For skilled nursing facilities it’s a struggle to stay ahead of the Medicare initiatives and market forces that are causing hospitals and health systems to narrow their post-acute care networks....
A huge fiscal cliff looms for skilled nursing
By
Tom Coble
Aug 17, 2018
Our goal is to treat everyone like family and provide your loved ones with the highest level of quality care. But we are in an increasingly difficult situation.
Trickle-down negativity
By
Jean Wendland Porter
Oct 25, 2017
I’ve seen it so often it becomes routine: Your coworkers complain about everything, they keep complaining, you start complaining just to join in, and soon you’re involved in Complain-Fest 2017.
Building championship teams during uncertain times for SNFs
By
Joseph DeMattos Jr.
Feb 13, 2017
As we face payment reform, delivery reform, the aging of America, the strength and challenge of an increasingly age and ethnically diverse workforce and the consumer demands of aging boomers, now more...
Old wine, new bottles: Increased scrutiny for antipsychotic drug use
By
Alan C. Horowitz, Esq., RN
Feb 22, 2013
The landmark legislation known as “OBRA ’87” (the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987) significantly limited the inappropriate use of antipsychotic drug use in long-term care facilities....
A plan for drug diversion
By
Susan LaGrange
Oct 13, 2014
One timely topic that is both difficult to comprehend and discuss is drug diversion in long-term care. Long-term care leaders must have a solid system in place with policies and procedures, education,...
The cheese has moved … will Sniff find it?
By
Steven Littlehale
Aug 23, 2017
Imagine my surprise when several people came bearing the shocking news that “the MDS will not matter anymore” and that RCS-1 is “the end of the MDS.” Wait, what? Not on your life!
Addressing quality of death
By
Linda Elizaitis
May 05, 2014
What do you do when a resident crosses the threshold and your organization needs to address quality of death? We all know that there is a great emphasis, appropriately so, on a resident’s quality...
Finding hope in a letter
By
Louise Merrick
Feb 03, 2019
As a licensed nursing home administrator since 1985, I have had many peaks and valleys in my career! I am happy to report that the majority of my work in the facilities I have had the privilege of overseeing...
The 21st Century SNF: two paths forward
By
Anne Tumlinson
Jun 11, 2018
Many industry experts believe skilled nursing’s current marketshare challenges are temporary — that SNFs only have to hang on until demographic shifts kick in. But I worry about this strategy.