Contemporary Long Term Care articles from October 2006

Contemporary Long Term Care archives from October 2006

It's back!(OFF THE TOP)
October 1, 2006... Welcome to the first issue of the new Contemporary Long-Term Care--now published by HCPro, Inc. Loyal readers may have noticed that Contemporary Long-Term Care (CLTC) quietly ceased publication in 2005--after more than 25 years of service...

OIG: hurricane preparedness lacking in nursing homes.(Office of the Inspector General)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... The Office of the Inspector General released a new study, Nursing Home Emergency Preparedness and Response During Recent Hurricanes, that discussed shortfalls in disaster preparedness. Although the majority of nursing homes satisfied state and...

Proposed tax cut would hurt nursing homes.(INDUSTRY UPDATE)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... A report by BDO Seidman, LLP, for the American Health Care Association (AHCA) states that in 2007 a proposed tax cut by the Bush administration will halve the provider tax rate that states can charge from 6% to 3%. The provider tax was...

Part D cost projections show stability in 2007.(INDUSTRY UPDATE)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... In 2007, the average cost of Medicare prescription drug plans will remain stable or decline, and the actual average premium residents pay will remain around $24 or less, CMS announced last week. If residents continue to choose less costly...

The word from CMS.(INDUSTRY UPDATE)(Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... CMS discussed the following in its August 29 Long-Term Care/Skilled Nursing Facility Open Door Forum. * The UB-04 billing form will replace the UB-92 in 2007. The transition period, in which facilities may use either form, is from March 1,...

Emergency response seen as lacking.(INDUSTRY UPDATE)(Hurricane Summit)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... The journal Health Affairs published a study on the long-term care "Hurricane Summit" conducted by the John A. Hartford Foundation and sponsored by the Florida Health Care Association. The summit addressed the issues nursing homes faced during...

Washington Legal Foundation files Part D lawsuit.(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... The Washington Legal Foundation (WLF) filed a suit against CMS in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia for blocking truthful speech concerning insurance coverage available to senior citizens under Medicare Part D, stated a WLF...

The calendar.(Calendar)
October 1, 2006... Conferences October 8-11 AHCA & NCAL & THCA 57th Annual Convention and Exposition San Antonio, TX www.ahca.org October 19-20 AANAC National Fall Conference Louisville, KY www.aanac.org November 5-8 AAHSA 2006 Annual...

All-in-one door alarm.(WHAT'S NEW)
October 1, 2006... Smart Caregiver Corp.'s "all in one" Anti-Wandering Door Alarm System functions with just a door alarm and a resident wristband. Simply hang the door alarm above any crucial exit or doorway in your care facility and plug it in. No set-up...

Electronic risk management.(WHAT'S NEW)
October 1, 2006... QuickCare's revolutionary QC-eCare fully integrated risk management system allows real-time information to be gathered at the point of care, and then combined with all detailed clinical documentation and stored in a database. QC-eCare utilizes...

High performance carpeting.(WHAT'S NEW)
October 1, 2006... Lees' new Kensington Collection features three running line patterns, 11 additional custom patterns, and 12 colorways, from deep neutrals to warm earth tones. Its NeoFloor[TM] Moments Collection offers four nature-inspired products designed by...

Drier with fewer odors.(WHAT'S NEW)
October 1, 2006... A bladder condition shouldn't stop anyone from getting the most out of life. That's why millions of Americans rely on the TENA[R] brand for the ultimate in protection. TENA[R] Briefs now feature OdaSorb Plus[TM] for improved odor control....

Dry at max capacity.(WHAT'S NEW)
October 1, 2006... Speed Queen[R] introduces a new 45-pound stack tumbler-the T45--and laundry managers can now meet the need for additional drying capacity within the space they have available. The volume of linens to be done in on-premises laundries is always...

Simplify your investigations.(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Educate your staff and develop policies and procedures on performing proper investigations. Briggs' Investigations Simplified uses real life situations that step you through how to handle follow-up investigations. Investigations Simplified...

The DRA takes on Medicaid abuse: get ready to update your compliance plan.(Deficit Reduction Act of 2005)
October 1, 2006... The long-term care industry is facing yet another national government initiative, but for once, it's about Medicaid, not Medicare--and it will require you to dust off your compliance plans and update your training materials. You'll need...

Taking control of your development projects.
October 1, 2006... In response to the growing need for additional housing and care alternatives driven by the aging phenomenon, nursing home owners are faced with two choices: build new facilities or renovate older ones. Because of the dynamic nature in which...

Mastering reimbursement under RUGs 53: four steps that start from the top.(resource utilization group)
October 1, 2006... We're all adjusting to life under RUGs (Resource Utilization Group) 53. After all, at first glance, major associations predicted a $10 per-day per-resident loss for every facility under the RUG refinements. That hasn't come to pass for...

The lawsuit-proof nursing home: preventing legal action in the wake of crisis situations.(Cover story)
October 1, 2006... The business landscape of the United States is a legal minefield--and the nursing home industry is far from immune. Huge settlements for fall- or pressure-ulcer related negligence or wrongful death make the news on a seemingly weekly basis. And...

Legal landmines: how to handle three potential hot-button situations.
October 1, 2006... THE SITUATION Elopement "When you have what's supposed to be a secure environment and a patient gets out, you're looking at licensing sanctions, lawsuits, and horrible PR. You lose a resident and it's devastating," Goldman states. "These...

Life under psychosocial outcomes: what CMS' important new initiative means to your facility.(Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services)
October 1, 2006... With the release of the new Psychosocial Outcome Severity Guide, CMS is telling nursing homes to focus as much on the word "home" as you do "nursing." The new guidance--which went into effect June 8, 2006--has caused much anxiety and concern in...

SNF no-pay claims: assessing CMS' new instructions for benefits billing.(skilled nursing facility)(Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services)
October 1, 2006... Picture this scenario: Your skilled nursing facility (SNF) receives a referral from your local hospital for a potential admission. The referred resident has a feeding tube and was admitted to the hospital from another nursing home where he had...

Are you ready for the NPI? Time to learn about a new reimbursement essential.(National Provider Identifier)
October 1, 2006... Has your nursing home signed up for its National Provider Identifier (NPI) yet? Has it implemented a plan to put the NPI to work? Get a jump on both tasks now so that your facility will be in compliance by the May 23, 2007, deadline. Some...

How does your therapy billing measure up? Avoid these seven common pitfalls to maximize allowable reimbursement.
October 1, 2006... The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services continues to lay down the law on medical reviews. When the medical review team examines your therapy billing practices under a microscope, will you have anything to worry about? At many facilities,...

AAHSA's San Francisco treat.(CONFERENCE PREVIEW)(American Association for Homes and Services for the Aging)(Conference news)
October 1, 2006... For long-term care professionals, helping the elderly comes naturally--but how often do they get to tell their stories? The American Association for Homes and Services for the Aging (AAHSA), the country's largest trade association for nonprofit...

Larry Slatky: president of the American College of Healthcare Administrators.(Interview)
October 1, 2006... Larry Slatky has logged nearly four decades in long-term care--and has no plans to slow down any time soon. Earlier this year he became the chair of the American College of Health Care Administrators (ACHCA), whose 3,400 members comprise the...

Five easy steps to reducing falls risk: a fall management protocol helps nursing homes identify residents at risk and develop effective interventions to prevent falls.
October 1, 2006... Step 1: Risk management by committee Set up a fall management committee in your facility. Include representatives from the various departments in your nursing home on the committee: nursing department, including a nurse and a nursing...

Online training for F314.(PRODUCT INSIGHT)
October 1, 2006... Developed and narrated by a nationally recognized skin and wound care expert, Skil-Care's free online education program teaches nurses and therapists how proper wheelchair positioning and seating can prevent pressure sores and assist with F314...

Improved walking belt.(PRODUCT INSIGHT)
October 1, 2006... The new Posey Deluxe Walking Belt is constructed with wider 6" support bands and a soft inner liner for improved patient support and comfort. The Deluxe Walking Belt offers a greater range of application for patients with waists ranging from...

Repositioning aid.(PRODUCT INSIGHT)
October 1, 2006... VanCare's VERA[TM] is the "Very Efficient Repositioning Aid" preferred by staff and residents. Among VanCare's many lifts, VERA[TM] reduces back injuries among nursing staff. In most cases, the resident can be transferred from a seated to a...

Bed mat with alarm.(PRODUCT INSIGHT)
October 1, 2006... Ultimate Safety's Ultimate with EdgeSense bed mat sounds an alarm when patients position themselves on the edge of the bed exit, allowing healthcare professionals to respond quickly to prevent falls. For more information, enter 61792 in the...

What are the big ones?(BREAKROOM)(Statistical table)
October 1, 2006... What are the big one? What are the most frequent F-Tag citations out there? The most recent statistics, taken from calendar year 2005, show that the more things change, the more they stay the same. Have a look at the top 10,...

Five years ago ...(Flashback: Contemporary Long-Term Care magazine reaches into its archives for a look back ...)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... In October 2001, Janice K. Olson, RN, MS, MEd, attempted to answer a valuable question: Why do directors of nursing (DON) drop out? The answers she found seemed logical--staffing shortages, lack of administrative support, and increasing...

10 years ago ...(Flashback: Contemporary Long-Term Care magazine reaches into its archives for a look back ...)(business decisions)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... In October 1996, contributing writer Jim Moore examined the narrowing gap between the types of business decisions made by nonprofit versus for-profit facilities, including market responsiveness, operational efficiency, and user fees in major...

Overheard.(BREAKROOM)
October 1, 2006... "Decaf coffee? At a nursing conference? You've got to be kidding me!" --overheard at the American Association of Nurse Assessment Coordinators' spring conference in Las Vegas, March 2006