The new Rules of Participation bring additional meaning to the benefits of data-driven discharge care plans, particularly those that describe and predict challenges facing residents transitioning to lesser...
Agency staffing on the rise? Believe it — and plan for it
By
Steven Littlehale
Nov 21, 2016
The use of contract agency staff to fill nurse aide and licensed nurse vacancies is escalating. This increase is seen across many states, not to mention across the nation as a whole. Yes, we have a well-documented...
Selling fear: Are you buying?
By
Steven Littlehale
Oct 17, 2016
Fearmongering has certainly played a major role in the 2016 presidential race, but you might not realize it’s also become more and more common in our own industry as well.
Cracking the code to seven years of Five-Star ratings success
By
Steven Littlehale
Sep 19, 2016
Since the inception of the Five-Star Quality Rating program in December 2008, there have been 113 Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs) that have earned and maintained an overall 5-star score. Who are these...
Long-stay measures
By
Steven Littlehale
Sep 05, 2016
Change is in the wind. The National Quality Forum has recommended for endorsement a new metric that measures a skilled nursing facility’s ability to manage the long-stay population, specifically...
The heightened requirement for data-driven discharge planning
By
Steven Littlehale
Jul 20, 2016
It’s fascinating to observe the evolution of business processes regarding transitions of care.
Does caring for specialty populations hurt your public profile?
By
Steven Littlehale
Jun 20, 2016
Many skilled nursing facilities are de facto specialty care centers with a disproportionately large number of certain types of residents. This scenario, unfortunately, can translate into a liability in...
Affordable analytics
By
Steven Littlehale
Jun 06, 2016
Current use, and perhaps misuse, of Five-Star Nursing Home Ratings place significant emphasis on achieving a three-star overall rating, which requires stable performance in survey, staffing and quality....
What goes around comes around: Time to set up YOUR smart network
By
Steven Littlehale
May 20, 2016
The recent publication of the SNF PPS Proposed rule for FY 2017 seekd to unite post-acute providers by aligning payment incentives and overlapping value-based penalties. It might be trickier than it looks.
Who else is using Five-Star? (Who isn’t?)
By
Steven Littlehale
Apr 14, 2016
I continue to be struck by how deep Five-Star has worked its way into the countless nooks and crannies of our industry. It’s far beyond what the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services intended...