There has been a slogan that has circulated on social media recently that goes like this: “Fall is proof that change is beautiful.” Hmm… I suppose individual perspective is the key to whether that...
Trick or treat? MDS changes are in the bag
By
Joel VanEaton
Oct 03, 2023
When I was a kid, I loved getting dressed up for Halloween. I remember especially a clown (funny not scary) costume I got one year. I couldn’t wait to put it on and be transformed into another world....
Care teams now at risk as MDS changes roll out
By
Kimberly Marselas
Sep 28, 2023
It’s been widely billed as the biggest change to the Minimum Data Set in more than a decade, and on Sunday, version 1.18.11 of the MDS 3.0 finally kicks in.
CATs in the cradle, CAA changes coming soon
By
Joel VanEaton
Sep 05, 2023
Have you listened to the song, “Cats in the Cradle” by Harry Chapin? It’s a folk song written in the early 1970s. If you haven’t heard it, give it a listen. I think you’ll like it. The phrase...
CMS makes 60 changes to finalize new MDS playbook
By
James M. Berklan
Aug 25, 2023
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released the final version of the new Resident Assessment Instrument manual Thursday .
New interviews in the MDS? We’ve been scripted!
By
Joel VanEaton
Aug 08, 2023
Have you ever watched or listened to an interview where the person being interviewed consistently dodges the questions and responds with something completely unrelated or that doesn’t really answer the...
It’s Independence Day y’all!
By
Joel VanEaton
Jul 11, 2023
I love summer and especially the July 4th holiday. In the small town where I live, we have an event called “Jonesborough Days.” It’s a two-day celebration with a parade, food vendors, music, fireworks...
The movie is never as good as the book… usually
By
Joel VanEaton
Jun 13, 2023
Have you ever read a really good book that was subsequently made into a movie? I have. Time after time, after watching the movie, I end up walking away thinking, “I wish I had just stuck with the book…...
The MDS reminds me of something in Narnia?
By
Joel VanEaton
May 16, 2023
I am a fan of C.S. Lewis. If you have not read “The Chronicles of Narnia,” you should. You may have seen the more recent three films based on these books. As good as they were, as is usually the case,...
The MDS is the ‘bee’s knees’
By
Joel VanEaton
Apr 18, 2023
Last summer, we all got a taste of where the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is heading regarding a unified payment system for Medicare-covered post-acute care