Plans are being put into place that will also penalize the skilled nursing facility for avoidable readmissions. As such, to distinguish oneself as a desirable downstream provider, one must effectively...
Pay for performance, medical necessity and Jimmo
By
Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L
Jun 04, 2014
Why would anyone mention value-based reimbursement, medical necessity and the Jimmo lawsuit in the same sentence? I feel they are all related, but it will be difficult to find the perfect balancing act...
Transcen-dental meditation
By
Gary Tetz
Nov 21, 2013
Some people do their best thinking during meditation or yoga. For others it’s the shower, or while they’re swimming from Cuba to Florida. Personally, some of my deepest, most insightful thoughts...
The G-codes are here for payment claims — ready or not
By
Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L
May 23, 2013
Effective July 1, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will begin rejecting claims received for Medicare Part B patients that do not include the new requirement of G-coding. That really means providers...
The Employee Free Choice Act: What nursing homes can do to keep unions at the door
May 01, 2009
It could just be a matter of time before the Employee Free Choice Act, also known as the card-check bill, passes through Congress. Even if it is enacted, there are steps that nursing homes can take to...
Revamping CMS survey data integration amid regulatory lag in nursing home oversight
By
Steven Littlehale
Dec 08, 2023
The report titled “Uninspected and Neglected” by the majority staff of the US Senate Special Committee on Aging brings attention to a pressing issue: the severe understaffing of inspection agencies...
A tisket, a tasket … No LPNs in the RN basket
By
Steven Littlehale
Jul 20, 2015
Reporting direct care hours is nothing new, but the Affordable Care Act takes it to the next level with mandatory quarterly electronic submission of staffing and census data. This focus on staffing ratios...
Caring for complex patients is no easy task
By
Jeffrey Brenner, M.D.
Apr 06, 2016
We plan to bring together front-line providers, healthcare educators and students, model-builders, data scientists, and policy makers to build this national center, collect learnings, and teach others...
The power of attorney and five wishes
By
Kerry Peck
Oct 06, 2014
The most important documents to put into place when dealing with individuals with Alzheimer’s are durable powers of attorney for financial matters and healthcare decisions.
Point of Care data collection: information at your fingertips
By
Larry Triplett
Nov 11, 2008
It’s time to move on from the old method of pen-and-paper documentation in long-term care. Point-of-care electronic data collection offers improved accuracy, communication and resident care. So what...