Operate with an eye on quality, not the next survey cycle
By
Steven Littlehale
Mar 16, 2012
The anxiety associated with an impending survey should be offset by the fact that the nursing facility holds the secret to its own success – the knowledge of its customers.
Is this billable time?
By
Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L
Mar 07, 2012
The title sounds like an obvious question, but I can guarantee that the majority of therapists have under billed at some point in their career.
Catheters, infections and … you don’t want to know
By
Elizabeth Newman
Mar 06, 2012
Urinary catheters were on my radar twice last week. The first involved a late-night trip to the vet with an unhappy cat. The second, a political animal.
Analytically Speaking: CMS Quality Measures for MDS 3.0
By
Steven Littlehale
Feb 17, 2012
At first, the MDS 3.0 Quality Measures do not appear to be very different from those based on MDS 2.0. But “the devil is in the details” and nearly every measure that seems familiar is different...
Effectively screen those residents
By
Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L
Feb 09, 2012
It’s not much of a surprise that many therapists are excellent at everything in their job — except screening.
Peace is hell
By
John O'Connor
Feb 03, 2012
On Thursday, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke delivered some tough-love testimony about rising healthcare costs and our shrinking Treasury. This would be very sobering news indeed — if an easy answer...
Handling your PR crisis
By
Elizabeth Newman
Jan 31, 2012
A few months ago, I called up a nursing facility that was embroiled in a legal snafu. I’m not sure I was able to utter an audible response to its marketing representative since I was busy hitting...
Increasing length-of-stay
By
Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L
Jan 30, 2012
Length-of-stay — LOS — is one of those management reports that often leaves administrators and upper management bewildered. If you increase LOS, you essentially increase your census.
Shuffling down the aisle
By
Mary Gustafson
Jan 19, 2012
For anyone who’s in the trenches caring for someone with Alzheimer’s — either in your own home or a long-term care community — the announcement of government initiatives aimed at finding...
Does your therapy department have resolve?
By
Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L
Jan 16, 2012
It’s that time of year again, time to settle down and get refocused on our goals and … New Year’s resolutions that might have already been broken! Have you kept your resolutions? Has...