Contemporary Long Term Care articles from February 2004

Contemporary Long Term Care archives from February 2004

Best practices.(Perspectives)
February 1, 2004... A first-of-its-kind study may have made the battle to maintain quality of care far easier for nursing home administrators. Results from a research-based, scientific study by the Pennsylvania Department of Health revealed that applying certain...

Confessed killer's actions result in call for tougher background checks.(Front Page)
February 1, 2004... A string of killings in Pennsylvania and New Jersey by a former nursing home nurse may lead to reform in the way background checks are carried out in the states' medical facilities. Bethlehem, Pa. resident Charles Cullen has confessed to...

N.Y. governor Pataki pledges to plug medicaid reimbursement loophole.(Front Page)
February 1, 2004... New York Gov. George Pataki announced his support for reform of the state's Medicaid system days after a local news story focused attention on problems in Medicaid reimbursement calculation. The news story reported a major problem involving...

View from the hill.
February 1, 2004... Editor's Note: The following bills pertaining to issues affecting the long term care industry were making their way through Congress as of Jan. 8, 2004. Bills listed in last month's issue that do not appear here have seen no new action taken....

Let Xmark take care of your residents' security, so you can take care of them.(Profile)(Advertisement)
February 1, 2004... For more than 10 Fyears, Xmark's WatchMate[R] Wander Prevention System has set the standard in restraint-free protection of Alzheimer's patients. And now, MyCall[TM] offers you the same reliability and accuracy in emergency response. Whatever...

Sun healthcare sells rehabilitation business to AEGIS for $34 million.(Market Watch)
February 1, 2004... In an effort to continue its financial restructuring, Irvine, Calif.-based Sun Healthcare Group Inc. has agreed to sell its rehabilitation business to Fort Smith, Ark.-headquartered AEGIS Therapies Inc. for $34 million, according to officials...

AstraZeneca, Cintas named to lists of North America's top employers.(Transactions...)
February 1, 2004... Wilmington, Del.-based AstraZeneca was named to Fortune magazine's seventh annual list of "100 Best U.S. Companies to Work For," according to a company release. It was the first time on the list for the four-year-old pharmaceutical firm,...

SNH wraps $87M deal with NewSeasons.(Transactions...)
February 1, 2004... Newton, Mass-based Senior Housing PropertiesTrust in January completed an $86.6 million purchase and lease transaction with NewSeasons Assisted Living Communities Inc., SHPT reported. SNH bought 10 NewSeasons assisted living facilities in...

HRPT makes public stock offering.(Transactions...)
February 1, 2004... Newton, Mass.-based HRPT Properties Trust has commenced a public offering of 25 million shares of common stock in an effort to reduce outstanding debt. Joint book managers for the offering are Merrill Lynch & Co. and RBC Capital Markets;...

Taking position: when using lifts, injury prevention means following a proper routine.(Protecting Your Staff)
February 1, 2004... One of the most compelling arguments in favor of socalled "safe lift" policies is the prevention of injuries to caregiver staff personnel. In particular, back injuries and related musculoskeletal disorders have emerged as a virtual pandemic,...

Getting in gear.(Protecting Your Staff)
February 1, 2004... Having been a quadriplegic for 18 years, as well as the owner of a small, medical supply company, I have a thorough awareness of the types of products and information available for safe transfers under various circumstances. My approach in...

Need a lift?(Protecting Your Staff)
February 1, 2004... It's no surprise to anyone that no two people are the same. Why, then, would you try to use the same lift on every patient? One could categorize patients' and residents' mobility levels and capabilities into five basic types: Independent,...

It's a wash: safeguarding the resident and yourself during the bathing process.(Protecting Your Staff)
February 1, 2004... Editor's Note: The following information is provided to describe the various kinds of bathing equipment and transfer devices commonly used in the long term healthcare environment, as well as typical methods used to effectively and safely use...

Manufactured safety.
February 1, 2004... Taking a bath or shower in a safe environment is important. Special attention needs to be given to ways of reducing injuries to caregivers assisting in bathing. New ideas and designs for placement of safety bars, water retention, showers...

Out of harm's way: keeping residents safe from falls and wandering can be a challenge.(Protecting Your Residents)
February 1, 2004... Many nursing home administrators say the two greatest safety concerns facilities face involve problems with residents falling down or wandering. Of all injury-related accidents that send folder people to the emergency room, falls fare the...

Speak the truth: 'documentation, documentation, documentation' makes the best defense.(Protecting Your Business)
February 1, 2004... Many people connected to the long term care industry feel that lawsuits are inevitable After all, we live in a litigious society, and it is in this environment that assisted living and nursing home facilities are faced with the challenge of...

AutoMed efficiency pharmacy.(Shopper)
February 1, 2004... * New H750 system is the first radio frequency identification (RFID)-enabled hospital pharmacy automation and barcoding system * Automates filling of pharmacy orders across all dosage forms and distribution systems * Uses a fraction of...

Standby[R] model 300 clinical sphygmomanometer.(Shopper)
February 1, 2004... * Calibrated at a 20-degree angle for ease of viewing * Equipped with a Calibrated[R] V-Lok Inflation System and four-inch Extendex Tubing * Latex or Latex-Free versions W.A. Baum Co. inc. James M. Baum, vice president of ...

Heine disposable laryngoscope blades.(Shopper)
February 1, 2004... *Designed for single-patient use to eliminate the possibility Of cross-contamination * Blade design prevents the tip from coming into contact with the handle Armstrong Medical Industries 575 Knightsbridge Parkway ...

BladderScan[TM] BVI 6100.(Shopper)
February 1, 2004... * A handheld noninvasive instrument that measures bladder volume * Supplies the information caregivers need to provide best care for patients with urinary dysfunction Diagnostic Ultrasound Karen Fournier, director of marketing ...

Lovenox[R].(Shopper)
February 1, 2004... * New options offer enhanced ease of use. accuracy and safety in dispensing and administration * Multiple-dose via allOWS more flexibility in patient management * Offers broadest range of dosing options * New, sharper needle...

MD2+ medication dispenser.(Shopper)
February 1, 2004... * Now with a built-in personal response system * Easy to load and manage; medications dispensed at touch of a button * Holds three to four weeks of medications for most individuals Interactive Medical Developments LC (IMD) ...

Digital refractometer DR-CLIN.(Shopper)
February 1, 2004... * Designed to read accurate measurements of urine-specific gravity, serum protein and refractive index * Easy to use--place a drop of solution on the sample, then push button for instant LCD readout. Kerno Instruments Co. inc. 420...

Accu-Chek Active[R] meter.(Shopper)
February 1, 2004... * Simple five-second test time optimizes staff efficiency * Minimizes underdosing and retests, saving staff time and eliminating wasted test strips * Enables out-of-meter dosing, giving staff multiple testing options Roche...

Tru-Cut multi-tablet cutter.(Shopper)
February 1, 2004... * Customized disposable trays and blade design assures precise and accurate cutting * Cuts up to 15 tablets at once * Reduces cost of medication and cost of pharmacy labor Links Medical Products Inc. Tom Buckley, president ...

SaniPure[TM]-60.(Shopper)
February 1, 2004... * A clear, flexible tubing with unsurpassed biocompatibility that is heat sealable, bondable, weldable and moldable * Ultra-smooth inner bore which reduces potential particle entrapment and microscopic build-up * Absorption rate lower...

Ableware[R] pill splitter.(Shopper)
February 1, 2004... * Quickly and accurately divides pills, caplets and vitamins for reduced dosage and easier swallowing * Safe for coated and uncoated tablets * Can be used on items up to 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) in diameter Maddak Inc. 6 Industrial...

ambITT pain management infusion pumps.(Shopper)
February 1, 2004... * Deliver a controlled infusion of local anesthetic * Can be used as a traditional PCA pump to deliver I.V. narcotics * Reusable; comparatively priced to many single-use, disposable pain management pumps Sorenson Medical David...

The (resounding) truth about patient Anti-Fall Monitors: some alert systems are fail-safe while others simply fail.(Sound Off)
February 1, 2004... Some long term care facilities have been known to engage in a dangerous and illegal practice of purchasing personal alarms from local vendors and converting them into pull string, patient fall monitors to save money. These personal alarms...