Antipsychotic drug use correlated to staffing levels
By
McKnight's Staff
May 01, 2012
While antipsychotic drug use overuse has decreased since 2005, nearly a quarter of U.S. nursing homes are still giving many residents the medications against recommendations, a Boston Globe analysis reveals.
Nursing homes debate defibrillator requirements
May 18, 2011
Nursing homes in Pennsylvania are debating whether facilities should be required to install automated external defibrillators, according to local news reports.
Florida to permit GAO survey of elderly voting access next Tuesday
Oct 28, 2008
Two days after receiving a letter from U.S. Senators Herb Kohl (D-WI) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Florida Secretary of State Kurt S. Browning has agreed to allow officers from the Government Accountability...
Report: Triggered Medicare cuts would hit hospitals harder than nursing homes
Nov 23, 2011
Nursing homes will be impacted less than hospitals and physicians if the automatic cuts to Medicare providers are implemented, a new report finds. The 2% across-the-board Medicare cuts are scheduled as...
Lawmakers demand answers about rating system quirks
By
John O'Connor
Oct 01, 2014
After The New York Times noted that providers are apparently gaming the Five Star rating system by enhancing staffing and quality data, federal lawmakers quickly put an indignant pen to paper.
CMS allows less-severe citations for nursing homes installing a sprinkler system
By
Tim Mullaney
Nov 19, 2013
Nursing homes might be able to reduce the scope and severity of deficiency citations related to sprinkler systems, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently announced.
Court expresses concern over Omnicare drug packaging practices but dismisses False Claims suit
By
Tim Mullaney
Feb 26, 2014
A whistleblower exposed disturbing drug packaging practices being used by long-term care pharmacy Omnicare Inc., but the charges don’t fall under the False Claims Act, a federal appeals court recently...
Two nursing homes under investigation after hiring alleged war criminal
Apr 06, 2011
The state’s Cabinet of Health and Family Services is investigating two Kentucky nursing homes that hired an alleged Bosnian war criminal, The Lexington Herald-Leader reported.
Omnicare off the hook in drug packaging case after Supreme Court passes
By
Tim Mullaney
Oct 09, 2014
Long-term care pharmacy Omnicare will not face False Claims Act penalties for drug packaging practices that apparently ran afoul of safety regulations. The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to take up the...
SNFs should focus on partnerships, quality, to weather uncertain future, experts say
Jan 16, 2012
In order to survive an uncertain financial and regulatory environment, skilled nursing operators need to look at partnering with other healthcare systems and improving the quality of care, analysts say.