April 18, 2013
When it comes to talk about palliative care and rehospitalizations, what should a provider do when the family is insistent on sending their loved one back to the hospital?
April 17, 2013
How could we not see it coming? That's the question I asked myself Tuesday.
April 16, 2013
Most of us are familiar with the statistics: one in five Medicare patients is readmitted within 30 days, at a cost of $26 billion annually. But the personal experiences behind readmissions tell a much more compelling - and prescriptive - story about the problem.
Skilled nursing facilities that have fewer rehospitalizations are likely to retain their licensed nurses at a higher rate than other SNFs, according to a study in the April issue of Gerontology.
Medicare payments to skilled nursing facilities should be cut 4% in 2014 and then steadily reduced in subsequent years, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission said in a March 15 report to Congress. Rates should be decreased to achieve $10 billion in savings by 2018, the group said.
The drug digoxin, also known as digitalis, may be an inexpensive way to cut the rehospitalization rate of heart failure patients by more than 30%, according to researchers.
As part of an effort to improve coordination among different care settings and reduce rehospitalizations, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is now accepting two new codes related to transitional care.
January 24, 2013
Long-term care facilities that coordinate with other healthcare providers play a vital role in reducing rehospitalizations among Medicare beneficiaries, according to a study published January 23 in The Journal of the American Medical Association.
Quicker hospital discharges have not led to increased readmissions or deaths, according to a study of Veterans Administration hospitals published Tuesday.
November 08, 2012
The latest in a long line of successful McKnight's webcasts will give listeners "The Key to Quality in 2013: Staffing" on Nov. 8. Attendees of the no-cost event will learn how heavily staffing and labor management can influence the quality of a provider's operation. Best practices, key benefits and more will be offered on issues ranging from overtime to preventing rehospitalizations. This special session also will include answers to questions about staffing and labor management that attendees submitted in the weeks ahead of the event. Shelly Szarek-Skodny, the president and CEO of Legacy Business partners, and Mark Woodka, CEO of OnShift Software, will be the featured speakers. McKnight's Editor James M. Berklan will moderate.
November 07, 2012
Care2Learn has announced the availability of 14 online courses that help reduce rehospitalizations. The modules address health issues most likely to trigger rehospitalizations.
October 31, 2012
With the new penalties for rehospitalizations underway, LeadingAge Chairwoman Audrey Weiner said that providers are working hard to improve the process that moves patients from hospitals to aftercare.
McKesson Medical-Surgical and PointRight Inc. recently announced an agreement to bring analytics and solutions aimed at reducing readmissions to the long-term care sector.
October 09, 2012
Long-term care providers were given the truth during the opening session of the 63rd annual convention of the American Health Care Association: More funding cuts are on the way. Among the other hot topics discussed during educational sessions Monday at the Tampa Convention Center were the use of antipsychotics and avoidable rehospitalizations.
October 05, 2012
By adopting a wireless daily living documentation tool, Hearthstone Health Center lowered its hospital readmission rates by 5.5%. That earned Hearthstone the Gold Award in the Transitions category of the McKnight's Technology Awards — Connect Our World.
A bipartisan group of lawmakers has introduced legislation that would reimburse providers for coordination of care services.
May 23, 2012
Healthcare reform efforts targeted at reducing hospital readmissions are here to stay, experts told participants in a McKnight's webcast Tuesday.
March 23, 2012
Seniors who have been hospitalized have a higher risk for experiencing a cognitive decline, a new study finds.
March 15, 2012
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is setting aside $128 million for organizations that collaborate with nursing homes to establish programs that prevent residents from going back to hospitals within a month. Physician groups, accountable care organizations and other independent entities would be eligible.
Reducing rehospitalizations and the off-label use of antipsychotics were named top priorities by long-term care groups Wednesday.
January 24, 2012
Skilled nursing facilities should know their track record and be able to spread word about it well if they want to thrive and help reduce rehospitalizations, a policy expert said Tuesday.
December 22, 2011
The Joint Commission, which accredits healthcare facilities, requires hospitals to send discharge summaries to nursing homes within 30 days of a hospitalization, but University of Wisconsin researchers found these reports are frequently incomplete or delayed.
October 19, 2011
Improving the quality of care and targeting waste and fraud are priorities for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, chief Donald Berwick, M.D. told a large group of long-term care providers Tuesday.
August 01, 2011
As President Obama and Congress continue to evaluate a multitude of different ways to reduce Medicare spending, it is more important than ever for lawmakers to understand the critical role nursing homes play in providing the specialized care and therapy vital to patient rehabilitation, and central to avoiding costly rehospitalizations.
A new federal initiative aims to cut hospitalizations among nursing home residents receiving both Medicare and Medicaid, the Department of Health and Human Services announced Friday.
