CMS promises ICD-10 software six months in advance
By
Tim Mullaney
Nov 04, 2014
Providers will receive needed coding and billing software six months before the ICD-10 transition date, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has announced. This is double the lead time that providers...
ACO patients report higher satisfaction, better care coordination
By
Tim Mullaney
Nov 03, 2014
Seniors are more satisfied with their healthcare and believe it is more coordinated if their providers are part of an Accountable Care Organization, according to first-of-its-kind research from the Harvard...
Proposed managed care rule could accelerate shift away from nursing home care, official suggests
By
Tim Mullaney
Oct 30, 2014
Proposed regulations slated for early 2015 likely will affect how Medicaid managed care balances home- versus facility-based long-term care, news sources reported Wednesday.
Face mask mandate dramatically increases healthcare worker flu vaccination
By
Tim Mullaney
Oct 28, 2014
Making nursing home workers wear face masks if they do not get a flu shot is a highly effective way of increasing vaccination rates, statistics in New York show.
Falls are top reason for lawsuits against skilled nursing facilities, report states
By
Tim Mullaney
Oct 27, 2014
Resident falls continue to present the greatest risk of lawsuits to skilled nursing facilities and other long-term care providers, according to a recently released report from insurance company CNA.
Moderate alcohol consumption staves off dementia in seniors
By
Tim Mullaney
Oct 27, 2014
Drinking a moderate amount of alcohol might preserve cognition in people over the age of 60, according to recently published findings in the American Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias.
Also in the news for Oct. 27, 2014 . . .
Oct 27, 2014
Long-term care executive directors lack knowledge of how oral health impacts diseases … Alzheimer’s Association announces $600,000 in grants to investigate non-drug treatments … Extra-depth...
Bulk of Medicaid to be managed care in two years: Avalere
By
Tim Mullaney
Oct 24, 2014
More than three-quarters of Medicaid beneficiaries will be enrolled in a managed care plan as of 2016, according to an Avalere Health analysis released Thursday. The numbers reveal that managed care growth...
A small team of workers responds best in emergencies, expert says
By
Tim Mullaney
Oct 23, 2014
Long-term care providers should consider a “flat” crisis management approach that relies on a core group of staff members, experts advised Wednesday at the LeadingAge annual conference.
CDC tightens Ebola guidelines for healthcare workers
By
Tim Mullaney
Oct 22, 2014
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued more stringent guidelines for how healthcare workers should interact with Ebola patients, following an outcry from nurses and other professionals.