October 2013 Infection Control Buyer’s Guide
October 2013 Infection Control Buyer’s Guide
Print Issue: October 01, 2013
Meds in a cupcake
If you’re weary of pursuing constant improvement and innovation in long-term care, take inspiration from Burger King.
New Wisconsin data network breaking through old barriers
In what may be a sign of things to come, Wisconsin nursing homes, hospitals and other providers will soon have the ability to exchange patient information with a database operated by a nonprofit organization.
60 seconds with … NQF leader Christine Cassel, M.D.
Q: You’ve been at the National Quality Forum since July, bringing deep experience in geriatric medicine to the work of creating and reviewing quality measures. What measures do you see on the horizon for long-term care?
Providers to learn: never enough friends in play
Sometimes long-term care providers struggle to find meaning in the signs that are strewn in their path. Whether it’s legalese, regulatory gobbledy-gook or some form of bureaucracy, uncertain messages confront providers seemingly every day.
CompanyBriefs
» Alana Healthcare has continued to partner with skilled nursing facilities in the Southeast as it transitions from a durable medical equipment supplier to a healthcare management company. Its chronic obstructive pulmonary disease program has helped SNFs reduce hospital readmissions 73%, according to the company.
Sprinkler system citations now in effect
Nursing homes without a full sprinkler system installed and functioning are now subject to deficiency citations, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
This gift has kept giving
A notable anniversary took place when the Social Security program recently turned 78. People often disagree about how well this program has worked and whether it should be allowed to continue. But any provider who sees the program as less than a blessing sorely needs to stop looking into this horse’s mouth.
KY helping Trilogy grow
Trilogy Health Services, which operates 76 senior living communities in the Midwest, is looking to expand its headquarters to support significant growth.
Facilities approach 15% goal for antipsychotics reduction
For decades, many providers have viewed antipsychotic drugs as a necessary evil for treating residents with dementia. But increasingly, these medications are just being seen as evil. So it’s hardly a surprise that the government and the long-term care field are praising notable progress toward reducing their use by 15%.
