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...
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...
Compliance: A game of follow the leader
By
Steven Littlehale
May 27, 2015
Do you remember playing follow the leader as a kid? You just followed the person in front of you and did exactly the same thing. And you did your best. Compliance today is a bit like playing follow the...
Where were YOU when CMS changed the Five-Star rating system?
By
Steven Littlehale
Mar 20, 2015
Some things will always stay etched in our mind. Where were you on February 12, when CMS publicly announced immediate changes to the Five Star Quality Rating System for Nursing Homes?
Big Data: What it is — and isn’t
By
Steven Littlehale
Feb 19, 2015
“Big Data” is a hot catch phrase nowadays because it can empower providers and organizations unlike anything else. But the term is often misused. Here’s what you ought to know about it.
Going with your gut?
By
Steven Littlehale
Dec 01, 2014
Intuition fascinates us. Over and over, we hear stories of people having amazing successes following their gut instincts. We seldom hear about those who listen to that inner voice and fail.
The Five Star Report, once again, in the SNF spotlight
By
Steven Littlehale
Sep 24, 2014
The Five Star Quality Rating System takes the spotlight on the front page of the New York Times and the top of the news cycle, kicking off other publicity and political pressure. Regardless of any of the...
Operate with an eye on quality, not the next survey cycle
By
Steven Littlehale
Mar 16, 2012
The anxiety associated with an impending survey should be offset by the fact that the nursing facility holds the secret to its own success – the knowledge of its customers.