FDA approves new oral drug to relieve constipation from opioid painkillers
By
McKnight's Staff
Apr 24, 2013
Long-term care residents who experience constipation from taking opioids to manage chronic pain may benefit from Amitiza, an oral drug recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
Reviewing the top 10 errors in rehab documentation
By
Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L
Apr 23, 2013
As a long-term care therapy consultant, I work on a lot of claim reviews and denials management with my clients. I’ve also read a lot of peer-review research articles related to this subject, and...
Feds ask for mental health clarifications in light of HIPAA rules
By
Elizabeth Newman
Apr 23, 2013
The federal government is asking how changes for HIPAA rules might impact states reporting information about patients’ mental health conditions, and whether they should be allowed to purchase a gun.
Pssst, here’s how the LTC lobby can eliminate the 3-day rule — and gain other Congressional perks
By
John O'Connor
Apr 19, 2013
You might not be old enough to remember the “Schoolhouse Rock” videos that aired between cartoons on Saturday mornings during the 1970s. One of my favorites was “I’m Just a Bill.”...
Managing change
Apr 18, 2013
Manual processes for crushing pills is no longer working, but changes in technology provide solutions for providers.
Amgen pays $25 million to settle whistleblower case over kickbacks to long-term care pharmacies
By
McKnight's Staff
Apr 18, 2013
Biotechnology company Amgen will pay $24.9 million in a settlement over whistleblower allegations that the company paid kickbacks to long-term care pharmacies to increase the use of an anemia drug in nursing...
‘Reboot’ health information program to achieve better acute, post-acute care coordination,...
By
McKnight's Staff
Apr 18, 2013
The federal program to encourage adoption of health information technology is seriously troubled and should be reexamined, according to a report released Wednesday by six Republican senators.
Of Purell and payment reform
By
Tim Mullaney
Apr 16, 2013
I was sympathetic when the Partnership for Sustainable Health Care called for a speedier shift away from fee-for-service last week — and I also thought about Purell. Yes, that Purell.
Dual-stiffness flooring in nursing homes helps reduce fractures from falls, study shows
By
McKnight's Staff
Apr 12, 2013
Nursing home residents who fall on dual-stiffness flooring may be less prone to fractures, according to a recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association.
The importance of data accuracy
By
Steven Littlehale
Apr 10, 2013
Has a day gone by when you haven’t heard about a new healthcare reform requirement coming of age? This month skilled nursing facilities were supposed to have started having an operational compliance...