‘Squaring the Circle’: In Aftermath of CMS Nursing Home Survey Updates, Care Transitions Demanding but Doable

With many of the upcoming nursing home survey changes being tied to care transitions to home, hospitals or other settings, operators say the link between clinical teams and these transitions is more important than ever. However, even though worker shortages have complicated transitions, operators haven’t given up on finding workarounds. So, how do operators square […]

CMS Delay Of Survey Changes ‘A Gift’ That Skilled Nursing Providers Cannot Squander

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has delayed nursing home survey changes for another month, with implementation now to begin April 28 rather than March 24. Associations and providers alike are glad they’re being given more time to prepare, educate and test procedures. CMS said the delay “allows ample time” for both surveyors […]

How Spring Surveyor Guidance Will Impact Care Transitions in Nursing Homes

Transitions in nursing home care will be heavily impacted by upcoming surveyor guidance, but operators can prepare by being realistic about admissions, while also cleaning up any gaps in the discharge process. At the same time, robust documentation around psychotropic medications will be a boon for operators facing updated guidance. Much of the surveyor guidance […]

Value-Based Medicare Advantage Payment Plans ‘Only Going to Increase’

There’s a strong possibility that Medicare will move to mandate value-based payment models (VBP) for the nursing home industry in the years to come, according to industry executives. Dr. René Lerer and Brian Cloch, CEOs for Longevity Health Plan and Transitional Care Management, respectively, spoke at a panel on the future of VBP models during […]

Short-Term Rehab Facilities Continue to Face Vaccine Struggles

Short-term nursing facilities across the country continue to wrestle with vaccine-hesitant staff even as residents line up for the vaccination. Thanks to new federal guidance, visitors and residents in some states can now socialize without masks if both can produce vaccine cards. But even as facility managers celebrate this, they are still working to convince […]

Five Years in the Making, Thrive Sees Post-COVID Upside in Three New Skilled Nursing Facilities

Developing new post-acute and long-term care infrastructure during normal times isn’t always easy — in fact, for one Illinois company, the phased opening of three new skilled nursing facilities this year represented the culmination of more than five years of work. But as COVID-19 continues to reveal the fatal shortcomings of outdated nursing home design, […]

As Lengths of Stay Decline, Drug Costs Loom Larger in Skilled Nursing

Escalating drug costs have made headlines in the health care sector at large in recent months, and as patient length of stay (LOS) declines, skilled nursing facilities are particularly feeling the pinch due to their unique supply requirements. For Transitional Care Management, which has two skilled nursing locations in Illinois, the average cost of medications […]

Sharing Success Stories Can Bolster Skilled Nursing in Meetings With Hospitals

Most post-acute providers are aware that they need to be able to demonstrate their outcomes with data in meetings with hospitals and other referral partners. But another crucial component is showing how those outcomes are contributing to a skilled nursing facility’s success. “I always say share what your outcomes are doing for you,” said Shonia […]

Specialty ‘SNFist’ Doctors Could Be Key to Landing Referral Partnerships

As the nursing home industry roils with changes ranging from the demographic to the governmental, one Illinois skilled nursing facility has put its focus on short-term rehab and transitional care patients. As a result, it depends more heavily on patient volume than most SNFs, necessitating as many referral sources as possible. And as management pursues […]