The Five Star overall score is comprised of three domains: Survey, Staffing and Quality Measures. This month, look a little deeper into the overall Five Star Scores.
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?
CMS sneaks a trick in with its treats
By
Steven Littlehale
Oct 21, 2015
With so many regulatory changes kicking in on Oct. 1, it’s no wonder providers were likely too distracted to notice the latest “trick” by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
When two midnights doesn’t equal three days
By
Carol Levine
Sep 23, 2013
Hospital observation stays have been increasing, as have Medicare auditors’ denial of claims related to short inpatient stays on the basis that they should have been counted as observation stays....
How would you like to spend some ‘quality time’ with CMS?
By
John O'Connor
Sep 24, 2018
First it was staffing data, could Uncle Sam be after providers for quality data next? One Senator might be after just that.
New payment models present opportunities for SNFs
By
Jeff Terkowitz
Jun 18, 2014
For skilled nursing facilities, the Medicare SNF 3-day rule can make it difficult to place the right patients in the right setting at the right time. The 3-day rule requires that a Medicare beneficiary...
Breaches of basic infection control practices — why?
By
Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC
Jul 30, 2012
Basic infection prevention and control isn’t rocket science. It is essentially following some general guidelines. Some of them pretty simplistic. Not too hard right? You would think, but …
Five-Star is anything but frozen
By
Steven Littlehale
Dec 13, 2017
The day after Thanksgiving, CMS further defined its intensions with the Five-Star Quality Rating System; more specifically how the new survey process and derivative data will be used in its calculation...
Getting ready for the unthinkable
By
Richard Cheng
Mar 12, 2014
Natural disasters and catastrophic events by definition arise unpredictably and consequently do not remain even in the back of people’s minds on a consistent basis.
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....