CVS purchase of Omnicare to bring severe teeth gnashing
By
James M. Berklan
May 28, 2015
It’s an odd thing to see the king of the jungle become the hunted instead of the hunter. But now that the smoke has started to clear from last week’s announcement that pharmacy giant CVS will...
Winning recognition for your facility
By
Elizabeth Newman
May 11, 2015
Here’s how you know a program is successful: When people keep asking you when it’s coming back.
Providers suffering Medicare appeals backlog — at their own hand?
By
James M. Berklan
Apr 29, 2015
If providers were charged a fee for challenging Recovery Audit Contractor findings, there wouldn’t be the current overwhelming backlog of Medicare appeals, says the administration — and, surprise,...
Alarming headline about safety gives incomplete picture
By
James M. Berklan
Mar 16, 2015
Curse the headline writers, for they sometimes don’t do stories justice. The nursing home profession knows this as well as anyone.
Let your voice be heard
By
Elizabeth Newman
Feb 25, 2015
A new study reaches important conclusions about how important it is to — literally — speak up for yourself. Not to do so is a mistake, something I can identify with.
Long-term care has better commenters
By
Elizabeth Newman
Jan 29, 2015
Part of the job for anyone who writes is the potential for receiving nasty comments. In some cases, this can lead to big problems.
Three strikes is good for baseball but bad for nursing homes
By
John O'Connor
Jan 26, 2015
Even if you are not a baseball fan, you are probably familiar with the concept of three-strikes-and-you’re-out. There’s a certain elegance to the phrase, but it doesn’t belong in the...
Strength in unity is pharmacies’ motto, and hope
By
James M. Berklan
Jan 15, 2015
Growing up, we had a saying when we wanted to cross a busy street but couldn’t catch a break from drivers. “C’mon,” one of us would gamely yell, while pulling the others onto the...
Cut the hypocrisy when it comes to flu shots for health workers
By
James M. Berklan
Dec 10, 2014
Providers get enough pressure about vaccinating their employees. They don’t need the hypocrisy dished out by surveyors too.
Another revenue stream threatened?
By
John O'Connor
Dec 05, 2014
For just about every skilled nursing facility out there, this is probably a good time to break out the flop sweat. That is, unless the prospect of being culled from one of your most vital revenue streams...