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Hospital

Healthcare facilities advised to shut down decorative fountains following Legionnaires' disease outbreak

January 10, 2012

Healthcare facilities should shut down indoor decorative fountains to avoid the spread of Legionnaire's disease, according to a new study.

Provider groups lobby for Medicare observation stay fix

October 21, 2011

Long-term care provider groups said at a congressional briefing Thursday that they want a Medicare policy on observation stays in hospitals to be changed.

Hospitalization for Medicare patients often leads to nursing home, study finds

October 05, 2011

Medicare beneficiaries who are hospitalized for acute-care treatment, including a stroke or hip fracture, are at an "extremely high risk" for needing long-term care in a nursing home, a new study finds.

Nursing homes transferring advanced dementia residents to hospitals for questionable reasons, study suggests

September 30, 2011

The rate of questionable transfers of end-stage dementia patients from nursing homes to hospitals has raised red flags, according to researchers.

Transitions of Care III — Scarier than a horror movie: Medication errors

Jacqueline Vance August 11, 2011

We've been talking for a while about transitioning of our residents to and from the facility and some of the problems associated with it. But let's talk now about just one huge problem, that big elephant in the room: medication reconciliation. This stuff is scary.

The Aging reality show

Jacqueline Vance May 18, 2011

One of the things about working in long-term care is that it's both a blessing and a curse — knowing about aging. For example, it's not a good thing when you aren't prepared for it, right? I remember clearly (it's actually indelibly imprinted on my brain for all eternity) the time I was not prepared for the changes aging brings.

Hospitalization can cause short-term memory loss in seniors

April 19, 2011

The mental disruption that comes with being hospitalized can cause temporary memory loss for up to a month for seniors who are sick, according to new research.

IT project aims to reduce hospital readmissions

Liza Berger December 08, 2010

As the government strives to limit rehospitalizations, one nursing home and a couple of hospitals in New York City are staying ahead of the pack.

Nursing homes' new mission: Fitting into accountable care organizations

Anthony Cirillo November 03, 2010

To survive in the not-so-distant future, nursing homes will have to find a role within accountable care organizations.

Studies: Hospital stays contribute to high Medicare long-term care costs

October 14, 2010

Healthcare delivery system reforms could help reduce some of the "excessive and preventable" Medicare costs incurred by beneficiaries who live in long-term care facilities, according to recent reports from the Kaiser Family Foundation.

CMS may require more stringent provider screening for Medicare, Medicaid enrollment, participation

September 22, 2010

Some healthcare providers would be subject to criminal background checks and fingerprinting under a new fraud-prevention plan from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

MedPAC rules out RAC program as cause of increase in observational care

September 20, 2010

The rise in observational care in hospitals, which nursing home providers have criticized in recent weeks, is not the fault of the Medicare Recovery Audit Contractor program, according to a new report from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC).

RN jobs to rise by 25% in nursing facilities over next decade, government report finds

September 14, 2010

Registered nursing employment is expected to grow by 25% in nursing care facilities from 2008 to 2018. That is according to the 2010-2011 edition of the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook.

Courtney's bill would take into account 'observation status' for Medicare-funded nursing home care

September 13, 2010

Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT) has introduced legislation that would allow hospital "observation status" to count toward the requisite three-day hospital stay for Medicare-funded nursing home care.

New Florida budget eliminates food safety inspections at nursing homes

July 07, 2010

There no longer will be food safety inspections in nursing homes and hospitals in Florida as a result of budget cuts.

Delirium affects more elderly, results in more nursing home admissions

June 24, 2010

Up to one-third of elderly hospital patient experience delirium, which can lead to lengthier hospital stays or nursing home admissions, according to recent news items.

New MedPAC report explores provider incentives, assesses physician payment schedule

June 17, 2010

The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) on Tuesday submitted to Congress its June 2010 report, which focuses on using Medicare incentives to improve quality of care and make efficient use of resources.

Mixed bag for heart failure patients: less time in hospital but bigger risks at home

June 03, 2010

First the good news: Medicare beneficiaries are experiencing shorter hospital stays and lower rates of in-hospital deaths after suffering heart failure. Now the not-so-good news: Out-of-hospital deaths and readmission rates are rising, according to a new study. Discharges to nursing homes also are increasing.

Post-acute providers need electronic health records, too

Carol Everhart April 21, 2010

The federal push to create electronic health records must include post-acute providers, such as skilled nursing facilities.

Obama issues memo to ensure that hospitals honor patients' end-of-life wishes

April 20, 2010

A presidential memorandum aims to protect the rights of hospital patients on Medicare and Medicaid who are approaching the end of their lives.

Elderly ICU, hospital patients might survive longer at home, research suggests

March 03, 2010

Seniors discharged from hospital or intensive care unit to skilled nursing facilities are significantly more likely to die within six months than those discharged home, according to a new study.

Acute care hospitals more likely to use feeding tubes on dementia patients from nursing homes, study finds

February 11, 2010

Advanced dementia patients are more likely to receive feeding tubes if they are taken from nursing homes to acute care hospitals, according to a new report. This occurs despite mounting evidence that using feeding tubes on these patients is not beneficial.

Need grows for therapy caps resolution

Liza Berger February 05, 2010

My how things change. Just a month ago a healthcare reform bill seemed en route to passage. Now its very existence is in question and, by extension, some key long-term care services are too.

Embattled CEO resigns over controversial closing of celebrity nursing home

February 04, 2010

After a year of conflict surrounding the shuttering of the Motion Picture & Television Fund's long-term care facility and hospital, Dr. David Tillman, CEO of the fund, has resigned his post.

Report: Medicare cuts in Senate bill could lead to earnings losses at some nursing homes

December 14, 2009

About one in five nursing homes, hospitals and home care agencies could fall into the red as a result of Medicare cuts in the Senate healthcare reform bill, a new government study finds.

Most seniors can't name drugs prescribed during hospital stays

December 14, 2009

Nearly 9 in 10 hospitalized seniors could not name a single take-as-needed medication prescribed during a hospital stay, according to a recent study.

Federal regulators taking a closer look at hospitals' admitting practices

December 09, 2009

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has notified hospitals that they are being closely watched over concerns about how they have decided whether to admit certain individuals or refer them elsewhere.

Community-based MRSA poses greater threat to healthcare than previously thought

November 25, 2009

There has been a staggering seven-fold increase in the new community-associated strain of methycillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in hospital outpatient units over the last decade, according to new research.

CDC: States have received about 44 million doses of H1N1 vaccine

November 23, 2009

A total of about 54.1 million doses of H1N1 flu vaccine have been made available as of last week, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Friday.