Returning from an early morning walk down to the harbor of this sleepy Cape Cod town, it’s hard not to feel hopeful. My geriatric pups Melvin and Theodore couldn’t get enough of the sea smells...
Which matters most: Social media or Five-Star?
By
Steven Littlehale
May 27, 2022
Recently my colleague Ken Kelley, MS, OTR/L, RAC-CT, a clinical consultant/reimbursement specialist, posited something about Five-Star ratings that I hadn’t considered. He suggested that, in general,...
When the rules change, not everyone wins: Counting IC deficiencies in Five-Star
By
Steven Littlehale
Feb 05, 2021
Do you remember how, as you were growing up, there was always another kid who would change the rules mid-game to ensure that he won? I do, and it would always make my blood boil. The Centers for Medicare...
Monet embraced change, have you?
By
Steven Littlehale
Apr 12, 2019
It’s a wild time in long-term care — and a good time to embrace change.
It’s not morbid to talk about death … a lot
By
Steven Littlehale
Dec 07, 2018
It’s not morbid to talk about death, even on the dance floor at your high school reunion.
Ball girl, stand down!
By
Steven Littlehale
Aug 24, 2018
There is something you and your team must do immediately, the success of which will make or break your transition to the government’s new payment model. Relax. Refresh. Recharge. Only with a clear...
Five-Star is anything but frozen
By
Steven Littlehale
Dec 13, 2017
The day after Thanksgiving, CMS further defined its intensions with the Five-Star Quality Rating System; more specifically how the new survey process and derivative data will be used in its calculation...
Lots to learn with new Five-Star
By
Steven Littlehale
Jul 22, 2022
On a recent flight, I sat next to an attorney whose principal focus was compliance. It turned out that we were both on our way to speak at events in the same popular Florida conference destination. She...
PDPM: Where providers should be now, on Oct. 1, and at 6 and 12 months post implementation
By
Steven Littlehale
Jul 31, 2019
“Tick, Tick … Boom!,” a lesser known musical by composer Jonathan Larson, who won a Pulitzer and three Tony Awards for his musical “Rent,” opens with a ticking sound.
Supporting the unpaid caregiver through the virtuous circle
By
Steven Littlehale
Nov 12, 2021
It seems inevitable. You are likely among the 53 million people in the United States who are unpaid caregivers for a loved one. If not, you may soon join their ranks. This unpaid and frequently unplanned...