Feds ramp up nursing home sanctions for poor care performance
By
Alicia Lasek
Oct 24, 2022
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will more aggressively enforce accountability in its Special Focus Facilities (SFF) Program, the Biden Administration said Friday.
CMS to begin audits for schizophrenia coding, says citations will affect quality ratings
By
Alicia Lasek
Jan 19, 2023
The agency will start auditing nursing homes this month to determine whether residents’ schizophrenia diagnoses are accurate and appropriately coded. A pattern of inaccurate coding may result in a quality...
FDA greenlights first home COVID test with traditional premarket review
By
Alicia Lasek
Jun 07, 2023
The Cue COVID-19 Molecular Test is the first at-home COVID-19 test to be granted marketing authorization outside of emergency use authorities, representing a new era of consumer access to diagnostic tests,...
Diagnostic stewardship may reduce unnecessary antibiotics use, study finds
By
Alicia Lasek
Oct 26, 2022
Diagnostic stewardship — making sure patients receive the right tests at the right time — appears to work even better than antibiotic stewardship to halt unnecessary treatment for asymptomatic UTIs,...
Clinical briefs for Tuesday, Oct. 18
By
Alicia Lasek
Oct 18, 2022
Immigration reform means staffing opportunities for long-term care, despite roadblocks … CDC: In-hospital COVID mortality fell from 15% to 5% between delta and omicron … Low-priced OTC hearing aids...
Industry advocates have launched an online platform and forum open to all LTC staff who perform infection prevention and control duties.
Most nursing homes lack tech capacity to communicate with clinical partners
By
Alicia Lasek
Sep 09, 2022
Fully 68% of facilities surveyed nationwide were unable to communicate electronically with external partners, including clinics, labs or pharmacies, researchers from the Columbia University School of Nursing...
AHCA: To avoid new COVID testing citations, heed manufacturers’ use instructions
By
Alicia Lasek
Sep 30, 2022
LTC facilities must adhere to manufacturers’ use instructions after a CMS change in enforcement discretion for COVID testing, the advocate says.
Initial symptoms of dementia predict speed of progression, study finds
By
Alicia Lasek
Mar 16, 2023
No matter the type of underlying brain changes, the first cognitive symptoms of dementia help predict long-term functional outcomes, researchers report.
Social interaction a key component of recovery after hip fracture, researchers find
By
Alicia Lasek
May 21, 2023
Social interaction levels should be taken into consideration when planning post-acute rehab for these patients, researchers say.