Nursing homes reimagine frontline roles, seek smoother regulatory pathways
By
Kimberly Marselas
Feb 22, 2023
In the wake of a historic shortage of nurses and assistants, America’s nursing homes have been forced to get creative when it comes to hiring, scheduling and retaining workers.
‘Strong evidence’ more immigrant caregivers improve nursing home quality: researchers
By
Jessica R. Towhey
Feb 22, 2023
Better federal policies to increase the number of immigrants working in nursing homes could help providers get over the hump in meeting expected new staffing requirements, new research shows.
Immigration reemerges as workforce solution in scattershot Senate hearing
By
Kimberly Marselas
Feb 17, 2023
An overwhelmed healthcare workforce, the implications of ongoing shortages and fears about a stressed pipeline took center stage during a Senate hearing Thursday.
Note to Biden: Remember immigration reform?
By
John O'Connor
Feb 06, 2023
It’s time for the State of the union. It would be nice if Biden revisits a promise that helped get him elected: immigration reform.
‘Critical access’ not at critical mass, but skilled nursing providers push on
By
Kimberly Marselas
Feb 02, 2023
Support for the concept of critical access nursing homes is growing among providers, but it has yet to gain much traction among industry leaders or the politicians who would need to create such a safety...
FDA no longer requires positive COVID-19 test to prescribe Paxlovid, Lagevrio
By
Alicia Lasek
Feb 01, 2023
The FDA on Wednesday made it easier for clinicians to prescribe these antiviral drugs in cases where transmission is evident and the patient is at high risk of severe illness.
Analysis: Medication adherence spotty among U.S. diabetes patients
By
Alicia Lasek
Feb 01, 2023
A sizable percentage of patients with diabetes do not consistently take prescribed medications to lower cholesterol, glucose or blood pressure, investigators say.
New data: With no booster, nursing home residents face 30 percent higher COVID risk
By
Alicia Lasek
Jan 29, 2023
Nursing home residents who have received the COVID-19 bivalent booster shot are 30% to 50% less likely to become infected with SARS-CoV-2 than their fellow residents who haven’t gotten boosted, the...
CMS to begin audits for schizophrenia coding, says citations will affect quality ratings
By
Alicia Lasek
Jan 19, 2023
The agency will start auditing nursing homes this month to determine whether residents’ schizophrenia diagnoses are accurate and appropriately coded. A pattern of inaccurate coding may result in a quality...
Clinical briefs for Friday, Jan. 13
By
Alicia Lasek
Jan 13, 2023
COVID-19 pneumonia requires longer ventilation, but outcomes similar to other pneumonias … Six daily minutes of intense exercise vs. fasting could delay dementia onset: study … Protein may be biomarker...