Patient care-related electrical equipment inspection and maintenance requirements
By
Stan Szpytek
Aug 28, 2023
Skilled nursing facilities are compelled by regulatory compliance to provide residents, staff and visitors with a safe environment of care. Providers occasionally receive deficiencies for conditions...
Decrease costs and boost morale by fostering a culture that prioritizes infection prevention and control
By
Buffy Lloyd-Krejci, DrPH, CIC
Aug 07, 2023
Before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, infection prevention and control (IPC) in long-term care facilities was usually relegated to the sidelines. If it was focused on at all, IPC often fell squarely on...
Infection control without adding staff — it’s not just a fluke
By
Mary Cole
Jul 26, 2023
In a recent letter to leaders in Congress, the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) highlighted the “astonishing lack of attention to infection prevention and control...
Are we done with COVID? Is COVID done with us?
By
Jean Wendland Porter
Jul 25, 2023
At last. I haven’t worn a mask in public in months, I’m starting to see friends again, I’m eating in restaurants again, and my new normal is the old normal. Life is good. There’s some hesitation...
Insurgence of leveled contracts
By
Susie Mix
Jul 14, 2023
By now, we’re all pretty familiar with the fact that managed care is altering the post-acute care payor mix with Medicare Advantage plans. This is a byproduct of national policy, intended to offset our...
Vulnerabilities with fire protection and life safety systems
By
Stan Szpytek
Jun 12, 2023
Life safety in skilled nursing facilities that provide care and compassion to some of our nation’s most vulnerable residents is in part based on the presence of sophisticated fire protection and life...
Accelerating the shift to value-based care in LTC settings
By
Jason Feuerman
Jun 07, 2023
Long-term care providers have always played a crucial role in ensuring the health and well-being of the frail and elderly. As practitioners continue grappling with the demands of patient care and running...
The punitive fist versus the hand of support
By
Buffy Lloyd-Krejci, DrPH, CIC
May 03, 2023
In the late 2010s, the long-term care industry began to take action that would reflect the growing importance of incorporating robust infection prevention practices. Facilities were required to develop...
New SNF Value-Based Purchasing program: Act now!
By
Steven Littlehale
Apr 28, 2023
When I read my first SNF PPS final rule about 25 years ago, I thought that the start dates for some of its initiatives were so far in the future that they were of no concern. As a young person, my long-range...
Prepare for flooding as snow melt begins
By
Stan Szpytek
Apr 05, 2023
Run-off may adversely impact individual long-term care facilities, as well as the infrastructure of entire communities.