Driving my Grandma to one of her favorite restaurants to celebrate a significant birthday (she prefers that I don’t specify which) offered me an important lesson in communication.
Agency staffing on the rise? Believe it — and plan for it
By
Steven Littlehale
Nov 21, 2016
The use of contract agency staff to fill nurse aide and licensed nurse vacancies is escalating. This increase is seen across many states, not to mention across the nation as a whole. Yes, we have a well-documented...
Selling fear: Are you buying?
By
Steven Littlehale
Oct 17, 2016
Fearmongering has certainly played a major role in the 2016 presidential race, but you might not realize it’s also become more and more common in our own industry as well.
Cracking the code to seven years of Five-Star ratings success
By
Steven Littlehale
Sep 19, 2016
Since the inception of the Five-Star Quality Rating program in December 2008, there have been 113 Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs) that have earned and maintained an overall 5-star score. Who are these...
‘Patient’ is a virtue
By
Steven Littlehale
Aug 26, 2016
Maybe I’m getting old, or the world is more complex, but lately I find my thoughts drifting to simpler times and moments that shaped me into the person I am today. Take, for example, by experience...
The heightened requirement for data-driven discharge planning
By
Steven Littlehale
Jul 20, 2016
It’s fascinating to observe the evolution of business processes regarding transitions of care.
Does caring for specialty populations hurt your public profile?
By
Steven Littlehale
Jun 20, 2016
Many skilled nursing facilities are de facto specialty care centers with a disproportionately large number of certain types of residents. This scenario, unfortunately, can translate into a liability in...
What goes around comes around: Time to set up YOUR smart network
By
Steven Littlehale
May 20, 2016
The recent publication of the SNF PPS Proposed rule for FY 2017 seekd to unite post-acute providers by aligning payment incentives and overlapping value-based penalties. It might be trickier than it looks.
Who else is using Five-Star? (Who isn’t?)
By
Steven Littlehale
Apr 14, 2016
I continue to be struck by how deep Five-Star has worked its way into the countless nooks and crannies of our industry. It’s far beyond what the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services intended...
Do the new QMs have you seeing stars?
By
Steven Littlehale
Mar 18, 2016
Actions providers take now will make or break their Five-Star Quality Rating experience in July. That’s because the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has changed quality measures in a way...