Voice technology has promise in senior care, but skilled nursing providers and residents need to keep their expectations tempered, one expert says. When it comes to Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant, Elizabeth Mynatt, the executive director of Georgia Tech’s Institute for People and Technology, has a note of caution. “I think the Alexa is unproven,” Mynatt […]
Most of the talk surrounding the potential for consumer-grade gadgets in long-term care focuses on the lower-acuity world of assisted and independent living, where residents generally have more mobility and autonomy. But one skilled nursing provider says it’s seeing success with its fleet of Amazon Echo devices — both for residents and employees. The New […]
In an era of tight financial constraints for skilled nursing facilities, one owner-operator turned to a unique funding source to offset construction costs — and set up savings for the future. Premier Health Care Management, which owns and operates nine skilled nursing facilities with 961 beds in southwestern Ohio, is using the state’s Commercial Property […]
In the face of the changing payment landscape, skilled nursing providers can’t afford to put off data collection. In fact, there’s a lot of information gathering they must be doing now to adapt to value-based payments, Bundled Payments for Care Improvement (BPCI), the rise of Medicare Advantage (MA), and a host of other changes, Leah […]
With the aging population and the expansion of all kinds of senior living settings, smart technology has frequently been identified as a way to make residents’ and providers’ lives easier. But all too often, commercially available tech isn’t designed with seniors’ needs in mind, one researcher noted — and it’s high time that both residents […]
The use of telehealth services is commonly floated as a way to improve care and reduce health care spending at skilled nursing facilities, particularly rural ones. But there are several factors that drive the effect of telehealth on medical spending, and in practice, spending will drop only in specific situations, according to an opinion piece […]
A new partnership aims to give skilled nursing facilities a leg up in preventing readmissions by facilitating the transmission of patient data in as close to real time as possible. If successful, it could boost resident quality of life — and help SNFs win back some of the 2% of Medicare reimbursements that the Centers […]
A long-term care (LTC) community plays host to residents, clinicians and, at times, family members, and with that variety comes a potentially dizzying array of technological considerations ranging from nurse call systems to video surveillance. But there are some distinctive trends in the LTC space for tech and devices, according to a Tuesday webinar from […]
A new company from HealthSwap Advisors is looking to bring transparency and efficiencies to the buying and selling of health care bed licenses. Launched last year, the Bed License Exchange is a marketplace that allows investors and operators to buy and sell these licenses in a confidential, auction-style platform. “Up until this point, bed license availability […]
A recent vendor-funded study showed that passive monitoring technology could bring savings to skilled nursing operators — and at least one operator agrees. The Allure Group, which owns six skilled nursing facilities in New York, is in the process of implementing contact-free continuous monitoring (CFCM) from EarlySense in all of its facilities. “Remote monitoring is […]
When picturing the best setting for a thriving, well-lived life, most people won’t imagine a nursing home. The skilled nursing facility of the future can change that, however, with a strong technological base that facilitates connectivity for both residents and medical personnel. “A building requires a foundation,” Michael Skaff, chief information officer at Jewish Senior […]
The average post-acute care (PAC) facility in the U.S. could increase its profits by 13% and its revenue by 22% by installing contact-free continuous monitoring (CFCM) in just some of its existing beds, according to a white paper from consulting firm Frost & Sullivan (F&S) The Israel-based medical device company EarlySense, which provides contact-free and continuous […]
Skilled nursing operators are facing increased incentives to collaborate with providers across the care continuum, and electronic health record (EHR) software is often identified as a potential solution. But such a strategy can only work if every provider in a given chain of care uses the same software, which can create barriers both for SNFs […]
For years, skilled nursing providers have been jockeying to participate in narrowing health care networks, as hospitals and other referral sources have raised the bar on what they need from post-acute partners. In this competitive environment, some of the nation’s largest SNF providers continue to up their game. A case in point can be found […]
Now that we’ve broken down the top 10 stories of the last year, it’s time for us to dive into our predictions for the top skilled nursing trends of the coming 12 months. Some key headwinds, such as questions over Medicaid reimbursements, declining occupancy, and new regulations — including the final round of the requirements […]
Care collaboration between providers on the continuum remains a top priority for skilled nursing facilities and other providers, especially as new payment models such as bundled payments require operators to work together. One Utah-based firm sees potential in capturing emergency-room data that follows a patient outside the hospital — and investors have given the idea a $47.5 […]
Coordination between a skilled nursing facility (SNF) and other care providers is crucial for patients receiving post-acute care (PAC). However, many providers are still not leveraging the power of data analytics and the use of electronic health records (EHR) in this equation, according to a recent survey published by Tampa-based market research firm Black Book. […]
Three years ago, filmgoers were charmed by the story of a non-profit that helped nursing home residents relive their youths and improve their moods through music. Now, a team of Brown University researchers is setting out to discover whether the program could have concrete medical benefits for seniors — and operational opportunities for skilled nursing […]
As operators in the skilled nursing industry seek to offer higher-end services, some providers have turned to outside-the-box rehabilitation equipment geared toward residents’ lifestyles — from putting greens to throat-controlled video games to a decommissioned city bus. For Legacy Healthcare, that means branding one of its rehab units as a “penthouse.” The Lincolnwood, Ill.-based firm provides transitional, […]
Last December, the state of New Jersey made waves in the elder care industry by announcing its “Safe Care Cam” program, allowing relatives to rent surveillance cameras from the state. Initially intended for use in private houses to monitor home health and care aides, the program abruptly expanded this spring to include skilled nursing facilities, […]