John O'Connor

John is the editorial director, vice president and associate publisher of McKnight's Senior Living and McKnight's Long-Term Care News. He joined McKnight's in 1990. He is a graduate of the University of Illinois, where he was introduced to journalism, late-night bull sessions and many of his closest friends. Before McKnight's, John worked at a weekly newspaper in Chicago. An avid reader and sports fan, he has a weakness for magazines, biographies and almost anything containing chocolate. John lives in the Chicago area with his wife, Layne, and their two children.

Most recent articles by John O'Connor

Clinical Daily News

Early flu season threatens senior living residents in most states

John O'Connor

November 25, 2019

Flu season is off to an early start with some states having widespread outbreaks, according to the CDC.

Daily Editors' Notes

PDPM and the tug of irrational exuberance

John O'Connor

November 24, 2019

By most accounts, providers seem generally happy with the new Medicare system for classifying residents and payments.

Daily Editors' Notes

Will nursing facilities soon be forced to post prices too?

John O'Connor

November 16, 2019

We are reading and hearing much these days about how skilled care operators need to adapt for future success. Align with healthcare systems, some experts say. Keep residents out of hospitals, others caution. Find a specialized service and be the best in the neighborhood at it, still others advise. Will these and other strategies spell…

Print News

PDPM: Here’s the rub

John O'Connor

November 14, 2019

If it seems like a lot of skilled nursing facility therapists have been getting laid off, it’s no coincidence. Genesis Healthcare grabbed the early lead in the pink slip parade. The firm let go of about 600, or more than 5%, of its rehab workers. Many other operators have been considering similar moves. That is,…

Print News

Feds press emergency prep

John O'Connor

November 11, 2019

Nursing homes are going to be held to a higher standard because under new federal rules they’ll retain a requirement to conduct annual reviews of their emergency programs, despite the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently easing requirements for other providers. The agency will allow other Medicare and Medicaid providers to review their emergency…

Daily Editors' Notes

Helping you go the distance in long-term care

John O'Connor

November 11, 2019

A long-term care career might sound like an oxymoron. After all, turnover remains ridiculously high at many facilities.

Print News

PDPM kick-off sparks layoffs

John O'Connor

November 7, 2019

The Patient Driven Payment Model kicked in Oct. 1, spurring numerous layoffs and rearrangement of therapists around the country. Genesis Rehab said it had laid off 585 of about 10,000 employees, while various McKnight’s readers noted other work reductions. “We expect to see an evolution over time as people understand how the new payment system…

Daily Editors' Notes

A special day for veterans. Too bad there aren’t a lot more of them.

John O'Connor

November 4, 2019

It’s nice that we’ll pause to thank our veterans next Monday, but there should be more.

Daily Editors' Notes

You have problems, they help solve them

John O'Connor

October 27, 2019

I don’t think it’s too much of a stretch to suggest that one reason why so many women in this field do so well is because they have superior problem-solving abilities.

Daily Editors' Notes

Not much was happening at AHCA, until the love broke out

John O'Connor

October 20, 2019

Mark Parkinson just might be the best leader the American Health Care Association has ever had.

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