CMS updated survey guidance and interpretive guidance for 20 F-Tags that went into effect Nov. 26, 2014. Are SNF leaders paying attention?
Summer reading: The language of long-term care
By
Mary Helen McSweeney-Feld
Jul 30, 2014
A recent NPR survey of older adults had a not-too-surprising finding: No one likes being referred to as “elderly” or as a “senior.”
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.
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.
The inherent bias in the Five-Star System
By
Jeff Petty
Sep 19, 2012
The Five-Star System has a systematic and profound bias that favors smaller facilities and penalizes larger facilities.
Cracking the code to seven years of Five-Star ratings success
By
Steven Littlehale
Sep 19, 2016
Since the inception of the Five-Star Quality Rating program in December 2008, there have been 113 Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs) that have earned and maintained an overall 5-star score. Who are these...
Georgia enhances advertising protections for LTC
By
Glenn Hendrix and Jason Bring
Aug 03, 2015
Georgia’s Gov. Nathan Deal recently signed into law House Bill 342.
How soon is soon enough?
By
William Vaughan
Jul 31, 2013
The word “immediate” in the State Operation Manual, Appendix PP – Guidance to Surveyors for Long Term Care Facilities can be interpreted in multiple ways. Determining the timing of interventions...
Control your claims: Pressure ulcer/wound care management
By
Betty Norman
Apr 12, 2017
Our loss trending experience has shown us that the same issues that result in F-tags during a survey can also result in a patient event or claim.
Shining some light on the new Five Star system
By
Steven Littlehale
Sep 05, 2012
The Five Star overall score is comprised of three domains: Survey, Staffing and Quality Measures. This month, look a little deeper into the overall Five Star Scores.