The McKnight's Online Expo returns for a sixth successful year with five educational webcasts March 21 and 22. After a successful debut last year, a series of six affiliated monthly "Super Tuesday" webcasts again will follow.

Building on the successes of its first four years, the McKnight's Online Expo is extending from a two-day virtual trade show to a six-month-long event. The virtual trade show for long-term care professionals will kick off March 23 and 24 this year — and continue for the following six months with new programs.

A record number of people took part in the Fourth Annual McKnight's Online Expo on March 24 and 25 and, not coincidentally, they earned a record high number of free continuing education units. More than 2,700 people registered for the "virtual" trade show, garnering more than 2,200 continuing education certificates.

Long-term care providers continually struggle with healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). They can find answers to the challenge at a McKnight's no-cost webcast at 1 p.m. (Eastern) June 20. During this CEU-approved webcast, providers will learn specific ways to reduce HAIs, as well as how to improve regulatory compliance and how best practices can give you a leg up on the competition.

Providers who don't fully understand hospital readmissions issues, or who continue to do business "as usual," will be penalized in the near future. At a free McKnight's webcast starting at 1 p.m. (Eastern) on May 22, top experts will dissect the implications and intricacies of hospital admissions so providers can develop sound business strategies.

Providers can learn how to better handle one of their most challenging caregiving categories — cognitively impaired residents — by tuning in to a free McKnight's webcast April 24.

Providers will get an up-close look at problems with the nursing home survey process from a nationally respected expert during the first 2012 McKnight's Super Tuesday webcast. The event will take place at 1 p.m. (Eastern) on Tuesday and earn attendees continuing education (CE) credit. Linda Elizaitis, RNC, RAC-CT, BS, the president of CMS Compliance Group, will examine national trends in survey deficiencies, note at least 10 things that can help an operator prevent deficiencies and also explain how to avoid so-called "gotcha" deficiencies. Registration for the no-cost event is ongoing.

The next McKnight's professional webcast will focus on one of the hottest issues raging in long-term care, and healthcare in general: reducing hospital readmissions. Andrew Kramer, MD, a professor of medicine at the University of Colorado and the CEO of Providigm, will keynote the session "Reducing Avoidable Hospital Readmissions: An Opportunity for SNFs" at 1 p.m. (Eastern) on Thursday, March 15. Registration and attendance are free for anyone interested in receiving the most recent update and information on this vital care and reimbursement topic.

How can long-term care operators provide consistent, quality care under today's cost pressures? Attendees at this special McKnight's webcast will learn one big reason when Holland Management CEO Janet Harris reveals some secrets to success. This no-cost webinar will focus on managing staffing levels to drive efficiencies and maintain appropriate staffing at all times. The event took place at 1 p.m. (Eastern) March 6 and will be archived at the McKnight's website for 90 days thereafter.

Providers will get frontline advice on how to drive efficiencies, control labor costs and build revenue in the face of looming Medicare and Medicaid funding struggles at a free McKnight's webcast Nov. 10. Registration is ongoing for the event, which starts at 1 p.m. Eastern Time (10 a.m. Pacific). Jeff Amann, vice president of operations for American Baptist Homes of the Midwest, will be the featured presenter.

Nursing home administrators must be absolutely certain their billing department staff and MDS coordinators are up to speed on the newly implemented PPS rules for therapy. That is one of the central messages that came through at a special McKnight's webcast Oct. 5 that focused on changes to MDS 3.0 and nursing home payment systems. A rebroadcast of the extremely popular hourlong session is attainable in the mcknights.com archive. Interested individuals simply must re-enter the sign-in environment or complete the free registration for the first time.

Providers interested in learning how to manage their workforce more efficiently will want to tune in to the next McKnight's free webcast, "Five-Star Success with Labor Management Best Practices." The event takes place at 2 p.m. Eastern Time on June 22. Registration (now ongoing) and attendance are free.

Human resources functions can be some of the most challenging areas to administer in a long-term care facility, but some operators have found a high-quality solution. An automated HRMS solution is their mantra — one they learned from real-life experience. A special, free McKnight's webinar will discuss human resources challenges in long-term care at 1 p.m. Eastern on May 25.