I belong to a group on social media that posts pictures of nature, animals, birds and the occasional unidentified print left in the dirt/sand. This day a question was poised, “Can you identify what animal...
Survey and certification: Level that playing field!
By
Steven Littlehale
Dec 11, 2012
As you engage in quality improvement efforts, put together data-driven marketing materials, complete a HUD refinance application, or talk with families and other community members take care to make sure...
Cracking the code to seven years of Five-Star ratings success
By
Steven Littlehale
Sep 19, 2016
Since the inception of the Five-Star Quality Rating program in December 2008, there have been 113 Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs) that have earned and maintained an overall 5-star score. Who are these...
Does caring for specialty populations hurt your public profile?
By
Steven Littlehale
Jun 20, 2016
Many skilled nursing facilities are de facto specialty care centers with a disproportionately large number of certain types of residents. This scenario, unfortunately, can translate into a liability in...
ADL coding: The importance of being accurate
Jan 16, 2015
Section G is one of the most inaccurately coded sections of the MDS 3.0. This is primarily due to the inaccuracy of the supporting documentation for Activities of Daily Living (ADLs).
5 tips for avoiding deficiencies
By
Susan LaGrange
Nov 05, 2014
Here are five quick tips to operationalize for the top five most frequently cited deficiencies nationwide. Facilities could choose one per day and revisit each week to focus on audits, discussion, education...
The tie between revenue and risk managment
By
Tim Goux and Scout Blount
Oct 20, 2014
By providing the best level of care, a provider will help ensure resident satisfaction as well as foster a positive work environment for employees. Poor quality will affect a provider’s revenue stream.
Addressing quality of death
By
Linda Elizaitis
May 05, 2014
What do you do when a resident crosses the threshold and your organization needs to address quality of death? We all know that there is a great emphasis, appropriately so, on a resident’s quality...
Redefining the role of agency staff in nursing homes: Unveiling new realities
By
Steven Littlehale
Jan 05, 2024
In the ever-evolving landscape of nursing home care, the use of agency staff has long been a topic of scrutiny, historically linked to concerns about inferior outcomes. However, as we navigate the aftermath...
‘Love hurts’ and sometimes so do averages
By
Steven Littlehale
Jul 23, 2018
Averages can help or hinder your evaluation of performance. Adding a few additional pieces of data can really support your efforts to properly see opportunity and manage risk.