Blogs, Guest Columns, Things I Think and Living Leadership
Top 10 nursing home strategies to avoid hospital admissions
By
Marge Mercury, RN, MS, CMCE
Oct 30, 2012
Hospitalizations of frail nursing home residents can result in higher costs, complications, and death. Fifteen percent of long-term nursing home residents are hospitalized in any given six-month period,...
The Manual Medical Review mess
By
Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L
Oct 29, 2012
What a mess — and that’s probably an understatement! Medicare Part B decided to roll out its new manual medical review process by dividing providers into three phases. If you are unfortunate to...
No rockets’ red (or blue) glare
By
Gary Tetz
Oct 29, 2012
Like sitting in a tub of hot cocoa on the shore of an enchanted mountain lake while listening to a choir of violin-wielding angels. That’s about how it felt to spend some quality time last week at...
The importance of a smoking policy
By
Betty Norman
Oct 25, 2012
Resident smoking polices mean much more than cleaner air at long-term care facilities. As recent incidents demonstrate, having effective policies for residents – and making sure they are followed...
What a professional caregiver should never forget
By
Elaine C. Pereira
Oct 24, 2012
Never forget that every resident has a past, a story worth hearing if they could only tell it.
Government spending on healthcare for the poor jumped 37% in 3 years, report shows
By
McKnight's Staff
Oct 22, 2012
Federal spending on healthcare programs for the poor grew 37% between fiscal years 2008 and 2011, a government report released Thursday shows.
Where in the !@#$% are their inspection processes?
By
Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC
Oct 22, 2012
What if compounding pharmacies were given even a quarter of the scrutiny of long-term care inspections? If that were done, I don’t believe there would be a fungus among us!
Are computers overtaking the therapy department?
By
Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L
Oct 18, 2012
Are we being replaced by computers? Most likely the answer is no, but … computers have made our jobs more efficient, right? Right?
Can’t we all just communicate?
By
Cathy Lipton, M.D.
Oct 18, 2012
A growing focus in long-term care facilities is on the reduction in preventable admissions and readmissions to the hospital. The truth is the timing of this mandate could not be better.
Preparing for disaster in a nursing home or AL facility
By
Vivian Marinelli
Oct 16, 2012
Don’t wait until disaster strikes. Emergency plans should be updated and put to the test on a regular basis, at least annually. New hires must review the plan as part of their training.