No ACOs have reliable interoperability with external organizations, survey finds
By
Tim Mullaney
Sep 25, 2014
A widespread lack of interoperable technology threatens the Accountable Care Organization model, according to recently released survey results.
LTC nurse could face 4 years in prison for alleged morphine mistake, cover-up
By
Tim Mullaney
Sep 05, 2014
A nurse has been indicted for allegedly administering morphine to a nursing home resident by mistake and covering up her error while the resident experienced a health emergency, New York Attorney General...
Complainers, take note: This one is all for you
By
James M. Berklan
Sep 01, 2014
As a long-term caregiver, you get yelled at, told off, put down and dumped on regularly — and that’s during good weeks.
Dirty hands needed
By
Gary Tetz
Sep 01, 2014
Gardening is magic. Gardening is mindfulness. Gardening is therapist, physician and personal trainer without spandex or a copay. And now researchers have confirmed that gardening can help nursing home...
Study: To boost care, empower nurse aides
By
James M. Berklan
Sep 01, 2014
Long-term care managers would be wise to allow nursing assistants — and residents’ family members — a greater say in managerial-type decision-making, authors of a new study assert.
CMS updates coding instructions for hospice site of service, principal diagnosis
By
Tim Mullaney
Sep 02, 2014
A new Medicare hospice manual update includes instructions for which principal diagnosis codes are acceptable, and clarifies which codes should be used for services in a skilled versus non-skilled nursing...
Is it any wonder this field has an identity crisis?
By
John O'Connor
Aug 25, 2014
What’s in a name? That’s a fairly topical question, given the many differing views on how best to describe the business we’re in. Not that this field’s identity crisis is a recent...
Better anti-fraud efforts are not appeasing lawmakers
By
Tim Mullaney
Aug 01, 2014
Long-term care facilities and other Medicare providers increasingly have seen reimbursements influenced by the government’s Fraud Prevention System, an official recently told a Congressional panel.
State News for August 2014
Aug 01, 2014
KANSAS — The state no longer will publicly release survey results for nursing homes going through the informal dispute resolution process, the Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) recently...
Summer reading: The language of long-term care
By
Mary Helen McSweeney-Feld
Jul 30, 2014
A recent NPR survey of older adults had a not-too-surprising finding: No one likes being referred to as “elderly” or as a “senior.”