New CMS guidance dictates nursing homes must report COVID-19 cases to CDC, residents and families
By
Liza Berger
Apr 20, 2020
In new but anticipated guidance released Sunday night, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is requiring nursing homes to report any COVID-19 cases directly to the Centers for Disease Control and...
Resident hospital transfer forms: The 5 most useful pieces of information
By
Alicia Lasek
May 12, 2021
The creators of a new automated hospital transfer form say they have identified the five must-have pieces of information needed to reduce clinical complications when nursing home residents are brought...
Nursing homes report key information often missing in hospital transitions
By
Amy Novotney
Jan 19, 2021
Key patient information often is lost amid care transitions from hospitals to skilled nursing facilities, according to researchers at the University of California, San Francisco. In a nationally representative...
AMDA endorses a national medical order to honor frail residents’ wishes
By
Alicia Lasek
Jul 06, 2020
A nationally recognizable POLST form would give seriously ill or frail seniors the ability to communicate treatment preferences across care settings, the organization says.
Most post-acute Medicare recipients with dementia sent to SNFs despite payment changes: study
By
Alicia Lasek
Oct 15, 2021
Investigators were surprised to find that post-acute care use patterns remained stable after major payment reform initiatives. Beneficiaries with dementia were sent to skilled nursing facilities more often...
Clinical briefs for Wednesday, March 9
By
Alicia Lasek
Mar 09, 2022
AHCA requests sit-down with Biden and top officials on nursing home reform plans … CDC director says COVID-19 will ‘probably’ become seasonal … Despite FDA efforts, fewer than 20% of drugs have...
Small effort, big gains: 30 minutes of exercise may help prevent lethal form of stroke
By
Alicia Lasek
Jun 25, 2019
Thirty minutes of weekly exercise may offer protection against subarachnoid hemorrhage [SAH], a life-threatening type of stroke, says a new report.
OIG: Older Medicare recipients often harmed during hospital stays
May 13, 2022
Fully 25% of older American Medicare beneficiaries are at high risk of being harmed during acute care stays, according to the HHS Office of the Inspector General.
Facilities urged to conserve dwindling medical supplies as pandemic persists
By
Alicia Lasek
Mar 19, 2020
One in five eldercare facilities will run out of masks, gowns and other PPE if current supplies aren’t carefully conserved, says AHCA / NCAL.
Expect false positives: FDA letter to providers explains COVID antigen test results
By
Alicia Lasek
Nov 05, 2020
The agency clarifies that rapid antigen tests, “like all diagnostic tests,” are subject to false positive results, especially in low prevalence settings. It offers recommendations for administering...