Blogs, Guest Columns, Things I Think and Living Leadership
Entitlement or over utilization?
By
Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L
Oct 07, 2014
Many of our therapy patients are medically complex and we, unfortunately, are not able to predict the future, as it sometimes seems that regulators want us to do.
The power of attorney and five wishes
By
Kerry Peck
Oct 06, 2014
The most important documents to put into place when dealing with individuals with Alzheimer’s are durable powers of attorney for financial matters and healthcare decisions.
Checking in for a new approach
By
Jennifer Tucker and Bill Thomas, M.D.
Oct 03, 2014
The modern way to think about providing care is that we are all in the experience business rather than the service business.
Creative activities for residents with dementia
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Oct 02, 2014
While conducting a training session last week in Montana, I was lucky enough to have a group of more than 100 staff members from various long-term care departments share some excellent suggestions on how...
Third-party validation a necessity in Five Star system
By
MIranda Meadow
Oct 01, 2014
The attention given to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Five Star Quality Rating System over the last few weeks by the New York Times, Forbes, and elected officials serves to highlight the...
A nurse invented that! (But most likely didn’t get credit for it)
By
Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC
Sep 30, 2014
Nurses have invented some really cool stuff. But most likely they’ve received just pats on the heads for coming up with a “work-around” or a “creative solution.” Then someone...
Providers must see clearly before they CHOW down
By
Richard Cheng
Sep 29, 2014
When a skilled nursing facility changes ownership, the change is known in healthcare vernacular as a change of ownership or “CHOW.” Because this could wind up endangering a Medicare provider...
Emergency department efficiency vs. customer service
By
Kristyna Culp
Sep 26, 2014
In healthcare, not all “wasted time” is truly wasted. In fact, some of the most important aspects of healthcare are less than 100% efficient. Of course, we can and should strive for greater...
Of mice and men — and beer
By
Gary Tetz
Sep 25, 2014
Over a beer one day, tipsy researchers decided to study … beer. Now, before you install a keg in every nurses’ station in every memory care unit, you should know that they didn’t exactly...
The Five Star Report, once again, in the SNF spotlight
By
Steven Littlehale
Sep 24, 2014
The Five Star Quality Rating System takes the spotlight on the front page of the New York Times and the top of the news cycle, kicking off other publicity and political pressure. Regardless of any of the...