The Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement system from CMS is on our doorsteps. As facilities have been training and educating themselves, the new QIS (Quality Indicator Surveys) are ready to roll....
The nursing home survey system is about to get a much closer look
By
John O'Connor
Aug 29, 2014
You had to know this was coming. Earlier this week, the New York Times reported that many nursing homes are submitting massaged staffing and quality indicator data to the feds. The alleged reason? So facilities...
Another survey; another big, bad, sad number
By
Kimberly Marselas
Sep 27, 2022
I spent nearly a month this summer examining your reflections on working in nursing homes. I read through nurse leaders’ comments about dissatisfaction with pay, the decreasing meaning in their jobs...
A former surveyor tells THE key to getting good star ratings
By
Leslie Mahoney, RN, BSN
May 14, 2018
Until the State Operations Manual becomes the quintessential tool for regulatory compliance, a 5-star rating will be out of reach for skilled nursing providers. It’s as simple as that.
One state seeks to return polish to star ratings. How long will the rest take?
By
Kimberly Marselas
Feb 27, 2024
More ratings, relationships and payment incentives are tied to nursing home data than ever before, but that data also appears to be harder than just about ever to collect in a timely manner.
Emergency prep lessons for surviving ‘ruthless’ audits in Jan. 17 webinar
Jan 03, 2018
A special McKnight’s webinar on Jan. 17 will offer secrets directly from a master emergency preparedness planner, trainer and driller with a perfect compliance record.
Upon further inspection, part of the CMS visitation guidance stinks
By
Neville M. Bilimoria
Mar 20, 2021
There is unfortunate irony in a provision of the new CMS nursing home visitation guidance.
Lower the risk and deter elopement
By
Betty Norman
Feb 10, 2017
The single most cited F-tag in a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services survey is F-323 in regards to resident safety and supervision.
LTC leaders’ motto: Bring it on
By
James M. Berklan
Sep 03, 2020
One would think that 70,000 extra deaths in their midst and a constant fear of deadly contamination would seal the deal. Nope.
New study finds the terms we use inadvertently offends seniors
By
Kevin M. Williams
Jul 19, 2013
The terms we use to describe and communicate with seniors have either positive or negative associations. We recently conducted a new survey asking 1,114 participants their feelings and associations with...