Why nursing homes won’t be catching many breaks this year
By
John O'Connor
Feb 03, 2014
When you talk to experts in this field about the year ahead, an unsettling pattern soon emerges. Almost everyone seems fairly confident that regulators will be taking a much closer look at operators.
Feeling a bit run down? Blame the third shift
By
John O'Connor
Jan 31, 2014
Long-term care professionals must be on hand to work the dreaded third shift, given the 24/7 nature of the job. For some caregivers, that means extra difficulties getting through an overnight shift. New...
An easy way to reduce antibiotics
By
Elizabeth Newman
Jan 30, 2014
It is tempting to run to my internist and beg for an antibiotic to stem what could be a sinus infection, but is more likely, much like the polar vortex, a cold that won’t go away. I was reminded...
A ‘Super’ physician-pay fix in the making?
By
James M. Berklan
Jan 29, 2014
I suppose it’s only fitting that during the week of the season’s biggest football game, Washington healthcare wonks are discussing a potential huge punt of their own.
Provider networks: Too big to succeed?
By
Tim Mullaney
Jan 28, 2014
At this point, you’re well aware that the Affordable Care Act is putting pressure on post-acute providers to partner with hospitals and physician groups. A recent whistleblower case in California...
Time for long-term care to take a lesson from the NRA?
By
John O'Connor
Jan 27, 2014
It’s funny, most of the time, Congress gets along about as well as the Hatfields and the McCoys. But if there is one thought that seems to unify our elected officials, it’s this: Nursing homes...
And now, some important reminders from a 94-year-old
By
John O'Connor
Jan 24, 2014
Conventional wisdom can be a reassuring thing. Especially when it reinforces our suspicions. But it has a fatal flaw: Sometimes it can be flat-out wrong. Consider 94-year-old Olga Kotelko.
Who’s buying your loyalty?
By
Elizabeth Newman
Jan 23, 2014
While the story of former Gov. McDonnell and his wife’s alleged excess may make us shake our heads, it did remind me of the slippery slope many in business or politics can fall down when it comes...
Making the case for love at work
By
James M. Berklan
Jan 22, 2014
The main focus of any long-term care operation is usually the residents’ wants and needs. Caregivers typically dole out huge helpings of personal emotional energy along the way. But they might be...
Playing tennis, and the ‘what if?’ game
By
Tim Mullaney
Jan 21, 2014
Watching the Australian Open tennis tournament, where temperatures have been hovering around 110 degrees, has helped my recovery from the recent polar vortex. It’s also unexpectedly prompted me to...