Here’s some good news, of sorts: St. Louis-based Ascension has finally restored access to its electronic health records, more than three weeks after a May 8 ransomware attack.
Getting your steps in
By
Gary Tetz
May 30, 2024
I and most other humans I know are obsessed with steps, and not just of the 12 variety. We wear tracking devices 24/7, like an entire society under house arrest, and monitor step counts with religious...
Beyond compliance: Elevating cybersecurity using essential goals
By
David Mauro
Brian Nowak
May 15, 2024
It seems as though we read about another healthcare organization falling victim to a cyber attack every week. It doesn’t matter if you’re an urban, rural, large or small healthcare entity or if you’re...
Are CMS risk-based surveys enough to address the downfall of survey delays?
By
Steven Littlehale
Apr 26, 2024
In April 2024, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the testing of a risk-based survey (RBS) that streamlines the standard recertification process for high-performing nursing homes....
Campaign seeks to cut through ‘politicking though fear’ in nursing home staffing debate
By
Kimberly Marselas
Jun 04, 2024
For the second spring in a row, Washington, DC, is blanketed not by delicate cherry blossoms but by bold and inescapable messaging on a nursing home staffing mandate.
Healthcare fraud rampant, but OIG refines its focus on nursing homes
By
Neville M. Bilimoria
Feb 19, 2024
For 2024, healthcare fraud has already been rampant, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. But on Jan. 19, the OIG took a specific stance with...
You can’t have effective healthcare without clinical collaboration
By
Joel Landau
Apr 29, 2024
There exists an undeniable truth within the healthcare sector: the delivery of effective healthcare is heavily dependent on collaboration among clinical professionals. This axiom is...
Staffing for success: President Biden’s initiative and the call for holistic healthcare reform
By
Todd Walrath
Mar 06, 2024
The Biden-Harris Administration’s recent initiative to establish federal staffing standards in nursing homes marks a commendable step toward improving patient care. These standards, aiming to enhance...
Conducting and documenting meaningful fire drills in LTC facilities
By
Stan Szpytek
Apr 16, 2024
From some of our earliest memories in elementary school as little kids, we all recall participating in fire drills on a periodic basis. Of course, the purpose of those fire drills was to train students,...
Thanks for the, er, help
By
John O'Connor
Mar 25, 2024
The adage about keeping friends close and enemies closer has been variously attributed. Its relevance for long-term care operators is pretty clear.