Understanding and addressing pain: Thoughts for therapists
By
Renee Kinder
Feb 01, 2024
In my continued endeavor to win Mother of the Year, I really racked up some points this week. Isaac, my youngest son, took a nice spill last Friday while skiing. He suffered what we thought...
Start the year smiling
By
Julie Thorson
Jan 03, 2024
Let’s start the year boldly! I, Julie Thorson, the top expert in nothing and a leader who still has a lot to learn, declare 2024 the year of smiles. Not “pleasant, I look nice on LinkedIn”...
An insider’s guide to managed care contract exclusions
By
Susie Mix
Dec 18, 2023
There’s a key question more providers need to know the answer to: What is a contract exclusion? A contract exclusion details the medications and treatments that are not included in the levels of a managed...
Medicare Advantage: A not-so-advantageous deal for beneficiaries and providers
By
Brendan Williams
Nov 29, 2023
Open enrollment is well underway for Medicare, as television viewers inundated with cheesy insurance company ads can tell. Those ads must work. For the first time 2024 will see most Medicare...
Cures Act deadlines approach for health information technology developers
By
Neville M. Bilimoria
Taylor Hertzler
Nov 20, 2023
Health information technology developers have until December to submit their annual real-world testing plans and to establish their ability to export electronic health information (EHI), with further deadlines...
Creating unity for positive change in nursing homes
By
Michelle Arnot
Nov 13, 2023
Federal regulators’ recently proposed rule on nursing home minimum staffing standards seems to have exacerbated the divisiveness among the various stakeholders in the aging services field. In an...
Staff shortages — what’s the opportunity?
By
Susie Mix
Oct 18, 2023
Amid some good news in healthcare hiring as we recover from the pandemic, staff shortages involve a range of difficult challenges that will persist for years. Among other factors, it’s difficult to find...
Armed intruder and active shooter preparedness in LTC facilities
By
Stan Szpytek
Steve Wilder
Oct 09, 2023
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) requires skilled nursing facilities to plan for emergencies and disasters to protect the vulnerable population they serve. The regulations cited in Appendix...
It’s me. I’m the problem.
By
Gary Tetz
Oct 05, 2023
Sadly, I didn’t get to the American Health Care Association convention this year. Actually, it’s been a full decade since I last personally attended one of these auspicious gatherings, Now, lest...
Making sense of two approaches to the skilled nursing quality assurance privilege
By
Mario C. Giannettino
Sep 01, 2023
Skilled nursing facilities are required by law to have quality assessment and assurance committees to maintain and improve safety and quality in their facilities. The documents created and used by the...