Out of the data silo
Interoperability, data analytics and intervention models are giving providers a new way to use healthcare information technology to prevent rehospitalization
Most recent articles by Brett Bakshis
Design Decisions: Tearing down walls
An Iowa facility removes an enormous entryway wall to create an open, inviting area where residents gather and enjoy natural light
Wages hold steady, but labor costs volatile
As the Great Recession continues to reverberate, underwhelming economists and analysts with a lackluster recovery, the long-term care industry appears to have achieved a sort of tentative stability.
Dated technology can cause communication rifts: study
Outmoded methods of communication between caregivers may be responsible for significant amounts of wasted time during shifts, resulting in inefficient patient transfers and hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost revenue each year, according to a new survey.
Ionic ‘magic bullet’ could aid wound care
A unique class of materials called ionic liquids could be a “magic bullet” for treating wounds such as pressure ulcers, venous leg ulcers and more, according to researchers at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and the Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Heart research leads to new unexpected wound therapy
Scientists researching electrical signals that regulate heartbeats have stumbled across a new, highly effective treatment for venous leg ulcers. The team from Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute recently published the results of a phase 2, randomized clinical trial in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology.
Following freeze, wages are starting to thaw
Admins hit $93,000 while DONs surpass the $81,000 level
OIG: 9 in 10 SNFs hire convicted criminals
More than nine out of 10 nursing homes in the United States have at least one convicted criminal on staff, according to a new report from the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. The OIG recommends developing procedures to help implement a nationwide criminal background check program.
House committee approves tort reform proposal — again
House Republicans recently moved one step closer to passing a key tort reform bill. Following an 18-15 vote in the House Judiciary Committee, the “Help Efficient, Accessible, Low-cost, Timely Healthcare (HEALTH) Act,” went to the full House for consideration.
Facility closure requirement brings burdens for providers
A new rule authorized under the Patient Protection and Affordable Healthcare Act sharply amends the notification-of-closure period for nursing homes, and significantly increases the stakes for potential penalties for administrators.
