The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) this week released the Minimum Data Set 3.0 quality measures user’s manual, with notable changes being far more sweeping than many in the sector expected. Two major updates involve the respecification of the long stay antipsychotic measure and a risk adjustor modification to the discharge function score […]
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has officially repealed most of the provisions of the federal nursing home staffing mandate. Facility assessment and Medicaid transparency provisions remain, however. Leaders in the sector maintain that these assessments, while meant to ensure appropriate staff support, are not meaningful in terms of improving resident care. […]
Skilled nursing organizations are finally realizing the scheduler’s role – crucial in balancing care and budgetary needs – in the ideal form they envisioned amid the crippling staffing shortages that plagued the sector following the COVID-19 pandemic. Schedulers have proven to be the most effective means of chaos control in facilities, provided they have the […]
It’s no surprise that the principle of understanding employee needs and wants is key to controlling the staffing chaos – an ever-present threat at nursing homes – and yet it is also the step most often applied incorrectly. According to panelists at a recent Skilled Nursing News webinar titled, Beyond the Chaos: A Proactive Playbook […]
U.S. News and World Report’s nursing home ratings for 2026 expand metrics used for evaluation while also adding data from a greater variety of sources than in the past. Quality indicators nearly doubled, with emphasis placed on staffing across different roles – and the results show a correlation between staffing levels and top-rated facilities. The […]
After years of pandemic-driven focus away from dietary departments, dining is back in the spotlight – and impacting operations. Residents’ preference for in-room meals has created social and staffing challenges, while expectations for quality dining remain high, and this has resulted in some solutions that improve both clinical care and quality while reducing burdens for […]
CareTrust (NYSE: CTRE) provided more details Thursday on its second mega deal of the year – a $437 million acquisition following the close of the third financial quarter. Significant activity in the U.K. care homes market has seen the involvement of large U.S. REITs, including CareTrust and Welltower. San Clemente, California-based CareTrust completed approximately $59 […]
Having the right staff is key for skilled nursing providers to remain financially viable in a volatile market, and with recent regulatory changes, planning for higher acuity patients takes priority. These are some of the takeaways leaders from Journey Skilled Nursing and Ocean Healthcare shared during a panel discussion at the recent Skilled Nursing News’ […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is making several updates to the Civil Monetary Penalty Reinvestment Program (CMPRP), including changes to how nursing homes apply for funds and the types of projects that these funds are available to support. Among the changes, CMS is accepting applications for workforce enhancement projects that will “complement” […]
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has withdrawn legal appeals in the Fifth Circuit and the Eighth Circuit defending federal minimum staffing requirements in nursing homes. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit granted the HHS motion to dismiss on Friday, Sept. 19. HHS on Sept. 18 filed a motion […]
While census remains strong at nursing homes, certain factors – such as insufficient hiring of skilled clinical workers and limited use of technology and AI tools to align with referral partners and hospitals – could negatively impact census. Andy Frasure, COO of Larry H. Miller Senior Health, and Steve Hart, COO of Heritage Operations Group, […]
Despite macroeconomic and regulatory uncertainties, the investment outlook for skilled nursing and assisted living is robust. That’s according to panelists at Skilled Nursing News’ recent RETHINK conference, who highlighted that conditions are finally normalizing in the skilled nursing space, five years after the COVID-19 pandemic struck. “The COVID hangover is over,” said Sam Bechthold, chief […]
By Sloane Airey As pressure mounts for the skilled nursing industry, Brickyard Healthcare is making progress on key goals, such as driving down annualized turnover. The company also is achieving lower rehospitalization rates while also moving forward — along with partner organizations — on the nation’s largest provider-owned Medicare Advantage Institutional Special Needs Plan (I-SNP). […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is proceeding with a $75 million program to help address the shortage of nurses and certified nursing assistants (CNAs) in U.S. nursing homes. “The reality is, we have a shortage of qualified nursing home staff in every state in America – that has to change, starting now,” […]
PACS Group (NYSE: PACS) is seeking a new chief financial officer following the resignation of Derick Apt. This marks a C-suite change for one of the nation’s largest nursing home companies, as independent subsidiaries of PACS operate more than 300 post-acute and senior living facilities across the country. Apt tendered his resignation at the request […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is taking steps to rescind the controversial federal staffing mandate for nursing homes. The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is reviewing an Interim Final Rule from CMS with the title “Repeal of Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities,” according to an online posting […]
By Kristin Carroll Building a strong and stable workforce continues to rank among the most daunting challenges across the skilled nursing sector, but providers are notching wins in recruitment and retention. Monarch Healthcare Management, Journey and Senior Management Inc. Care & Rehab have succeeded in drastically reducing use of agency staff; have created new roles, […]
by Jennifer Murtoff The CEO of Good Samaritan, the nation’s largest nonprofit skilled nursing provider, is bullish on wins related to staffing – perennially one of the most daunting challenges in the sector. More specifically, Good Samaritan’s own workforce initiatives have driven positive results, including improvement in the organization’s 90-day retention rate for new hires. […]
To meet some of the most daunting challenges facing nursing home providers today – including in the realms of workforce and regulations – leaders must shift their mindsets. This was one major takeaway from a recent webinar that Skilled Nursing News hosted, featuring a panel of nursing home executives. With regard to public policy and […]
Nursing homes are still facing a staffing shortage despite gains made by individual operators, with certified nursing assistants (CNAs) in particular leaving the labor force because of lack of support services and career advancement, requiring “immediate and sustained action,” according to a study first published in The Gerontologist. The CNA shortage threatens quality of care […]
