Nursing facilities must submit written QAPI plans to CMS one year after promulgation of the regulation. This regulation will be in addition to current QAA standards.
A tisket, a tasket … No LPNs in the RN basket
By
Steven Littlehale
Jul 20, 2015
Reporting direct care hours is nothing new, but the Affordable Care Act takes it to the next level with mandatory quarterly electronic submission of staffing and census data. This focus on staffing ratios...
Getting ready for the unthinkable
By
Richard Cheng
Mar 12, 2014
Natural disasters and catastrophic events by definition arise unpredictably and consequently do not remain even in the back of people’s minds on a consistent basis.
New ACO proposals could leave long-term care providers smiling
By
James M. Berklan
Dec 03, 2014
If nothing else, federal health officials displayed Monday that they are intent on getting this accountable care organization (ACO) thing right. Or at least closer to “right” than it has been.
Will clear and present danger reveal itself as state mandates increase?
By
Kimberly Marselas
Jul 11, 2023
Nursing home operators in New York and Pennsylvania are stepping into the abyss this month, with no easy way to see just how far they might fall before hitting bottom.
The staffing rule’s Swiss cheese factor
By
Kimberly Marselas
Sep 08, 2023
There’s a glaring hole in the proposed federal staffing mandate, and no, I’m not talking about that same blackhole that’s apparently sucked in 190,000 skilled nursing workers with no sign of spitting...
We’re vaccinated. Now what?
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Feb 02, 2021
Across the country, long-term care facilities are vaccinating their staff and residents, with approximately 3.1 million doses delivered as of last week and rates of COVID-19 infection in nursing home residents...
Shining some light on the new Five Star system
By
Steven Littlehale
Sep 05, 2012
The Five Star overall score is comprised of three domains: Survey, Staffing and Quality Measures. This month, look a little deeper into the overall Five Star Scores.
Five-Star insights: Will those stars ever illuminate your path?
By
Steven Littlehale
May 16, 2012
I recently asked a hospital discharge planner how she chooses which nursing home to discharge to. “Five-Star” was the reply. Was I surprised? Not at all. Once again, it demonstrates just how...
Why the survey system may never be fixed
By
John O'Connor
Sep 05, 2014
Given certain realities about skilled-nursing facility inspections, we should not be wondering why cheating has occurred. Rather, we should be amazed it hasn’t been more rampant.