Are you nostalgic at Christmas? Section G elimination may be the right gift for you
By
Joel VanEaton
Dec 21, 2022
I love Christmas! Ever since I was a child, I have resonated with the sentiment in the movie, “A Christmas Story,” where the narrator, articulating Ralphie’s thoughts states, “Oh, but no matter....
Lots to learn with new Five-Star
By
Steven Littlehale
Jul 22, 2022
On a recent flight, I sat next to an attorney whose principal focus was compliance. It turned out that we were both on our way to speak at events in the same popular Florida conference destination. She...
A former surveyor tells THE key to getting good star ratings
By
Leslie Mahoney, RN, BSN
May 14, 2018
Until the State Operations Manual becomes the quintessential tool for regulatory compliance, a 5-star rating will be out of reach for skilled nursing providers. It’s as simple as that.
How will PBJ impact Five-Star staffing? Would you like one lump or two?
By
Steven Littlehale
Mar 30, 2018
We don’t know when, and we don’t know how, but when Payroll-Based Journal staffing data replaces the data currently being captured from CMS Form 671 for calculating Five-Star staffing, we are...
Great associates are sought from the top down
By
Kris Berntsen
May 01, 2015
A prosperous community environment beginning with the top leadership is something that many organizations tout, but here at La Posada, a community in Palm Beach Gardens, FL, it’s something that we...
New models predict SNF hospital readmission rates
By
Steven Littlehale
Jan 21, 2015
If a skilled nursing facility were an overall Five Star performer, you would think that it would provide the best care and have the fewest rehospitalizations, right?
Why the New York Times’ ‘hatchet job’ shows better days are coming to long-term care
By
John O'Connor
Aug 26, 2014
A pall hangs over this sector at the moment, thanks to the New York Times.
Plan of correction can be anything but, as this provider learns the hard way
By
John O'Connor
Apr 28, 2014
Justice has an odd way of showing itself if you’re a nursing facility that disagrees with a deficiency citation but decides to work with inspectors to clear your name. You’re not going to believe...
I saw the (nursing home) sign part II: Trouble in Goffstown
By
Tim Mullaney
Dec 17, 2013
A small-town conflict over signage has pitted a New Hampshire nursing home against its neighbors — and might suggest some larger trends in long-term care.
The star treatment is here to stay
By
John O'Connor
Jul 20, 2012
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has just rolled out its latest version of Nursing Home Compare. If your facility garnered five stars, you probably love it. If you received one star, you surely...