The American Health Care Association seeks to dispel negative perceptions of nursing homes through the Advancing Excellence in America's Nursing Homes campaign, explains Susan Feeney, vice president of public affairs for AHCA.

The American Association for Long Term Care Nursing, an organization which was formed last year, recently acquired the membership of the National Association of Sub Acute and Post-Acute Care. It also has an upcoming conference in May, explains Charlotte Eliopoulos, executive director of the association.

Skilled nursing facilities need to be more active in partnering with hospitals to coordinate post-acute care services, says John Short, CEO and president of RehabCare Group.

Kindred Healthcare will stick to its game plan, in spite of the troubled economy, says Kindred President and CEO Paul Diaz. That means focusing on its employees and its core values, he says. Still, the company will have to approach the world in a more pragmatic way, he says.

The National Association for the Support of Long Term Care held its annual meeting in conjunction with the American Health Care Association's 59th annual conference. CEOs at the meeting talked about how health information technology helps lower cost and improve access and outcomes, said Peter Clendenin, executive vice president of NASL.

LTC Trend Tracker is a new Web-based tool that allows members of the American Health Care Association to compare their cost, Medicare census, and operational information with their competitors, explains Bill Hartung, vice president of research for AHCA.

Nursing homes need to invest more in information technology to keep up with the times, said Rick Matros, CEO and chair of Sun Healthcare. "It's time to bite the bullet and start investing as much money as possible in IT," he said.

The industry is in "for a very rough road for the near term," said Larry Lane, vice president of government relations for Genesis HealthCare. Not only is Medicare spending a potential target for federal cuts, but tight state budgets place pressure on Medicaid as a funding source, he said.

Dr. Neil Kurtz, the new CEO and president of Golden Living, wants residents to receive a seamless flow of care within the company. Maintaining a high quality of care is key, he said. What does it mean to him? Whether it is good enough for his 88-year-old mother.

An economic crisis and the transition to a new administration pose the next big hurdles for the nursing home industry, said Bruce Yarwood, president and CEO of the American Health Care Association, at the annual conference in Nashville on Monday.