An admired colleague once said, “If you want me to be proficient in caring for a specific type of patient, I can … just give me a lot of them.”
Final rule for joint replacement: Don’t come unhinged!
By
Steven Littlehale
Jan 20, 2016
The first mandatory bundled payment program was set into motion with the publication of the Final Rule on Comprehensive Care for Lower Extremity Joint Replacement (CJR). The implementation date is now...
How’s Your M-4 power? No it’s not the latest gadget, but a strategy for success!
By
Steven Littlehale
Dec 18, 2015
As the year comes to a close, we naturally reflect on how much has changed and, conversely, how much remains the same. This year it seems easier to identify the changes that post-acute providers have encountered...
Subjective analytics?
By
Steven Littlehale
Dec 04, 2015
You encounter predictive analytics daily — when you apply for life insurance, receive unique credit card offers, or view pop-up web ads. But do they actually change your behavior?
Be thankful … for QAPI details?!
By
Steven Littlehale
Nov 25, 2015
t’s the time of year when we reflect and give thanks. With all the rapid changes in post-acute care, providers can be thankful for the Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement regulations detailed...
Focus on long-stay rates
By
Steven Littlehale
Sep 04, 2015
By now, everyone has heard the resounding drumbeat of 30-day rehospitalization rates. What is yours? Are you improving? Are you using the National Quality Forum’s endorsed method for calculating?
From volume to value: The conversation now applies to staffing
By
Steven Littlehale
Aug 21, 2015
It’s all you hear about in healthcare today: from Volume to Value. With the July 30 release of the PPS proposed rule, we see how this discussion now applies to staffing.
A tisket, a tasket … No LPNs in the RN basket
By
Steven Littlehale
Jul 20, 2015
Reporting direct care hours is nothing new, but the Affordable Care Act takes it to the next level with mandatory quarterly electronic submission of staffing and census data. This focus on staffing ratios...
Are narrow networks going to yield the best result?
By
Steven Littlehale
Jun 11, 2015
In the future, the skilled nursing facility of choice (by other provider partners) won’t be defined by a single metric but rather by a multifaceted scale that considers resident needs, strengths...
New staffing rules redux
By
Steven Littlehale
Jun 05, 2015
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ proposed rule for skilled nursing facilities in fiscal 2016 contains some “must read” information about new staff reporting requirements.