Category: Long Term Care Blog

MHCA ALF Based Webinar

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April 19, 2016:  Quality of Life…It’s What Culture Change is All About

Assisted Living communities have always taken pride in the fact that they are grounded on a social versus a medical model of care. As healthcare has evolved over the past few years, the healthcare needs of AL residents have increased, threatening the social model focus and potentially compromising the focus of the team meeting resident’s quality of life needs. By learning & discussing the 10 Eden Alternative principles, we will explore the fundamentals of how to meet resident and care partners needs in a way that respects individuality and keeps quality of life as the focus.

Please see the attached brochure for details and registration.

Celebrate National Public Health Week

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Celebrate National Public Health Week, April 4-10.  Missouri’s theme is “Healthy Missouri 2030: Making Communities Stronger.”

Investing in prevention and public health can make an enormous difference.  During this week, help raise awareness of the critical role that public health and prevention play in keeping individuals and communities healthy.

A toolkit for promoting National Public Health Week can be found at http://health.mo.gov/information/nphw/index.php.  The toolkit includes social media messages, a sample proclamation, a sample news release and a promotional ecard.  Also on this page are two videos created by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.  The first video is to help raise awareness about public health.  We encourage you to add a link to (or embed) the video on your webpage and Facebook page.  View the video at http://health.mo.gov/information/nphw/index.php.  Directions to embed the video on your webpage and Facebook page can also be found on this link.

The second video is a slideshow of public health photos.  The photos were submitted by local health departments across the state.  View the slideshow at https://youtu.be/zvt8h-KDfvU.

As we celebrate the accomplishments public health has made over the years, we focus on these public health facts:

Additional information can be found at http://www.nphw.org/.

Please contact Lori Buchanan, Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Lori.Buchanan@health.mo.gov or 573-751-6060 if you have any questions.

Hot Topics: Culture Change in Action

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April 14, 2016:  Educating the Next Generation of Nurses in Person-Directed Care
Presenter:  Christine Mueller, Ph.D., Professor & Associate Dean for Academic Programs, School of Nursing – University of Minnesota

This webinar will provide specific strategies about how to partner with schools of nursing and engage your nursing staff in being guides and mentors for nursing students in providing person-directed care.  Learn how your organization can be a place to foster enthusiasm in nursing students about working in long-term care.

For more information including registration, please visit the Pioneer Network’s event page here.

Nursing Home Quality Improvement Spotlight On…

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Shaping Culture through Leadership

A leader’s actions can shape the culture of an organization.  Expectations for excellence, strong mission and values and an accepting, non-punitive philosophy can improve the culture for both staff and residents.  Click on the links below to learn more.

Change Package: Lead with a Purpose, page 5 (PDF)
TMF Recorded Event: No More Monkeys Jumping on the Bed! (Leadership in QAPI)

CMS Memo S&C 16-11 ALL: Exit Conferences- Sharing Specific Regulatory References or Tags

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The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has clarified guidance to surveyors regarding the procedures for conducting exit conferences, specifically related to the sharing of regulatory tags.  There are significant changes to the exit conference process in this memo.  In addition to the guidance in this memo, CMS has also given direction that the staff identifier list is not to be released even if requested.  This guidance applies to Medicare/Medicaid certified homes only.  The Section for Long-Term Care Regulation will implement these changes no later than March 31, 2016.

Please see the memo and attachments below or visit www.cms.gov/Medicare/Provider-Enrollment-and-Certification/SurveyCertificationGenInfo/Policy-and-Memos-to-States-and-Regions-Items/Survey-and-Cert-Letter-16-11.html?DLPage=2&DLEntries=10&DLSort=3&DLSortDir=descending.

SC16-11-ALL Memo
SC16-11-ALL.02 SOM Chapter 2
SC16-11-ALL.03 SOM Chapter 5
SC16-11-ALL.04 SOM Appendix P

CMS Memo S&C 16-13-NH: Payroll-Based Journal (PBJ) – Implementation of required electronic submission of Staffing Data for Long Term Care (LTC) Facilities

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Information about the requirement for LTC facilities to electronically submit staffing data through the PBJ:

Please see the memo here for details.

TMF Webinar

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April 21, 2016:  Medication Therapy Management: A Pharmacist’s Perspective
Presenter:  Anthony Luedicke, MBA, RPh, Pharmacist, Walgreens

Pharmacists are uniquely positioned to positively impact patient outcomes, adherence rates and reduce readmission rates.  Universally accessible for many patients, pharmacists provide valuable information and follow up after hospital discharge.  Through medication therapy management services, pharmacists can provide an avenue to quantify and track interventions, adherence challenges, potential adverse drug interactions and drug cost saving opportunities.  Continuing education credits will not be awarded for this presentation.

For more information and to register, please visit the event page here.

Introduction to Payroll Based Journal CMS

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April 21, 2016:  Ameristar Conference Center, St. Charles, MO
May 11, 2016:  Ramada Oasis Hotel, Springfield, MO
May 12, 2016:  Stoney Creek Conference Center, Independence, MO
May 18, 2016:  Comfort Inn, Macon, MO

All SNF’s will be required to submit electronic payroll data which will then be used for the CMS Nursing Home Compare and the Nursing Home Five Star Quality Rating system.  The counting period will begin in the 4th quarter of this year July 1-September 30 and the first submission will be due by November 14, 2016.  (Note that quarter data is not a typo-for PBJ our fourth quarter will be the July through September period).  Why is this important to you and your facility?

Please see the brochure here or visit MANHA for more details.

Interact Tools 4.0

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April 6, 2016:  Ramada Oasis Hotel, Springfield, MO
April 7, 2016:  Stoney Creek Conference Center, Independence, MO
April 13, 2016:  Comfort Inn, Macon, MO
April 14, 2016:  River City Hotel, St. Louis, MO

Reducing hospital re-admissions is just one of many ways to use the Interact Tools in your facility.  They can also drive the process of assessment, notification, and provide some intervention ideas as well.  Their use can guide your nursing staff on proper physician notification and improve the communication between your charge nurse and C.N.A.’s .  Using the guides can also help improve documentation. We will create a template for a charge nurse guide for each facility to use and develop best practice implementation ideas through group deliberation.

Please see the brochure here or visit MANHA for more details.

Nursing Home Quality Improvement Spotlight On…

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Reducing Inappropriate Use of Antipsychotic Medications – Alternatives

There are multiple ideas and suggestions for reducing antipsychotic medication use through alternative strategies.  It is suggested that use of alternatives be carefully monitored with frequent reassessment.  Click on the following links to learn more.

Checklist: Activities that may help improve nighttime sleep for residents with dementia (PDF)
Antipsychotic Alternatives (PDF)

Monthly Challenge Poster from MoLANE

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“Whooo Are You???”

This month’s poster urges staff to approach each resident who has dementia with a familiar greeting EVERY TIME they interact with them.  This is necessary because residents with dementia may not recognize their daily care givers even though they interact with them almost constantly.  Please use this poster to stimulate discussion among direct care staff to help them learn more verbal and physical clues and to encourage their use.

Please see the poster and letter attached for more information.

Monthly Challenge Poster from MoLANE

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“Distracted and Overwhelmed”
This month’s poster urges the use of physical and verbal clues when communicating with a resident who seems withdrawn or has a hard time following instructions.  Please use this poster to stimulate discussion among direct care staff to help them learn more verbal and physical clues and to encourage their use.

Please see the poster and MoLANE Letter for more information.

Center for Patient Safety Annual Safety Conference

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April 7, 2016:  A Culture at the Crossroads
Location:  Crowne Plaza Hotel and Conference Center, St. Louis, MO

The Center for Patient Safety is hosting its Annual Safety Conference on April 7 in St. Louis.  The keynote speaker is David Marx, founder of the Just Culture Community.  Donna Adair, CNA and Professional Development Coach for the National Association of Health Care Assistants will also address culture and empowering front-line staff.  A panel discussion will address the implementation of Just Culture at the organizational level, and the Center’s staff will talk about the important role of safety throughout the care continuum.  Missouri licensed LTC providers have complementary registration, and CPS is applying for administrative clock hours, also at no charge to the attendee

For more information and registration, please visit the Center for Patient Safety’s conference page here.

Activity Director Workshop

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March 7-11, 2016:  Jefferson City, MO
October 10-14, 2016:  Jefferson City, MO

This course, brought to you by the Missouri Association of Nursing Home Administrators, is designed to teach the long-term care activity director how:

  • To stimulate physical and physical and psychosocial abilities in residents and how to promote selfworth and usefulness in the resident.
  • To explain the activity director’s role within the long-term care team and
  • Enhance the activity director’s career through the sharing of ideas and programs.

Please see the attached flyer and registration page for more information.

Nursing Home Quality Improvement Webinar

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March 3, 2016:  Nursing Home Quality Care Collaborative: Learning Session 3
Presenter:  Melody Malone, PT, MHA, CPHQ, TMF Quality Innovation Network Quality Improvement (QIN-QIO) Quality Improvement Consultant

Please join this webinar to hear nursing home representatives share their experiences with implementing strategies for antipsychotic medication, pain and incontinence reduction, as well as improving composite scores and motivating staff. Additionally, TMF QIN-QIO staff will discuss best practices that can be implemented.

For more information on registration, please visit here.

Readmissions/Medications Safety/Behavioral Health Open Forum

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March 2, 2016:  Open Forum
Attend this free WebEx event to meet with TMF QIN-QIO Readmissions, Medication Safety and Behavioral Health quality improvement consultants who will be available to answer questions and provide technical assistance. During this monthly Open Forum, your team can network with other providers and TMF QIN-QIO staff, ask questions and problem-solve on topics such as:

  • Care Transitions
  • Readmissions Reduction
  • Medication Safety
  • Adverse Drug Events
  • Behavioral Health
  • Other issues your project may have

The TMF QIN-QIO Readmissions, Medication Safety and Behavioral Health teams will be available from noon – 1 p.m. Central Time.  You can plan to attend the full hour to participate in the discussion and hear other providers’ issues and questions, or you can pop in to ask any questions you may have.  In addition, the TMF QIN-QIO Readmissions, Medication Safety and Behavioral Health teams will be available at any time during the call to provide a brief demonstration on using certain features of on the TMFQIN.org website.  They can also provide more information about project goals and milestones.

Please visit the event page here for more information.

New Generations – Winter 2016

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The Section for Long-Term Care Regulation has published New Generations – Volume 14, Issue 1, Winter 2016.  This issue is now accessible on our website.  Reminder – In an effort to go paperless, we will no longer be printing and mailing a copy; the newsletter will be available electronically.

Please visit health.mo.gov/seniors/nursinghomes/providerinfo.php to view this publication along with a collection of previous newsletters.

New SLCR Managers

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The Section for Long Term Care Regulations welcomes Laura Morts as the manger for the Regulation and Compliance Unit.  She has been with the Section for nearly 10 years, all of which have been with the Regulation and Compliance Unit.  Laura is replacing Carla Jennings who has accepted the manager position for the Quality Assurance and Education Unit.  She has been with the Section for 22 years.  Carla is taking the place of Terry Walkenhorst who officially retires February 29, 2016.

Hot Topics Webinar

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March 17, 2016:  Palliative Care for Persons Living with Advanced Dementia: Why Comfort Matters!
Presenters:  Tena Alonzo, Director of Education & Research, Beatitudes and Ann Wyatt, Residential Care Policy & Strategy Consultant, Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders, New York City, Inc.

Comfort Matters™ is a comprehensive, palliative approach to caring for persons living with advanced dementia, developed by the Beatitudes Campus in Phoenix, Arizona.  This webinar will describe some assumptions that exist about persons in different stages of dementia and the principles and practices embodied in this approach to their care as well as the organizational adaptations needed in order to support comfort practices in residential long-term care settings.  The Alzheimer’s Association, NYC Chapter, worked with three nursing homes to adapt and implement these practices and their findings, processes and challenges will be shared.

Please see the Hot Topics Event page here for more information and to register.