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Quality

McKnight's Annual Online Expo is almost here

February 06, 2012

The Sixth Annual McKnight's Online Expo is just around the corner. The virtual trade show will get you up-to-speed on the hottest topics in long-term care: payment, capital, technology, wound care and quality. The event kicks off Wednesday, March 21 and continues on March 22.

Report: HHS has missed critical quality measure development deadlines

January 19, 2012

The Department of Health and Human Services is in danger of missing critical deadlines in developing the quality measures used to evaluate the Affordable Care Act's cost-savings initiatives, a government report revealed.

Care transitions, re-admissions to be examined during 23rd Institute for Healthcare Improvement quality forum

December 01, 2011

Long-term care officials will have a stake in the 23rd annual National Forum of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement from Sunday through Wednesday in Orlando, FL. Nearly 6,000 healthcare professionals from more than 40 countries are expected to take part. Sessions will focus on providing more effective patient care while lowering costs. Resident- and family-centered care, transitions and hospital re-admissions will be among the conference's focal points. Top speakers will include Michael J. Fox, the acclaimed actor and Parkinson's research advocate, and Eric Greitens, a Navy Seal officer and the CEO of The Mission Continues, a nonprofit organization focusing on wounded and disabled veterans. Maureen Bisognano, the president and chief executive of the host group also will present.

SNF resident satisfaction up, survey citations down, report finds

October 13, 2011

Resident satisfaction rates have improved and health survey citations are declining in skilled nursing facilities, according to a new quality of care report.

Staff stability and resident satisfaction are key goals for providers, quality guru says

September 29, 2011

Providers should be avidly trying to reduce rehospitalization rates as a measure of quality, according to an American Health Care Association executive.

Health quality measures approved for adult Medicaid recipients as program faces growing pains

August 15, 2011

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services likely will focus on 24 health quality measures when evaluating care received by adult Medicaid beneficiaries, according to a draft from an Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality advisory panel released last week.

Nursing home operators must embrace quality efforts now

June 15, 2011

The risks of long-term care providers not improving quality are growing larger and more expensive every day, cautioned a nationally known expert Tuesday during a McKnight's Super Tuesday webinar.

Quality issues to be covered in McKnight's Super Tuesday webinar

June 14, 2011

Pressure ulcers and falls are among the National Quality Forum Board's 29 serious reportable events addressed in its 2011 report.

Putting quality to the test

John O'Connor March 31, 2011

When it comes to embracing quality, long-term care operators are making great strides. Most seem to realize that many of the old ways of getting the job done don't cut it anymore.

Rhode Island's Gifford named new national nursing home and assisted living quality chief

March 02, 2011

The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living on Tuesday named Dr. David R. Gifford as their senior vice president of quality and regulatory affairs, a new department within the nation's largest nursing home association.

McKnight's 5th Online Expo expands ... to six months duration

February 07, 2011

Ignoring the adage "If it ain't broke, don't fix it," organizers of the McKnight's Online Expo are changing the formula to their highly successful virtual trade show for long-term care professionals. McKnight's is kicking off its expo with two days of educational sessions March 23 and 24—and extending the experience with six more months of new educational sessions and exhibits.

Advocacy group's initiative to examine consumers' needs across long-term care settings

September 30, 2010

The National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care has launched a three-year project to focus on healthcare issues faced by older long-term care consumers in various care settings.

Provider input sought for reform-driven quality strategy

September 17, 2010

The Department of Health and Human Services is seeking input from nursing homes, hospitals and other healthcare providers on a proposed National Health Care Quality Strategy and Plan.

Help people prepare for aging

Anthony Cirillo July 27, 2010

Long-term care organizations have a responsibility to teach people about living quality lives as older adults. It also makes business sense to do so.

AHCA to keep on truckin' for Medicaid assistance

June 28, 2010

The Senate's failure to pass Medicaid relief just has further revved up the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living for their "Driving for Quality Care" RV tour. It starts on Tuesday.

McKnight's Online Expo, a valuable learning opportunity

Liza Berger March 11, 2010

Hungry for information? We thought so. That's why we're offering our fourth annual online expo later this month.

California nursing home stakeholders disagree about benefit of nurse-to-patient ratio law

February 17, 2010

The California Association of Health Facilities (CAHF) is squaring off against the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and a nursing home watchdog group in a debate over the effectiveness of California's nurse-to-patient ratio law, according to recent news items.

McKnight's to hold fourth annual Online Expo next month

February 08, 2010

Healthcare reform has been a big topic this year. But not everything demands reform. That could certainly be said for the McKnight's Online Expo.

Nursing homes show improvement despite bleak overall healthcare picture, states' scorecards reveal

October 12, 2009

Improvements in some measures of nursing home and hospital quality were among the few bright spots in a new state-by-state analysis from the Commonwealth Fund that shows healthcare systems nationwide are under a great deal of stress.

Thousands of providers to gather as largest nursing home association opens its 60th annual convention

October 02, 2009

The nation's largest nursing home association will kick off its 60th annual convention and expo Sunday at McCormick Place in Chicago. One of the highlights of the American Health Care Association's four-day confab (themed "Quality Care Plus") will be a focus on quality improvement, including the celebration of a record 468 AHCA/HCAL National Quality Award recipients.

Quality improvements in nursing homes, rehab facilities right on track, new report says

September 29, 2009

Nursing home quality improvement efforts over the last few years have largely met their goals, according to a new report examining quality trends in the nation's nursing homes. The report, which also warned about potential ill effects of any reduced Medicare funding, was released Monday by the American Health Care Association and the Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care.

'National model' for Medicaid privatization fails to collect benchmark data, provides dismal healthcare, reports say

June 04, 2009

A Florida Medicaid privatization trial that is supposed to be a model for the rest of the nation is missing information on key results of the program, and it also provides sub-standard healthcare services, according to a recent report. Medicaid is the No. 1 payer of U.S. nursing home care. (McKnight's, 1/21)

New law eliminates fines for nursing homes that fix problems

May 28, 2009

Iowa Gov. Chet Culver (D) this week enacted a law that eliminates fines against nursing homes that identify and correct health and safety issues on their own accord. The law sets out new rules and guidelines for a "quality assurance assessment" program.

CMS to post new nursing home Five-Star Quality Ratings

May 22, 2009

Nursing homes' newly updated star ratings will be made public Thursday on the Nursing Home Compare Web site. Providers have had since Wednesday to review their status and communicate any necessary clarifications or disagreements with federal regulators. Controversy over the Five-Star Quality Ratings has dogged the new ranking system, which most providers say is unfair. The preview week is an upgrade from the official rollout six months ago, when providers claimed members of the media received copies of the ratings before they did. Operators can access their facilities' ranking information through QIES, the umbrella Web site that supports MDS information.

Nursing home leaders to unveil new mentoring program at national conference

May 15, 2009

Major issues of the day, plus the start of a new mentoring program, will grab the spotlight at the 43rd annual convocation and exposition of the American College of Health Care Administrators this weekend and early next week. Administrators and other long-term care leaders will seek answers about the federal government's new Five-Star rating system, possible Obama administration policies and legislative hurdles at the event, which runs through Tuesday in Providence, RI. Dr. Vincent Mor, chairman of the Department of Community Health at Brown University's school of medicine, headlines as keynote speaker. Dr. Douglas Olson will introduce ACHCA's new mentoring program, through the Academy of Long Term Care Leadership and Development.

Quality improvement program for Missouri nursing homes leads to cost savings, analysis finds

May 14, 2009

Nursing homes and long-term care facilities in Missouri showed significant care improvements and cost savings over the last three years as a result of the Quality Improvement Program of Missouri (QIPMO), according to an analysis of the program.

Nursing home Advancing Excellence campaign results in decrease in pressure ulcers, physical restraints, pain rates, coalition says

May 06, 2009

Advancing Excellence, a voluntary, nationwide campaign formed to improve care in nursing homes has done just that, organizers say. There has been a drop in the number of pressure ulcers and the use of physical restraints, and improved pain management for both long-term and short-term stays, according to newly released data.

Eat, drink and make merry: Social interaction increases food intake among hospitalized seniors, study finds

May 06, 2009

Social interaction between hospitalized seniors at mealtime has a direct correlation to the amount of food they typically eat, suggests a new study.

Regulators say nursing home quality processes improved with corporate integrity agreements

April 27, 2009

Nursing home companies forced to begin corporate integrity agreements were all found to improve the way they pursued quality of care, according to government investigators. They looked at 15 corporations' efforts from 2000 to 2005 and found that each had created or upgraded written policies and structures, and had monitoring tools in place.