An overtime fix that seemed to work for everyone – except the feds
By
John O'Connor
May 02, 2014
It’s a troubling staffing dynamic that regularly plays out at many long-term care facilities: Low-wage employees are practically begging for the opportunity to work extra hours. And the additional...
Peace is hell
By
John O'Connor
Feb 03, 2012
On Thursday, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke delivered some tough-love testimony about rising healthcare costs and our shrinking Treasury. This would be very sobering news indeed — if an easy answer...
How to quickly size up the health of any facility
By
John O'Connor
Oct 24, 2016
When it comes to measuring how well a long-term care facility is doing, we all know the usual benchmarks: revenues, profits and census levels.
When we talk about providing good care, what do we really mean?
By
John O'Connor
Dec 20, 2013
In case you haven’t noticed, “quality” is quite the buzzword in long-term care these days.
Your Medicare future: Bigger pie, smaller slice
By
John O'Connor
Nov 12, 2018
I have seen the future of Medicare. Here’s what you can expect: Demand will grow the program; fiscal realities will shrink your share.
What’s a nursing home operator to do? Make adjustments!
By
John O'Connor
Mar 26, 2018
Operators who can make some adjustments and ride out the current regulatory and operating storm might not just survive, but thrive.
Not angry about the LTC Commission’s report? You should be
By
John O'Connor
Sep 20, 2013
It’s hard to comment on the Commission on Long-Term Care’s just-submitted report without getting hacked off. Really, really hacked off. To call it a fool’s errand would be to insult misdirected...
It’s easy to forget how quickly things have improved for LTC
By
John O'Connor
Apr 01, 2013
This publication and this sector were facing some very troubled times in 1990. That’s when I joined McKnight’s Long-Term Care News. The experts have a technical term for where the field and...
An internal challenge that’s far worse than mission creep
By
John O'Connor
Aug 29, 2016
Navigating those so-called easy forms often turns out to be about as effortless as walking across the Amazon Jungle with just a machete.
Our government is a terrible thing — to hate (and a thank-you)
By
John O'Connor
Apr 17, 2015
Providers are finding their personal and professional relationships with the government tested these days. But before we all grab our torches and pitchforks, let’s take a deep breath.