Blogs, Guest Columns, Things I Think and Living Leadership
Do the new QMs have you seeing stars?
By
Steven Littlehale
Mar 18, 2016
Actions providers take now will make or break their Five-Star Quality Rating experience in July. That’s because the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has changed quality measures in a way...
Beyond pillow mints: The hard work of extraordinary customer service
By
Gale Morgan
Mar 17, 2016
From fast food emporiums to small plumbing companies to my favorite online stationary store, any customer-facing business today should be hyper-aware of providing good customer service in order to succeed.
Transitions ahead for nursing homes
By
Betsy Rust
Mar 16, 2016
Align your incentives with the incentives of those who are paying for your services. Remember that your revenues are someone else’s costs.
Using light to improve sleep, reduce agitation
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Mar 15, 2016
Research now suggests there may be a solution for residents lacking sleep, experiencing depression or falls, or other certain conditions — and it involves no medication or side effects. The answer could...
Catch a falling star
By
Kim Lewis
Mar 14, 2016
It is time for all SNFs to embrace that if they are not actively moving forward with a plan to improve their stars, they will likely be find themselves falling behind.
Consultant pharmacists can improve the health of seniors
By
Frank L. Grosso, RPh
Mar 11, 2016
Experienced senior care and consultant pharmacists, who specialize in caring for the medication needs of older adults, will have more opportunities than ever before to provide care in a wide variety of...
Spring up, down or sideways
By
Gary Tetz
Mar 10, 2016
Benjamin Franklin didn’t work in long-term care. Look it up. It’s a historical fact. If he had, his hair-brained daylight saving scheme never would have seen the light of day.
Rising tide of medical cannabis
Mar 09, 2016
While there is some concern about potential abuse of medical cannabis, it is overshadowed by its potential benefits.
What I wish I knew back then
By
Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC
Mar 08, 2016
I saw a question on LinkedIn asking you to think back to your first job and what you wish you knew back then that you know now. It really got me thinking. After pondering on it for a while, my answer is...
What is missing from Five Star?
By
Ilene Warner-Maron, Ph.D., RN-BC, NHA
Mar 07, 2016
The rating system has gone through additional changes recently with the addition of psychotropic medications for short and long-stay admissions as an additional quality indicator.