Higher staffing levels contribute to better scores on quality measures suggesting that Care Compare for nursing homes could benefit from adding a measure for staffing instability. This is the recommendation of a study published in the August issue of the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association (JAMDA), which revealed that both staffing instability and […]
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Almost half of skilled nursing projects within continuing care retirement communities (CCRC) were downsized or paused in the last three years or so. According to the August 2023 Ziegler CFO HotlineSM survey, 48 percent of skilled nursing operators either scaled back projects, put projects on hold, or did both, between March 2020 to the present […]
In the rapidly evolving landscape of nursing home management, artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a game-changing tool for operators. However, as with any disruptive technology, concerns and skepticism have surfaced, particularly regarding the use of AI-powered chat systems like ChatGPT. In a recent panel discussion, three leaders from the senior care industry shared insights […]
Welltower (NYSE: WELL) executives said Tuesday that its skilled nursing facilities undergoing a change of hands to new operators have gone from losing money to making profits during the course of the second quarter. CIO Nikhil Chaudhri said during Welltower’s conference call that out of 147 skilled nursing buildings that were being transitioned over to […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule Monday that updates Medicare payment policies and rates for skilled nursing facilities under the Skilled Nursing Facility Prospective Payment System for fiscal year 2024. The federal agency estimates that the aggregate impact of the payment policies in the latest rule would result in […]
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 […]
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 […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has introduced significant changes regarding medication coding related to certain high-risk drugs that will go into effect on Oct. 1 with the updates to the Minimum Data Set. These changes to MDS are focusing on specific medications, including antipsychotics, anti-anxiety medications, antidepressants, hypnotics, anticoagulant antibiotics and opioids. […]
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, […]
Skilled nursing operators across multiple regions are grappling with how to better handle resident elopement in the face of a narrowly applied definition of elopement by surveyors, a trend that doesn’t help residents at risk and causes facilities to dock up high financial penalties. Elopement refers to situations where a resident leaves the premises without […]
As nursing home operators increasingly seek to offer specialized care programs for particular conditions — and as they prepare for coming Minimum Data Set (MDS) changes — their approach to diabetes could present multiple pathways for improvement. There are actionable opportunities for operators to improve diabetes care for residents, although organizations may be hesitant to […]
Nursing homes facing an increased risk of local wildfires in the Mountain West and Pacific Northwest regions had deficiencies in emergency preparedness, while reinspection for these facilities also lagged. This is according to a new study published on Monday in JAMA Network Open. The study evaluated whether nursing homes that are at elevated risk of […]
A measure that allows certified nursing assistants to administer routine medications was signed into law in Florida on Friday. The CNAs will need training to become qualified medication aides (QMAs), a position that is intended to free up registered nurses to provide other needed care. The measure states that the aides would be limited to administering […]
Staying informed about upcoming changes to the Minimum Data Sets (MDS) will be vital for skilled nursing operators come October, when the new changes are implemented. These changes include more finely-tuned definitions and more data collection. Section GG of MDS, which measures the functional status and goals of residents in their self-care, mobility, and communication […]
The Covid vaccination mandate for health care workers will no longer be in effect in the coming months, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) said via the draft of a final rule that was issued late Wednesday. However, CMS’ final rule lifting the mandate stressed that long-term care facilities will have to educate […]
Texas skilled nursing providers may see a $900 million general Medicaid rate increase as part of the overall state budget beginning on Sept. 1, if measures approved by the House and Senate this week are signed into law by Governor Greg Abott. It is funding long awaited and welcomed by providers in the Lone Star […]
As the Skilled Nursing News’ CLINICAL event in Washington D.C. came to a close last month, industry experts left with staffing concerns amid labor shortages and pending legislation on minimum staffing standards. However, operators also shared optimism over their innovations in corporate and clinical practices as they continued to confront higher acuity and tighter regulation. […]
Bad policy decisions, political acrimony and poor staffing were to blame for the alarming number of deaths in nursing homes, experts and legislators said in a U.S. House of Representatives hearing held on Wednesday. As Democratic and Republican lawmakers pointed fingers at each other, they agreed that among the many deficiencies, the must-admit policy deeply […]
Dwight Capital and its affiliate REIT, Dwight Mortgage Trust, financed over $118.35 million in seniors and healthcare financing during Q1 2023. Among the transactions was a HUD loan for Riverfront Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center, a 180-bed skilled nursing facility (SNF). Dwight closed a $31.2 million HUD refinance loan for Riverfront Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center. According […]
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