Vacancy levels nearly doubled at the state’s top healthcare regulatory agency in 2015, shedding light on a staffing drain that goes far beyond Maryland’s long-term care facilities.
Surviving disaster may up dementia risk
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Dec 06, 2016
Older adults who live through a disaster may also face an increased risk of dementia and cognitive impairment, according to a recent study.
Virtual reality gets residents excited about exercise: study
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Dec 06, 2016
Nursing home residents probably won’t rush to an exercise bike if they know they’ll be staring at a blank wall while they work out. But incorporating virtual reality environments with exercise...
Gaps persisting in wound documentation
By
Kimberly Marselas
Dec 06, 2016
An audit of 155 patient records found large gaps between clinical practice and wound documentation in nursing homes.
Profile: Idriz Limaj
By
Elizabeth Newman
Dec 06, 2016
As the oldest of eight children growing up in Macedonia, Idriz Limaj, RN, understood the importance of taking care of people. While he planned to become a physician and had completed vocational nurse training,...
Focus: Readmission rates
By
James M. Berklan
Dec 06, 2016
Rehospitalization rates should continue to be a strong focal point for gauging providers’ efficacy in future payment arrangements.
Medicare appeals backlog to be fixed by 2020, HHS says
By
James M. Berklan
Dec 06, 2016
Federal health officials say tweaks to the system will enable them to eradicate a massive backlog of Medicare decision appeals in 2019. They made the prediction in a court brief filed in U.S. District...
Ask the Payment Expert about … SNF Value Based Purchasing Program
By
Patricia Boyer
Dec 06, 2016
How does the new Skilled Nursing Facility Value Based Program relate to our Medicare payments?
CMS: New survey merges two processes
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Dec 06, 2016
The new survey process for skilled nursing facilities is expected to be made more efficient by drawing on the strengths of two existing processes, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services officials said...
A GOP repeal of Obamacare may reprise fee-for-service
By
Elizabeth Newman
Dec 06, 2016
With the White House, Senate and House of Representatives all in Republican control, long-term care providers should expect significant changes, experts said in November.