On Oct. 1, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will be updating the Minimum Data Set with another round of changes. Most are minor but there will be two changes to the therapy section. Your case-mix...
50 shades of G-coding
By
Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L
Jul 02, 2013
Sorry, ladies, I didn’t mean to get your hopes up with that title. But does anyone else feel like there is a lot of ambiguity to the new G-Coding system? Well, it’s a little too early to tell...
Ready Set: QAPI!
By
Steven Littlehale
Nov 05, 2012
Nursing facilities must submit written QAPI plans to CMS one year after promulgation of the regulation. This regulation will be in addition to current QAA standards.
Big challenges ahead for therapy
By
Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L
Jun 12, 2012
A few years ago, my consulting company had the opportunity to work with a facility to implement a bariatric unit within a skilled nursing facility. This would seem an easy task, but the facility ended...
All by myself
By
Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC
Jun 29, 2021
When I am nervous about something, I hate being by myself. I want to know what to expect, what’s going to happen next, and most importantly, that there is somebody that’s got my back. I don’t think...
How good does your data need to be?
By
Steven Littlehale
Jan 29, 2018
It’s a loaded question: How good does your data need to be? If we’re honest with ourselves, we must admit that we’re not perfect. Nor are the systems we create to help minimize error...
Employee engagement: Bringing head and heart to every action, every day
By
Martie Moore
Nov 29, 2017
I shared with the charge nurse my inner joy about filling all our staffing holes completely. She looked at the schedule and mumbled, “Great — you have scheduled nothing but Refrigerator Nurses.”
When technology fails us: ‘We talk’
By
Steven Littlehale
Dec 19, 2016
Driving my Grandma to one of her favorite restaurants to celebrate a significant birthday (she prefers that I don’t specify which) offered me an important lesson in communication.
Be thankful … for QAPI details?!
By
Steven Littlehale
Nov 25, 2015
t’s the time of year when we reflect and give thanks. With all the rapid changes in post-acute care, providers can be thankful for the Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement regulations detailed...
Multistate corporations, listen up!
By
Steven Littlehale
May 30, 2014
It is not a numbers game. Well, I guess it kind of is. Let’s face it: It is now common practice to monitor your facilities’ Five Star ratings.