While families of nursing home residents and dementia specialists have significant influence on antidementia medication decisions, many residents lack their involvement. Such influence is similar to family sway on care planning for antipsychotic medications among nursing home residents. One in six nursing home cases almost always have no immediate family or caregivers involvement, according to […]
Category: Clinical
Paying nursing homes an upfront fee for new Medicaid patients could help save the government insurance program money. That’s according to recently published research paper in the National Bureau of Economic Research, which found that patients whose nursing home costs are covered by Medicaid have no financial incentive to leave because they do not incur […]
Amid the House of Representatives electing a speaker after a period of chaos, federal lawmakers on Wednesday also engaged in discussion of the proposed federal nursing home minimum staffing mandate. In a subcommittee hearing of the House Energy & Commerce Committee, critics contended that the minimum staffing rule would place an excessive burden on facilities, […]
While nursing home operators are dealing with a host of financial and operational challenges, they must as always be alert to how the Department of Justice (DOJ) is pursuing False Claims Act cases against providers. Nursing home practices under Covid-era waivers, the transition to the Patient-Driven Payment Model (PDPM), and concerns over substandard care are […]
To treat a younger and more acute population, nursing home operators need to be aware that patients of this population are educated, health-literate, and want to be involved in their own care, requiring a multidisciplinary approach from clinical teams. “This population probably doesn’t want to have a roommate and particularly one that might be 85 […]
Rural nursing homes will survive, but they are currently facing severe problems that will require creative solutions, American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living CEO and President Mark Parkinson said Wednesday. “We have some massive workforce challenges that will create opportunities and innovation, and we will be fine down the road, but in the […]
By 2030, it is projected that one in three people behind bars will be considered geriatric, compared to one in five Americans in the overall population. Greater involvement from nursing home operators and new potential nursing home payment programs are likely needed to address this pressing public health challenge, research wrote in an op-ed published […]
Nursing home operators expressed frustration with Minimum Data Set (MDS) changes effective Oct. 1, with many concerned that they will be out of compliance with completion and submission requirements because of error codes. Errors are stemming from software vendors, and providers are unable to submit MDS data with proper coding information, nursing home operators said […]
Hospital readmissions have emerged as a pressing concern within the realm of post-acute care in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). Not only do readmissions impact the health and well-being of elderly patients, but they also have significant cost implications. Additionally, they play a pivotal role in the evaluation of facility performance, a crucial aspect of value-based […]
A simple enhanced bathing routine can significantly reduce serious infections as well as curb antibiotic resistance to superbugs in nursing homes. This is according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, which examined the effectiveness of a “universal decolonization” protocol using a chlorhexidine bathing routine for skin and an over-the-counter antiseptic […]
Hospital systems and skilled nursing facilities are redefining their relationships in response to manifold challenges and changes affecting the continuum of care. One example: In the midst of the Covid-19 public health emergency, NorthShore University HealthSystem — which became the third-largest health care delivery system in Illinois after a 2022 merger with Edward-Elmhurst Health — […]
Thousands of nursing home residents are facing delays in getting vaccinated for Covid-19 now that the federal government isn’t issuing vaccines, and most long-term care operators have yet to start administering shots. Many nursing homes will not begin vaccinations until well into October or even November, according to an article in the New York Times […]
Over the past decade, the nonprofit nursing home sector has experienced steady growth, with an average annual growth rate of 2.2%, while mergers and acquisitions activity has resulted in the ten largest providers representing nearly 30% of all facilities in the industry. This is according to the LeadingAge Ziegler 200 report released Thursday, which identified […]
Before the year 2020, telemedicine was a rarity within SNFs. However, as the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated innovative solutions, telemedicine visits surged from 0.15% of SNF visits in early 2020 to a staggering 15% for SNF visits and 25% for outpatient visits by May 2020. However, this growth proved temporary. By 2022, telemedicine’s prevalence had declined […]
Hospital referrals to nursing homes have doubled in early 2023 compared to last year, but rejection of admissions also increased – one reason being labor shortages. This is according to WellSky, a leading health and community care technology company, which released its second annual Evolution of Care report this week. With higher demand for post-acute […]
As bottlenecks continue at Minnesota hospitals, a large allocation in state funding to hospitals to ease these is a welcome move. However, nursing home advocates remain unsure on how the funds will trickle down to help providers, especially given the ongoing labor shortage. In Minnesota, the state Legislature and Governor recently allocated $18 million to […]
As the skilled nursing industry shifts towards managed care plans like Medicare Advantage and Medicaid managed care, “conveners” have become essential in managing care for specific patient populations, especially for long-term care residents and dual-eligible individuals. And while conveners have helped nursing homes and health care providers adapt to the changing landscape and achieve better […]
Nursing homes can cut hospitalizations, emergency room visits, and length of stay at hospitals with rapid on-site testing for influenza, leading to earlier detection of outbreaks and faster treatment, a new study shows. Conducting rapid on-site flu testing and treatment cut emergency room visits by 22%, hospitalizations by 21%, and hospital length-of-stay by 36%, a […]
North Carolina is among several other states facing difficulties hiring and keeping healthcare workers and inspectors for nursing homes.. This shortage has led to a 27% increase in complaints since 2016, according to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services. The shortage of trained healthcare workers is affecting various healthcare facilities, including doctor’s offices, […]
Clinical speciality services are growing within nursing homes to address needs of a population with higher acuity – but there are some sizable side benefits to this trend. Operators and other community institutions are working to accommodate the need for certain types of care in the nursing home through partnerships. Not only are nursing home […]
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