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Quality

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.

F-tags with revisions on resident quality of life to be released in June

April 20, 2009

Eleven F-tags with revisions related to the quality of life and environment of nursing home residents will be available June 17.

Budget amendment would end bonuses for nursing homes with violations

April 07, 2009

In the wake of the American Insurance Group (AIG) bonus scandal, the Senate approved an amendment to the budget bill that would eliminate bonuses paid to nursing homes and other government contractors that "fail to meet basic performance requirements."

CMS to test cash incentives for nursing home quality, efficiency efforts

March 30, 2009

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on Friday announced a new, four-state demonstration project to test whether cash incentives will help improve quality and efficiency in nursing homes.

Study: Nursing home specialists could improve workforce, quality problems

March 18, 2009

Creating a new medical specialty designed to meet the needs of nursing home residents could help address long-term care workforce and quality-of-care issues, some geriatrics experts recently suggested.

Study: Case-mix Medicaid reimbursement systems contain disincentives for nursing home quality improvement

March 17, 2009

Nursing home Medicaid reimbursement systems can work to improve quality of care and save money--but they have to be used the right way, a new report suggests.

CMS: No changes imminent to staffing formula for Five-Star rating

March 09, 2009

Federal health officials with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services say they are considering tweaking their new Five-Star nursing home ranking system, but altering the way staffing is graded will not happen in the near future.

Study finds home healthcare settings have many unsafe conditions

March 06, 2009

A recent study has identified a number of hazardous conditions found in home healthcare settings--conditions that are of special concern to both the elderly and their caretakers.

Ask the legal expert: applying the False Claims Act to nursing homes and senior housing

John Durso March 01, 2009

John Durso, Esq. Ungaretti & Harris LLP

Nursing homes oppose proposal to display ratings

March 01, 2009

A proposal that would require facilities through-out the state to prominently show their new federal star ratings has received pushback from nursing homes.

Initial results of five-star ratings: Nonprofit nursing homes deliver better care, analysis shows

December 19, 2008

Nonprofit nursing homes provide a higher quality of care than for-profit facilities, according to an analysis by USA Today of the first ratings of nursing homes by the government's five-star rating system.

Medicaid increases costs to beneficiaries under new federal rule

December 02, 2008

Some Medicaid beneficiaries will be subject to higher copayments and premiums for certain services under a new federal rule that took effect last week.

Experts favor new payment system rewarding higher quality and more efficient care

November 04, 2008

A new survey of healthcare leaders finds that almost all feel the current healthcare payment system is fundamentally flawed and must be reformed. An overwhelming majority favor bonuses for high-quality outcomes and more efficient care.

Nursing home quality coalition heading into overtime

October 23, 2008

The Advancing Excellence in America's Nursing Homes campaign-a nationwide, voluntary quality improvement initiative-celebrated its second birthday this week.

Culinary, design competitions big hits at nursing home convention

October 17, 2008

Two new spectacles garnered special attention this week at the annual conference of the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging in Philadelphia: The Chef Challenge and the Last Designer Standing competitions.

MedPAC focuses on nursing home rehospitalizations

October 10, 2008

Congress's advisory panel on Medicare matters is examining rehospitalization rates of nursing home residents. Staff members for the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission told commissioners last week that rehospitalization rates are much higher at freestanding skilled nursing facilities than at hospital-based SNFs.

Study: More affluent ZIP codes consistently see higher rates of surgery survival among the elderly

October 01, 2008

Seniors in more impoverished areas of the country are significantly more likely to die after surgery than their wealthier neighbors, according to recent research.