If a patient can achieve his or her highest level of independence, as a rehab clinician, I say let’s go for it. To Medicare reviewers, too often they say stop at the prior level of function. So I...
Dear, sweet stubborn grandmother!
By
Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L
Jul 09, 2012
I love my grandma dearly. She’s still going strong, living independently in a ranch-style house. But while her stubbornness may be the reason she lives such full and active lifestyle, it’s...
CMS wants to know how you make things better
By
John O'Connor
Jul 06, 2012
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services may be asking you for help this summer. It might behoove you to sit up and take notice.
Eastern vs. Western standards of practice
By
Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L
Jun 26, 2012
The theory of improving function in China is overshadowed by the focus on comfort, reducing pain, and providing as much rest as possible. From a cultural standpoint, the family dynamics are very different...
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...
Sorry, that’s not the full recipe for fixing nursing homes
By
John O'Connor
Jun 04, 2012
The Atlantic’s recent article called ‘How to Fix Nursing Homes’ is a well-written and thoughtful piece. My only gripe is that the headline is a bit of a reach.
Therapy not complete without some ‘home’ work
By
Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L
May 30, 2012
Is it worth it? I’m referring to home visits by the therapy team, the patient, and their family. These are the clinical visits with the patient to their home for a “practice run” conducted...
Sprinkler mandate fails to soak in
By
John O'Connor
May 25, 2012
Ben Franklin warned us that death and taxes are life’s only certainties. But if you run a long-term care facility, feel free to add regulations to that list. And it looks like a doozy of a looming...
Out with the drab: Time to add personality to healthcare equipment
By
Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L
May 07, 2012
A few years ago, I broke my leg. Ouch! I was stuck in a long-leg cast for 14 weeks. Luckily, no surgery was required. It was around the holidays, so I asked to have my cast done in red and green stripes.
CMS ‘overpayment’ rule may come at a greater cost
By
Glenn P. Hendrix
May 02, 2012
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently issued a proposed rule addressing how it will implement the 60-day deadline for returning overpayments made to federal health programs. If fully adopted,...