Sometimes you don’t need a predictive analytic when common sense will do
By
Steven Littlehale
Feb 08, 2019
Once again, we’re seeing that the importance of Five-Star outcomes has increased at a greater velocity than a cupcake out of the Magnolia Bakery.
2019 predictions From a cockeyed optimist
By
Steven Littlehale
Jan 11, 2019
I did an informal survey around the office to get a broad set of the top 13 predictions for 2019 and I’d like to share them with you. There is some cheek in these predictions, but all grounded in solid...
It’s not morbid to talk about death … a lot
By
Steven Littlehale
Dec 07, 2018
It’s not morbid to talk about death, even on the dance floor at your high school reunion.
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...
‘Love hurts’ and sometimes so do averages
By
Steven Littlehale
Jul 23, 2018
Averages can help or hinder your evaluation of performance. Adding a few additional pieces of data can really support your efforts to properly see opportunity and manage risk.
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...
Payment reform: Ready! Set! Don’t go! No, I mean go!
By
Steven Littlehale
Apr 23, 2018
Perhaps you think that the new therapy-payment bombshell (RCS-1) has turned out to be a dud. I hope to make the point that it was not.
How will PBJ impact Five-Star staffing? Would you like one lump or two?
By
Steven Littlehale
Mar 30, 2018
We don’t know when, and we don’t know how, but when Payroll-Based Journal staffing data replaces the data currently being captured from CMS Form 671 for calculating Five-Star staffing, we are...
Does cognitive impairment contribute to SNF-to-hospital transition?
By
Steven Littlehale
Feb 28, 2018
Exceptional SNF utilized appropriate structure, process and outcome measures. Despite this, however, it might have better been called “Mediocre SNF.”
Five-Star is anything but frozen
By
Steven Littlehale
Dec 13, 2017
The day after Thanksgiving, CMS further defined its intensions with the Five-Star Quality Rating System; more specifically how the new survey process and derivative data will be used in its calculation...