A natural evolution of the MDS coordinator: Nurse Informaticist
By
Steven Littlehale
Oct 27, 2017
Jennifer Gross, BSN, RN-BC, RAC-CT, fascinates me. Most recently, she completed a graduate certificate program in informatics, a subject that is playing a critical role in the explosion of health information...
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...
Will the MDS ever go away?
By
Maria Arellano, MS, RN
Oct 19, 2012
As the industry moves from fee-for-service to the episodic world of care, much emphasis has been placed on understanding how payment systems work over the past couple of decades. This view evaluates outcomes...
Benefiting from a selection tool for EHRs
By
Elizabeth Newman
Aug 27, 2014
There are many parts of attending annual big conferences that I love, from seeing old industry friends to attending good sessions. But I also, not so secretly, love the exhibit halls — for several reasons.
Putting quality to the test
By
John O'Connor
Mar 31, 2011
When it comes to embracing quality, long-term care operators are making great strides. Most seem to realize that many of the old ways of getting the job done don’t cut it anymore.
No more Rehab Medium RUG defaults
By
Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L
Oct 08, 2013
Well, Oct. 1 has passed, and we’re all still hanging in. The biggest changes we saw to rehab were the addition of reporting co-treatment minutes on our billing logs and Section O on the MDS. And,...
The power of the MDS, and the will to rein it in
By
James M. Berklan
Mar 05, 2014
The Minimum Data Set helps determine how resident care is classified and reimbursed. Because it drives providers’ fate, virtually from start to finish, providers cling to any nugget they can glean...
What color is your discus?
By
Gary Tetz
Aug 02, 2012
Let’s be honest with each other. I made a bad career choice, and so did you. We should have been Olympic discus throwers. What were we thinking?
The easy way to get LTC experts into your office
By
James M. Berklan
Mar 06, 2013
Nobody should pass up the opportunity to have a nationally respected professional expert visit his or her office. The chance to get six in there in a short amount of time? Outrageous. Yet, it’s going...
Put analytics to work as the population ages
By
Drew Goddin
Feb 26, 2014
The pressure is on. As the population ages, nursing homes will have to play a more central role in helping realize the national mandate of reducing healthcare costs while improving its quality.