CDC to families: Press long-term care staff to get vaccinated for flu
By
Tim Mullaney
Dec 17, 2013
Officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention singled out long-term care professionals in a recent influenza vaccination briefing, calling on them to be vaccinated and urging family members...
Long-term care advocates denounce FDA over new hydrocodone restrictions
By
Tim Mullaney
Oct 28, 2013
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced it will seek restricted access to hydrocodone painkillers, prompting a concerned response from long-term care stakeholders.
Florida’s top LTC ombudsman placed under ‘virtual house arrest,’ state investigates...
By
Tim Mullaney
Aug 01, 2013
The leader of Florida’s long-term care ombudsman program is under investigation and has been placed on administrative leave under strict conditions, according to local reports. Harold J. Crochet...
Valley fever ‘epidemic’: advice for providers
By
Tim Mullaney
May 21, 2013
The senior citizen population is on the rise in the Southwest. Unfortunately, so is a frightening illness: valley fever.
A historically large data breach at Community Health Systems has been linked to the infamous Heartbleed bug, which could lead to a “tipping point” in how healthcare providers approach data...
Structured home care program reduced SNF stays 27%, hospital finds
By
Tim Mullaney
Aug 06, 2014
A hospital substantially reduced Medicare costs and skilled nursing facility stays by providing more primary care in frail elders’ homes, according to study findings published in the Journal of the...
HHS gives shooter guidance for healthcare facilities
By
Tim Mullaney
Jan 01, 2015
Federal agencies have issued guidance for how healthcare providers should prepare for an active shooter emergency. The 33-page document covers threat assessment, actions to take during and after an emergency,...
Court tosses lawsuit over Medicare appeals backlog
By
Tim Mullaney
Dec 23, 2014
Healthcare providers cannot expect the justice system to help resolve a huge backlog of Medicare appeals, a U.S. District Court judge recently ruled.
Hospice benefit should be redesigned with nursing home residents in mind, researcher says
By
Tim Mullaney
Dec 11, 2014
Medicare policy should change to better support nursing home residents who need hospice care, say investigators at the Regenstrief Institute and the Indiana University Center for Aging Research. They have...
House leader urges HHS to end settlements meant to cut Medicare backlog
By
Tim Mullaney
Sep 17, 2014
The Department of Health and Human Services may not have had the authority to offer providers special settlements to help clear a huge backlog of Medicare appeals, a leading Congressman said in a recent...