and residents to...

3M Health Information Systems has introduced computer-assisted coding software.(IT Update)
September 1, 2008... 3M Health Information Systems has introduced computer-assisted coding software. The Codefinder Computer-Assisted Edition application analyzes text from multiple documentation sources. The application then suggests appropriate codes to coders...

More providers are turning to YouSendIt.com.(IT Update)
September 1, 2008... More providers are turning to YouSendlt.com as a way to transfer large digital images and video files, the firm said.

Leading IT measure blasted; two new versions on the way.(NEWS: Technology)(H.R. 6357, healthcare information technology bill )(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... Two recent House hearings treated the most prominent pending health IT bill like a pinata. In fact, it appears that at least two notable lawmakers will soon offer additional, competing plans. At issue is H.R. 6357, the most significant...

"I couldn't live without ...".(NEWS: Technology)(communicating with non-English-speaking residents through the Interprecare System)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] If your residents' "please" and "thank you" sounds more like "por favor" and "gracias," it may be time to incorporate the Interprecare System into your facility. Interprecare is a quick and easy way to start...

Homes dodge Medicaid cuts.(SOUTHEAST)
September 1, 2008... MISSISSIPPI -- Gov. Haley Barbour (R) last month opted not to cut $90 million from Medicaid. That included a 6.1% decrease in Medicaid reimbursements for nursing homes. The governor instead disclosed a non-legislative solution to the...

U.S. to grab for gold in Prague's Geri Olympics.(WEST VIRGINIA)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... Cue the music. Raise the flags. Beijing may have had its moment, but now it's Prague's turn for a spot in the Olympic sun. Next month, the Czech capital will host the Geri Olympics, and the United States will participate for the first time. ...

Medicaid data goes electronic.(SOUTHEAST)
September 1, 2008... SOUTH CAROLINA -- Medical records for the state's 700,000 Medicaid recipients are now online. The South Carolina Health Information Exchange, or SCIEx, links hospitals, doctors, clinics and other healthcare providers with the medical...

Gov. talks Medicaid with HHS chief.(SOUTHEAST)
September 1, 2008... LOUISIANA -- Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) recently met with Michael Leavitt, secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, to retool the Medicaid system which heavily influences the state's long-term care operators. There reportedly...

Bill gives caregivers tax break.(NORTHEAST)
September 1, 2008... NEW YORK -- The state Senate passed legislation that would give family members taking care of relatives aged 70 and older a tax exemption. The elderly individual must be living in the house of the taxpayer for the family member to receive...

Waiver could affect facilities.(NORTHEAST)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... RHODE ISLAND -- The governor's administration proposed a "global Medicaid waiver" that would cap Medicaid spending and allow the state to make major program changes. Under the waiver, Gov, Don Carcieri (D) would agree to limit Medicaid...

Fall-prevention education effective.(NORTHEAST)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... CONNECTICUT -- A state-funded report found when healthcare practitioners and the elderly learned about ways to prevent falling, the number of emergency-department visits and healthcare costs fell, according to the New Haven Register. The...

Wide healthcare reform passes.(NORTHEAST)
September 1, 2008... MASSACHUSETTS -- Gov. Deval Patrick (D) was expected to sign legislation last month that would introduce measures and incentives to hold back the rising tide of healthcare costs. Among the bill's provisions: It would establish a commission...

Doc shortage to affect rural areas.(NORTHEAST)
September 1, 2008... MARYLAND -- A shortage of physicians is expected to hit rural areas of the state by 2015, a report by the Maryland Hospital Association and MedChi has found. As older physicians begin to retire and younger ones practice elsewhere, less...

Nursing homes to go green?(NORTHEAST)
September 1, 2008... MASSACHUSETTS -- Nursing home and hospital projects would have to follow green building standards to receive construction approval, under new regulations proposed by health authorities in the state. If the Public Health Council endorses the...

GOP opposition to drug plan.(NORTHEAST)
September 1, 2008... PENNSYLVANIA -- Gov. Ed Rendell's (R) plan to transfer Medicaid prescription drug purchasing to the state Department of Public Welfare has met pushback from state Republicans. While the governor said that the move would save $95 million,...

Changes seen in Hoosier state.(MIDWEST)
September 1, 2008... INDIANA -- The new president of the Indiana Health Care Association has initiated major changes, including job cuts, since he took over, according to the Indianapolis Business Journal. Steve Smith has let go nine of the group's 12 employees...

Personal record system proposed.(MIDWEST)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... MINNESOTA -- Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) has proposed an online personal health record that would allow all state residents access by 2011. The initiative would allow consumers to access their "portfolio" of records, including medical records and...

More rejecting Medicare patients.(SOUTHWEST)
September 1, 2008... TEXAS -- The percentage of physicians in the state accepting new Medicare beneficiaries has plummeted over the last 18 years, according to a survey by the Texas Medical Association. A total of 58% of Texas physicians are accepting new...

Ask the legal expert.(NEWS: Legal Matters)
September 1, 2008... A physician's orders for a resident who had difficulty swallowing Included strictly monitoring her eating. Someone brought in food for her and she wound up choking before a nurse on duty could respond. How do we defend ourselves against a civil...

Providers dispute analysis that cites illegal evictions.(NEWS: Legal Matters)
September 1, 2008... Nursing homes are illegally turning out residents to help their bottom lines, according to a recent analysis by The Wall Street Journal. While the newspaper acknowledged there is no agency tracking nursing home evictions in the U.S., it...

New labor law trips up New York owner.(NEWS: Legal Matters)
September 1, 2008... The owner of a nursing facility where workers had been on strike for six months became the first person arrested on New York state felony charges for not providing workers' compensation insurance, the state's attorney general said. Helene...

An idea whose time has (finally) come: brain fitness tools a challenge to old cognitive care views.(NEWS: Analysis)
September 1, 2008... Like many revolutions, long-term cafe's recent embrace of technology-based brain fitness tools began quietly. Then it exploded. Most analysts trace the wave's roots to 2006, when Nintendo introduced a game called Brain Age to America....

Administrators break $85,000 level: DON national median salary reaches $75,000; SNF managers fare better than some others.(NEWS: Analysis)
September 1, 2008... It was a respectable year for the long-term care industry, with many managers' salaries growing at or above standard market rates, according to a recently released survey of nursing home personnel. The national median for administrators saw...

The Stanley Works.(Company Briefs)
September 1, 2008... The Stanley Works announced that it has completed its previously announced purchases of Sonitrol ($276 million) and Xmark ($45 million). Sonitrol makes security monitoring services, access control and fire detection systems. Xmark develops,...

Jeron Electronic Systems.(Company Briefs)
September 1, 2008... Jeron Electronic Systems has added a housekeeping/room ready feature to its nurse call system. The feature will improve interdepartmental communication, while reducing the time residents must wait for an open room, the company notes.

Joerns Healthcare.(Company Briefs)
September 1, 2008... Joerns Healthcare recently announced the successful go-live implementation of EzMed, a qualified SAP Business All-in-One partner solution for the medical device industry. Joerns said the software implementation will help it maintain a reliable...

ADL Data Systems.(Company Briefs)
September 1, 2008... ADL Data Systems recently released a new Documents Manager. The product lets users scan in paper records and documents, which can be immediately viewed or shared electronically.

3M Health Care.(Company Briefs)
September 1, 2008... 3M Health Care and Greystone Pharmaceuticals announced they have entered into a licensing agreement that would improve wound care treatments,

Gaymar Industries.(Company Briefs)
September 1, 2008... Gaymar Industries, which makes medical solutions for pressure ulcer and temperature management, announced that the company has acquired the assets of Sunshine Manufacturing. Sunshine makes specialty gel components.

The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society.(Company Briefs)
September 1, 2008... The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society has tapped Socket Mobile to speed access to residents' records. Nurses and other staff will use up to 3,200 handheld computers.

Medline Industries.(Company Briefs)
September 1, 2008... Medline Industries has purchased DelSite's Carrington Wound Care division, according to announcements from both firms. Under the terms of the agreement, trademarks and related patents for DelSite's wound care products will be transferred to...

Vendors welcome delay of Medicare bidding program.(NEWS: Vendors)
September 1, 2008... Many vendors breathed a collective sigh of relief as Congress rejected a presidential veto and put a Medicare competitive bidding program on hold. The law covers a range of Medicare-related issues. Of interest to many vendors are...

Osteoporosis market expands in 2007.(NEWS: Vendors)
September 1, 2008... An aging nation, technological advances and new products are driving up the nation's osteoporosis market, according to a new report from Frost & Sullivan. The market saw 24.7% growth in 2007. This was primarily attributed to deeper market...

How to do it ... info technology.(Business & Marketing)
September 1, 2008... Federal agencies have become extremely active in prodding physicians toward electronic prescribing incentives under the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act. Under the new law, providers participating in the program will be...

Taking it to the top: because of a scarcity of land, one Chicago nursing home turns to its roof for garden space. Residents tend to a variety of plants and flowers.(Business & Marketing: Design)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] For many older people, there's nothing more relaxing than spending time in the garden--planting bulbs, pulling weeds, and enjoying fresh air, sunshine and kinship with nature. But in a city nursing home, space...

Open wide and say 'aaah!'.(LEADING BY EXAMPLE)
September 1, 2008... As a general dentist, Kristin Outlan routinely saw dementia patients bussed in to her office from nursing homes and left for hours at a time. Not only would their behavior sometimes scare the other patients, but there were also logistical...

Teaching old dogs new tricks.(THE BIG PICTURE)(quality management of nursing homes' services)
September 1, 2008... I have to admit that my first visit to a nursing home was less than inspiring. The building was decrepit, the staff seemed exhausted and the persistent smell of urine was unforgettable. Worse still, residents were literally wasting away....

Enjoy the good times--they won't last forever.(Editor's DESK)
September 1, 2008... Does it seem like the job's been a bit extra stressful lately? Maybe the coworkers aren't stepping up to the plate enough? Is the pressure from above getting to you? Or you're already (or still?) worried about your next visit from...

Reader poll: "how does your facility make use of its outdoor spaces?".
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "Berkeley Square has a beautiful campus. We not only have a resident walking club that utilizes the paved walking path but we have multiple courtyards and gazebos that fit many needs.... In addition to multiple...

It's time for the obvious: raise the retirement age.(HAVING MY SAY)
September 1, 2008... The impending Social Security crunch is not news to anyone. President Bush tried to address the issue right after his re-election, but without success. Unfortunately, it was--and still is--not considered an immediate crisis, just a nearly...