I continue to be struck by how deep Five-Star has worked its way into the countless nooks and crannies of our industry. It’s far beyond what the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services intended...
Be careful what you wish for
By
Steven Littlehale
Dec 18, 2013
Last January, the U.S. District Court for the District of Vermont approved a settlement agreement in the case of Jimmo vs Sebelius that alleged Medicare contractors were inappropriately applying an “improvement...
From volume to value: The conversation now applies to staffing
By
Steven Littlehale
Aug 21, 2015
It’s all you hear about in healthcare today: from Volume to Value. With the July 30 release of the PPS proposed rule, we see how this discussion now applies to staffing.
MDS data quality: Things are not always as they seem
By
Steven Littlehale
Jul 15, 2013
Open up the hood and look at the engine. Does the data scrubbing module focus only on standard CMS coding and consistency checks and the “RUG” items, or is it more robust and emphasize clinical...
The heightened requirement for data-driven discharge planning
By
Steven Littlehale
Jul 20, 2016
It’s fascinating to observe the evolution of business processes regarding transitions of care.
Final rule for joint replacement: Don’t come unhinged!
By
Steven Littlehale
Jan 20, 2016
The first mandatory bundled payment program was set into motion with the publication of the Final Rule on Comprehensive Care for Lower Extremity Joint Replacement (CJR). The implementation date is now...
Aiming for the stars? Reflections on staffing to acuity
By
Steven Littlehale
Jun 17, 2013
Experts have proposed standards for minimum and ideal facility staffing, and some states have adopted minimums as legal requirements. However, there is no industry-wide agreement on any of the three targets...
Why ‘Staffing to the Stars’ isn’t enough: How to make the right staffing decisions
By
Steven Littlehale
Aug 09, 2012
Operators should try to hire RNs whenever they have a vacant position for a licensed nurse — the increased hourly wage will be more than offset by the increased revenue and decreased costs. Nonetheless,...
All the data points to … you tell me
By
Steven Littlehale
Jun 22, 2018
Returning from an early morning walk down to the harbor of this sleepy Cape Cod town, it’s hard not to feel hopeful. My geriatric pups Melvin and Theodore couldn’t get enough of the sea smells...
Ball girl, stand down!
By
Steven Littlehale
Aug 24, 2018
There is something you and your team must do immediately, the success of which will make or break your transition to the government’s new payment model. Relax. Refresh. Recharge. Only with a clear...