Valid dementia verdict? Nursing home and hospital diagnoses now better aligned, study finds
By
Alicia Lasek
May 03, 2021
Medicare’s dementia claim measures appear to have become more sensitive in recent years, agreeing more closely with hospital-based measures overall and for certain populations than in the past, investigators...
Dementia risk rises with younger age of type 2 diabetes onset: study
By
Alicia Lasek
Apr 30, 2021
The odds of dementia in later life are greater the younger an adult is when diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, investigators say. But prediabetes and late-life diabetes diagnoses are not linked to subsequent...
Q&A: Clinical best practices when gauging residents’ end-of-life preferences — a POLST expert weighs...
By
Alicia Lasek
Apr 29, 2021
There’s a clear need to improve the quality of Physician’s Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment, or POLST, in nursing homes, says Susan E. Hickman, Ph.D. An expert on the subject, she spoke with...
In breakthrough, feds OK nursing home visits, group dining and activities; update infection control guidance
By
Alicia Lasek
Apr 28, 2021
After nearly a year in lockdown, nursing home residents can participate in indoor visitation, communal dining and group activities — with exceptions, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced...
CDC: COVID vaccines safe during pregnancy, allaying a top concern of nursing home workers
By
Alicia Lasek
Apr 28, 2021
Pregnancy concerns are cited as one of the top reasons for vaccine hesitancy among long-term care workers, but there were no obvious signs of third trimester adverse events among pregnant women who received...
As Medicare Advantage drives rate lower, fed-up CEOs embrace strategies that limit carriers’ influence
By
Kimberly Marselas
Apr 26, 2021
Medicare Advantage’s aggressive market penetration represents a major threat to skilled nursing providers, some of whom now find themselves clearing less per resident day through MA plans than they do...
Non-covered losses and steep rate increases: New report issues bleak outlook for provider insurance
By
Kimberly Marselas
Apr 23, 2021
The best positioned long-term and senior care providers can expect to see liability insurance rates climb by as much as 30% this year, while those with previous losses and poor venues will face even stiffer...
‘Audits are back,’ and COVID-19 care is in the hot seat
By
Kimberly Marselas
Apr 21, 2021
Flexibilities granted to providers during the ongoing public health emergency are likely to result in increased medical reviews and automated denials, a therapy billing specialist is warning.
2021 McKnight’s Tech Awards accepting entries, new summit announced
By
James M. Berklan
Apr 16, 2021
Nominations are now being accepted for the 2021 McKnight’s Excellence in Technology Awards program. The entry deadline is less than six weeks away — May 25.
FDA says it’s time to move away from mask reuse
By
Alicia Lasek
Apr 13, 2021
Healthcare facilities should move away from decontaminating and reusing disposable masks now that U.S. respirator supply has recovered, the agency says.