The skilled nursing industry is experiencing unprecedented change. As facilities navigate rising patient acuity and evolving regulatory requirements, forward-thinking operators are finding success by collaborating with value-based care organizations that can provide comprehensive medical director services — and the results are transformative.

“The complexity of post-acute care has increased significantly, with facilities now managing acuity levels previously seen only in hospitals,” says Tasha Janssen, NP-C, Vice President of Operations for Curana Health. “This has elevated the medical director role to unprecedented importance, specifically in ensuring quality care delivery.”

That’s where partnerships with value-based care organizations, like Curana, come in.

“We have a proven track record of delivering comprehensive and holistic patient care, driving better outcomes, and streamlining facility operations,” she says.

The Evolution of Medical Director Services

The medical director role has always been administrative in nature, focusing on overseeing and guiding the care that skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) provide. However, today’s health care environment also calls for medical directors who can serve as engaged partners in facility operations, bringing clinical expertise, regulatory knowledge and data-backed insights to support high-quality care delivery.

“At Curana Health, our approach is fundamentally data-driven,” Janssen says. “Our medical directors closely monitor key metrics including hospitalization rates, medication management effectiveness, and comprehensive patient assessments. This data-centric methodology guides policy development and helps facilities prioritize quality improvement initiatives.”

Medical directors benefit from deep knowledge of CMS regulations to ensure their facility’s compliance. Additionally, their active participation in Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement (QAPI) meetings, regular review of cost and utilization data and frequent facility rounding services supports continuous success.

“When medical directors combine regulatory expertise with active engagement in quality improvement initiatives and real-time clinical support, we see measurable improvements in both patient outcomes and facility operations,” Janssen says. “This in turn can lead to more referrals from area hospitals, helping your facility maintain and improve occupancy.”

Real-World Impact: The Care Initiatives Story

One example of modern medical directorship success comes from Care Initiatives, Iowa’s largest provider of skilled nursing care. Until 2020, Care Initiatives employed local providers as medical directors across their facilities (but experienced mixed outcomes). This led them to partner with Curana Health in 2021, bringing the organization’s enhanced medical director services and comprehensive approach to care to several of their facilities.

Very quickly, Care Initiatives saw improvements in several quality metrics, including reductions in:

• Falls
• Pressure ulcers
• Antipsychotic medication use
• Hospitalizations

“Curana is truly boots on the ground, with their medical directors and nurse practitioners frequently rounding in our buildings. They also provide 24/7 access to clinicians if questions arise, which is crucial for providing timely care to our patients,” says Johanna Volm, Vice President of Clinical Services at Care Initiatives. “We have seen improvement in customer satisfaction as it relates to easy access to providers. Curana also assists in having conversations with residents and their families as it relates to advanced care planning, which helps everyone understand expectations of care.”

Impressed with Curana’s services and results, Care Initiatives recently expanded its partnership to include their entire portfolio of facilities.

Beyond the Basics

The health care industry’s shift toward value-based care models continues to evolve, and medical directors play an increasingly crucial role in SNF success. Facilities that embrace enhanced medical director services through strategic partnerships are positioning themselves at the forefront of this evolution, ready to meet the challenges of tomorrow while delivering better care today.

“Through strategic partnerships, facilities gain access to specialized providers who understand the unique metrics and quality standards of post-acute care,” Janssen says. “At Curana Health, our medical directors and advanced practice providers bring extensive geriatric care expertise, supported by comprehensive resources like state-of-the-art remote patient monitoring technologies. This gives facilities a strategic advantage in caring for their patients and achieving overall success.”

This article is sponsored by Curana Health, an organization that partners with skilled nursing and senior living operators in their adoption of value-based care models. To learn more, visit curanahealth.com.