There is no way to sugarcoat what happened last week in Hollywood Hills, FL. Eight skilled care residents died in the wake of Hurricane Irma. Our condolences go out to the victims and their families. But...
Do you pass the free-time test at work?
By
James M. Berklan
Sep 07, 2017
Now that summer is essentially over, can you say your employer is one of the better ones when it comes to vacation and warm-weather perks? More important, how do your choices rate? Many signs aren’t...
RCS-1 is a complete rewrite of therapy reimbursement rules
By
Josh Pickus
Sep 01, 2017
With Resident Classification System, Version I (RCS-1), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is considering significant changes to the reimbursement model for therapy.
Top 5 facts about CMS regs and your dietary department
By
Janet Feinstein, RD LD, CNSC
Aug 21, 2017
Facilities are mandated to have either a full time RD (Registered Dietitian) certified by the commission (or licensed by the state), or employ a certified dietary manager with a consulting dietitian.
Falls: A closer look
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Aug 15, 2017
Speedy assistance should be the norm when falls occur, but the reality is that it’s frequently a rarity. The staff is often stretched too thin. What can be done, aside from ensuring adequate staffing,...
What to know about PAMA
By
Pete Gudaitis
Aug 11, 2017
Labs servicing the SNF and AL populations are already the last line of defense in geriatric healthcare, and a drastic cut to the Medicare CLFS will create a hole that cannot be filled. A
Person-centered confusion — and the value of a milkshake
By
Aug 08, 2017
It was a bit disheartening to read some of the comments we received on a story covering a resident-focused care session at a recent national conference. The commenters seemed to immediately pole vault...
Rehab patients are not always as they appear
By
Renee Kinder
Aug 04, 2017
We often see a phenomenon in rehab patients at initial presentation. Many times they are not as they appear.
Monitoring quality of care for contracted services
By
Betty Norman
Jul 26, 2017
Regulatory and accrediting agencies such as Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and The Joint Commission expect healthcare organizations to monitor the activities of their external contractors to...
When does a review of 0.5% make sense?
By
Kristin Walter
Jul 24, 2017
Would you feel safe flying if airlines only inspected 0.5% of their fleet of planes?