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...
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.
What will it cost you to stay in the post-acute care game?
By
Steven Littlehale
Apr 22, 2015
More than just collecting data, providers need to use standardized, nationally recognized measures. Especially in this era of ACOs and alternative payment models. In the past, many individual providers...
Don’t drop the ball when the music ends: creating the right discharge plans
By
Steven Littlehale
Jul 02, 2014
Providing a safe handoff during discharge from a skilled nursing facility is the operator’s responsibility. Unfortunately, it’s not happening enough. SNFs without effective discharge planning...
2013: A survey, review
By
Steven Littlehale
Mar 01, 2014
I always get a kick out of doing my year in review. Did I meet my personal and professional goals? Did our clients improve their outcomes? Were new relationships established and old ones strengthened?
ALOS complex query
By
Steven Littlehale
Dec 01, 2013
What do you get when you ask two academics, one geriatrician, one reimbursement specialist, and an analyst to define average length of stay? Five different answers.
The importance of data accuracy
By
Steven Littlehale
Apr 10, 2013
Has a day gone by when you haven’t heard about a new healthcare reform requirement coming of age? This month skilled nursing facilities were supposed to have started having an operational compliance...
Five-Star insights: Will those stars ever illuminate your path?
By
Steven Littlehale
May 16, 2012
I recently asked a hospital discharge planner how she chooses which nursing home to discharge to. “Five-Star” was the reply. Was I surprised? Not at all. Once again, it demonstrates just how...
A concept worth exploring: using clinical data to develop a marketing campaign
By
Steven Littlehale
Jun 24, 2009
Information is readily available, so why not use it to your advantage? Developing a marketing strategy based on clinical evidence from your skilled nursing facility could prove invaluable in attracting...