‘Significant ramp-up’ of vaccinations coming for long-term care; AHCA happy with process
By
Danielle Brown
Jan 07, 2021
Vaccination efforts in long-term care facilities are expected to accelerate noticeably in the coming days and weeks, the nation’s top federal health official asserted Wednesday.
Antibiotics overused in COVID-19 patients, analysis finds
By
Alicia Lasek
Jan 07, 2021
Fully three quarters of COVID-19 patients receive antibiotics, although fewer than 10% have a bacterial infection, according to a new research review.
Slowed gait and reaction speed in elders may signal imminent depression, anxiety
By
Alicia Lasek
Jan 05, 2021
Older adults who experience both slower gait and psychomotor speed are twice as likely to experience new onset depression and anxiety, investigators say.
Providers get relief from Medicare cuts, but no liability protections in year-end legislative packages
By
Danielle Brown
Dec 22, 2020
Providers are set to receive extended relief from the 2% Medicare sequester cuts under a year-end legislative relief deal that was finalized by federal lawmakers on Monday. However, they will have to wait...
Feds pledge 30 million more coronavirus tests for 2021
By
Alicia Lasek
Dec 18, 2020
The additional allotment will allow officials to keep providing Abbott BinaxNow tests to skilled nursing facilities, assisted living communities, and other vulnerable groups through at least March, said...
Boost rehab efforts to improve poor post-acute pneumonia outlook, clinicians say
By
Alicia Lasek
Dec 18, 2020
Fully 90% of nursing home residents hospitalized for pneumonia experience severe disability or death within two months of discharge. Careful post-acute planning is especially crucial for these patients...
FDA approves first fully at-home COVID-19 test
By
Alicia Lasek
Dec 17, 2020
Results are available in about 20 minutes via a mobile phone app, and the test is more than 90% accurate in both symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals, the agency announced Tuesday.
Flu not a ‘short-term illness’ for older adults, study finds
By
Alicia Lasek
Dec 10, 2020
Older adults often face persistent functional decline after being hospitalized with influenza. The findings highlight the need for prevention, investigators say.
Parkinson: Vaccinate all long-term care by March and slash coronavirus mortality 40 percent
By
Alicia Lasek
Dec 08, 2020
A one-month delay “could result in more than 20,000 of our residents losing their lives when a vaccine could have saved them,” AHCA / NCAL leader Mark Parkinson said Monday.
Facility PPE reuse at crisis level, infection preventionists say
By
Alicia Lasek
Dec 04, 2020
Fully three quarters of survey respondents say that their healthcare facilities have implemented crisis standards of care for personal protective equipment. The reuse rate is “disheartening,”...