FL hospice, nursing homes, hospital passed patients back and forth to juice profits, whistleblowers charge
By
Tim Mullaney
Oct 29, 2014
Two Florida nursing homes and a hospital allowed a hospice company to provide free services in exchange for patient referrals, according to recently unsealed whistleblower charges.
3 tips for a strong SNF-hospice partnership
By
Tim Mullaney
Oct 28, 2014
Easier said than done. That phrase often pops into my head when I read the latest long-term care research.
New hospice comparison tool uses government info, Washington Post calls for more transparency
By
Tim Mullaney
Oct 28, 2014
In the absence of a hospice consumer guide from the government, The Washington Post has created one using available Medicare data. The newspaper unveiled the quality tool Sunday, in an article criticizing...
Judge approves $38 million settlement in ManorCare case
By
Tim Mullaney
Oct 27, 2014
HCR ManorCare will pay $38 million under a legal settlement recently approved by a judge in West Virginia. The award to plaintiffs was originally $91 million until the state Supreme Court reduced it in...
Moderate alcohol consumption staves off dementia in seniors
By
Tim Mullaney
Oct 27, 2014
Drinking a moderate amount of alcohol might preserve cognition in people over the age of 60, according to recently published findings in the American Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias.
Nursing home asked for employee’s personal information too often, jury rules
By
Tim Mullaney
Oct 24, 2014
The human resources department of a Maine nursing home did not properly protect a former employee’s personal identification information, a jury recently ruled.
Court green-lights charges that a healthcare network underused observation stays
By
Tim Mullaney
Oct 23, 2014
A whistleblower can continue to pursue charges that a Nevada healthcare network routinely admitted people as hospital inpatients when they should have been placed in observation status, a federal appeals...
Nursing homes have better pain and catheter management if leaders have more credentials, study finds
By
Tim Mullaney
Oct 23, 2014
Nursing homes led by administrators and directors of nursing with higher levels of education and certification have better outcomes on some key quality measures, according to recently published findings.
A small team of workers responds best in emergencies, expert says
By
Tim Mullaney
Oct 23, 2014
Long-term care providers should consider a “flat” crisis management approach that relies on a core group of staff members, experts advised Wednesday at the LeadingAge annual conference.
CDC tightens Ebola guidelines for healthcare workers
By
Tim Mullaney
Oct 22, 2014
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued more stringent guidelines for how healthcare workers should interact with Ebola patients, following an outcry from nurses and other professionals.