Category: Nursing Home Administrators

Nursing Home Quality Improvement Spotlight On…

Posted on

Pressure Ulcer Prevention: A Team Effort

Pressure ulcer prevention is a team effort. Staff, residents and family members must work together to support the goal of eliminating facility-acquired pressure ulcers. Click on the following links to learn more about pressure ulcer education and awareness for everyone involved:

CMS Collaborative: Early Recognition and Management of Sepsis in Nursing Homes

Posted on

CMS Collaborative:  Early Recognition and Management of Sepsis in Nursing Homes

  • December 7, 2016:  Noon-4 p.m. CT

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) invites you to participate in a collaborative focusing on early sepsis identification and treatment in nursing homes.

 

The speaker for this event will be Steven Q. Simpson, MD, professor of Medicine and director of the Medical Intensive Care Unit at the University of Kansas Medical Center. Dr. Simpson has initiated a sepsis program in Kansas nursing homes that will be a basis of his presentation. A Kansas nursing home participating in the collaborative will also provide lessons learned from implementation of early sepsis recognition.

 

Those interested in attending may attend via WebEx or in person at either the CMS regional offices in Kansas City or Chicago. A collaborative discussion will follow at the regional offices to consider barriers and opportunities moving forward. To register, all attendees must download this form (Word) and complete the appropriate section(s) on page two. Note: Only those persons who plan to attend via WebEx need to complete the second section on page two.

Therapy Coding and Billing Changes – Are You Ready?

Posted on

Therapy Coding and Billing Changes – Are You Ready?

  • December 14, 2016: Webinar 11:30-12:30 pm CST
  • Presenter: Catherine Gill, MS, PT, MHA from LW Consulting

Beginning January 1, 2017, the existing physical and occupational therapy evaluation and re-evaluation CPT codes will no longer be accepted by Medicare for Part B services, and 6 new codes will be required in their place. To prevent interruptions in your cash flow due to claims denials, it is important that your key staff know the new billing codes, that software and process are modified to handle the new codes and that therapy services are properly documented to support the new codes.

 

This presentation, for facility management and billing staff, will explain the changes in the CPT codes and the new documentation requirements that must support the new codes. It will also review steps you should be taking now to prepare for this change, and steps you should be talking after January to ensure the therapy billing that is done is compliant with these new requirements.

 

Click here to register

e-Notify

Posted on

e-Notify

In just a few minutes, nurses can self-enroll into Nursys e-Notify for free and take advantage of a quick and convenient way to keep up-to-date with their professional licenses. They can receive licensure status updates, track license verifications for endorsement and create and manage multiple license expiration reminders. Keeping on top of license status can help nurses prevent fraudulent licenses or certificates being issued in their names.

 

If you only have one license, you may question why you need to do this. We have had cases come before the board where a nurse unknowingly practiced while his/her license was expired. This system will notify you before your license expires and when it expires. It is also possible that your license could be suspended for failure to comply with the tax law. You would receive a notification any time any discipline is attached to your license. Missouri is a member of the nurse licensure compact. Your multi-state license is tied to your primary state of residence. A change to your primary state of residence could change your multi-state license status. This system will notify you if that status changes. When you apply to renew your license or submit your license renewal online, your license is not automatically renewed. If you enroll in this system, you will be notified when your license is renewed. Those are just a few examples of how enrolling yourself in this system will protect the license you have worked so hard to obtain. This system pushes notification of changes to you rather than you having to continually re-query the system.

 

Creating an account is quick and easy. Enroll at www.nursys.com/e-notify and select “As a Nurse” to complete the registration process. Learn more about Nursys e-Notify by viewing an introductory video or visiting the Nursys website. For questions, contact nursysenotify@ncsbn.org.

 

Nursys is the only national database for licensure verification for registered nurses (RNs), licensed practical/vocational nurses (LPN/VNs) and advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs). Nursys is designated as a primary source equivalent database through a written agreement with participating boards of nursing (BONs). Nursys is live and dynamic, and all updates to the system are reflected immediately, pushed directly from participating BON databases through frequent, secured data updates.

S&C 17-08-NH: Civil Money Penalty (CMP) Reinvestment Resource Web Page

Posted on

S&C 17-08-NH: Civil Money Penalty (CMP) Reinvestment Resource Web Page

A web page to house general information on the reinvestment of State CMP funds is now available at https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Provider-Enrollment-and-Certification/SurveyCertificationGenInfo/LTC-CMP-Reinvestment.html. This web page serves as a location to house pertinent information for entities interested in applying for State CMP funds, States and Regional Offices (ROs), and other stakeholders.

MHCA – The Requirements of Participation Workshop

Posted on

MHCA – The Requirements of Participation Workshop

  • December 9, 2016:  The Requirements of Participation: Bringing Them to Life in Your Center
  • Location:  Stoney Creek Inn, Columbia

This workshop will help your facility prepare to make necessary changes to comply with the new Requirement of Participation (RoP) that will be enforced in three phases (starting Nov 28, 2016, Nov 2017 and Nov 2019). This workshop will include a mix of didactic presentations and multiple interactive exercises using material brought by your facility to help you start to make changes you need to comply with RoP enforced in phase I and II. The session will also include significant time for group discussion and a review of available resources and tools.

 

Please see the event registration on MHCA website here for more information.

MHCA Webinars

Posted on

MHCA Webinars

MLN 26th Annual Nursing Home Administrators Conference

Posted on

MLN 26th Annual Nursing Home Administrators Conference

  • March 2-4, 2017:  Annual Nursing Home Administrators Conference
  • Location:  Old Kinderhook, Camdenton

The 26th Annual Nursing Home Administrator Conference will provide nursing home administrators with the essential information needed to effectively serve long-term care residents and successfully perform their leadership role and job responsibilities. This program was specifically designed to provide 20 hours of CE credit.

 

Please see the brochure with registration on MLN’s event page.

MLN 64th Annual Long-Term Care Convention

Posted on

MLN 64th Annual Long-Term Care Convention

  • April 11-13, 2017:  Rejuvenate: Compassion, Relationships, Professionalism, Communication, Leadership
  • Location:  Tan-Tar-A Resort, Osage Beach

Our primary aim during this convention is to provide educational and networking opportunities that help you, our valued members, students, guests, and health care providers, in renewing your commitment to the people you serve. MLN’s commitment to our organizational values of caring, integrity, diversity and excellence, remains constant, championing your efforts to rejuvenate your professional skills and to provide extraordinary service to our communities, residents, and their family members who deserve no less.

 

Please see the brochure along with registration on MLN’s event page.

NEW FTags and Regulation Text

Posted on

NEW FTags and Regulation Text

This attachment contains the new regulatory language for long term care. The new regulations will be implemented in three phases. The document is color-coded for ease of identifying the requirements in each phase. The color codes are:

  • Phase 1 – Red – effective 11/28/16
  • Phase 2 – Blue – effective 11/28/17
  • Phase 3 – Green – effective 11/28/19

The training for Phase I is available to providers at the following link: surveyortraining.cms.hhs.gov/pubs/ProviderTraining.aspx

Self-Reporting Update

Posted on

Self-Reporting Update

SLCR has revised the Self-Reporting guidance (attached) to reflect the new regulatory requirements effective 11/28/16 regarding reporting of allegations of abuse or incidents that result in serious bodily injury. The self-reporting timeframes for these two areas has been reduced significantly. Please make sure these new requirements are implemented and policies and procedures are modified to reflect the changes.

Bathing Without a Battle Online Training

Posted on

Bathing Without a Battle Online Training

Bathing Without a Battle Launches Online Training Portal with Free Continuing Education Credit for Long-Term Care Staff.

The award-winning, evidence-based Bathing Without a Battle training on person-centered bathing for people with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias is now accessible online free of charge. The interactive training provides 2½ hours of free continuing education credit for nurses and 2 hours of free credit for nursing assistants. Students who plan to enter long-term care or geriatric home care are also encouraged to participate in the online training.

Training can be accessed through the website www.bathingwithoutabattle.unc.edu. Once registered, users can open modules on practical approaches to showering, tub bathing, in-room bathing, and hair washing; information on innovative bathing equipment and supplies; recommendations for policy change within long-term care organizations; and guidance on regulatory compliance.

This new training modality is provided by a grant from the Retirement Research Foundation to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. A condensed training DVD with printable Instructor’s Guide continues to be available for purchase for group in-service training or individual study.

QTSO Alert Memo, 11-11-16: MDS 3.0 ASAP Issue for NO and SO Assessment Records

Posted on

QTSO Alert Memo, 11-11-16: MDS 3.0 ASAP Issue for NO and SO Assessment Records

  • An issue has been identified with MDS 3.0 assessment records submitted to the ASAP system beginning October 1, 2016, through November 4, 2016 that impacts all NO and SO (Nursing Home and Swing Bed OMRA) assessment records with a target date on or after October 1, 2016. This issue involves submitted MDS response values for M0300B1, M0300C1, M0300D1, and M0300F1 for NO and SO assessment records. The submitted response values were not stored in the ASAP system and therefore were excluded from validation and RUG calculations.
  • All providers who submitted MDS NO and SO assessment records on or after October 1st through November 4th, with a target date of October 1, 2016 or after, must submit a modification record to the ASAP system. No changes are required in this modification record.  Providers may not submit the original record a second time as it will be rejected as a duplicate record if it was accepted into the ASAP system in the original submission. Submission of the modification record will allow the ASAP system to correctly recalculate the RUG value and have accurate data stored for reporting purposes.
  • If you have any questions concerning this information, please contact the QTSO Help Desk at help@qtso.com or 1 (888) 477-7876.

PBJ (From CMS)

Posted on

PBJ  (From CMS)

  • We acknowledge that the large number of provider submissions as we near the submission deadline has exceeded the amount of planned network capacity and has resulted in high network utilization which is subsequently causing slowed system response times as well as an inability to access the system for some users.  We encourage users to pull down their validation reports during off peak times to relieve system congestion and allow more bandwidth for data submissions and less user frustration.
  • CMS will accept data submission past the deadline and will not impose penalties for providers that have not met the deadline at this time.  However, we expect providers to still make a good faith effort to submit data as soon as possible for Fiscal Year 2016 Q4 (July 1 – September 30, 2016).
  • We understand several providers are confused about what number to use when PBJ asks for the Facility ID (FAC_ID).  The list of FAC_IDs can be found by logging on to CMSNet, clicking “QIES Systems for Providers” and then under “PBJ Submissions” click “Look Up Facility ID”.
  • For questions related to entering the hire and rehire dates for employees, please see Section 8.4 (“Manual Data Entry and XML Submission Rehire Process”) of the PBJ User Manual, which can be found here, https://www.qtso.com/pbjtrain.html.
  • We are aware that some facilities may be confused on the use of the “save” button in the PBJ system.  The save button is the same as submitting your data.  Additionally, you can save and submit as often as you’d like throughout the quarter, such as every two weeks, and you can always go back and edit your data for previous weeks.  Do not wait until the end of the quarter to save and submit. CMS will not collect any files until after November 14th.
  • CMS 671 Form and PBJ Submission Discrepancies We are aware that some providers are concerned that PBJ data will be compared to the information submitted on their CMS-671 form.  We acknowledge that there are differences between how staffing data is submitted in comparing the instructions and policies of PBJ and the CMS-671, and they cover very different time frames. Therefore, in general, we do not expect PBJ data to match the data from the CMS-671.

Nursing Home Quality Improvement Spotlight On…

Posted on

Pressure Ulcer Prevention

Improve patient outcomes and help prevent pressure ulcers by educating staff on the guidelines and management of this painful condition. Click on the following links for information about free events and resources.

CMS Collaborative: Early Recognition and Management of Sepsis in Nursing Homes

Posted on

CMS Collaborative:  Early Recognition and Management of Sepsis in Nursing Homes

  • December 7, 2016:  Noon-4 p.m. CT

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) invites you to participate in a collaborative focusing on early sepsis identification and treatment in nursing homes.

The speaker for this event will be Steven Q. Simpson, MD, professor of Medicine and director of the Medical Intensive Care Unit at the University of Kansas Medical Center. Dr. Simpson has initiated a sepsis program in Kansas nursing homes that will be a basis of his presentation. A Kansas nursing home participating in the collaborative will also provide lessons learned from implementation of early sepsis recognition.

Those interested in attending may attend via WebEx or in person at either the CMS regional offices in Kansas City or Chicago. A collaborative discussion will follow at the regional offices to consider barriers and opportunities moving forward. To register, all attendees must download this form (Word) and complete the appropriate section(s) on page two. Note: Only those persons who plan to attend via WebEx need to complete the second section on page two.

Alzheimer’s Poetry Project’s Gary Glazner

Posted on

Alzheimer’s Poetry Project’s Gary Glazner is Coming to Missouri – Registration Open

Gary Glazner is the founder and Project Director of the Alzheimer’s Poetry Project (APP). The APP was awarded the 2012 MetLife Foundation Creativity and Aging in America Leadership Award in the category of Community Engagement. The National Endowment for the Arts listed the APP as a “best practice” for their Arts and Aging initiative. Glazner is an internationally recognized speaker and expert on using poetry with people living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia and has given talks at over 30 conferences, including the most recent MC5 Annual Conference.

  • February 21, 2017 – Kansas City
  • February 22, 2017 – Springfield
  • February 23, 2017 – Cape Girardeau
  • February 24, 2017 – St. Louis

This event is being funded by MC5, the Missouri Arts Council, and the Alzheimer’s Association.

Please visit the MC5 website for registration links.  REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED!

Conversations with Carmen

Posted on

Conversations with Carmen

  • November 18, 2016:  Vibrant Living for Men, Compliance for Communities
  • Guest:  Glenn Blacklock, LNHA, Action Pact Consultant

Known nationally for his work bringing normal life pursuits to nursing home residents, Glenn will guide us in exploring options to help men live more vibrant and satisfying lives. As we know, men tend to get “lost in the shuffle” in the myriad of activity offerings that often seem to be geared toward women. We will discuss how meaningful engagement can’t just be left to activity/recreational professionals anymore. When all individuals in a community share their passions and interests, relationships flourish and spontaneity happens. As we all rethink what we can make happen for men, they often find new purpose and meaning in their lives, and their once-vibrant spirits will rise again. And although we are focusing well-deserved attention on men’s needs here, the principles discussed apply to everyone.

*The discussion will include the new CMS regulation for Activities which goes into effect November 28, 2016.

Please see the Conversations with Carmen event page here for more details including registration.

ALERT: ICAPP Voluntarily Recalls Certain Lots of Frozen Strawberries

Posted on

ICAPP Voluntarily Recalls Certain Lots of Frozen Strawberries

  • Some facilities in Missouri were identified on ICAPP’s Distribution List.  Please check your inventory if you received shipments from ICAPP.

The International Company for Agricultural Production & Processing (ICAPP) is voluntarily recalling certain lots of its frozen strawberries out of an abundance of caution in response to a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigation of an outbreak of Hepatitis A. For more information about this investigation, please visit FDA’s outbreak investigation website at www.fda.gov/Food/RecallsOutbreaksEmergencies/Outbreaks/ucm518775.htm. The recalled products were all distributed for sale to and use in food service establishments nationwide — not for use in food products offered for retail sale to consumers. Nonetheless, ICAPP is issuing this news release publicly to help mitigate any possible risk to the public health and to fully ensure that all recalled products are recovered. Although none of ICAPP’s own testing through an established surveillance program or through third party testing of retained samples has identified the presence of Hepatitis A in any of its products, ICAPP has decided to recall all frozen strawberries that it has imported into the United States since January 1, 2016 out of an abundance of caution. No other ICAPP products, frozen or fresh, are covered by this voluntary recall. ICAPP is conducting this voluntary recall after learning that frozen strawberries that it distributed may be linked to a recent Hepatitis A outbreak in the United States. ICAPP has been engaged with FDA in its investigation of this outbreak and is taking this action in consultation with FDA because Hepatitis A virus was detected in four lots of frozen strawberries that were exported to the U.S. by ICAPP. ICAPP is working closely with all of the U.S. distributors of this product to ensure that this recall is effective. Hepatitis A is a contagious liver disease that results from exposure to the Hepatitis A virus, including from food. It can range from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a serious illness lasting several months. Illness generally occurs within 15 to 50 days of exposure and includes fatigue, abdominal pain, jaundice, abnormal liver tests, dark urine and pale stool. Hepatitis A vaccination can prevent illness if given within two weeks of exposure to a contaminated food. In rare cases, particularly consumers who have a pre-existing severe illness or are immune compromised, Hepatitis A infection can progress to liver failure. Persons who may have consumed affected product should consult with their health care professional or local health department to determine if a vaccination is appropriate, and consumers with symptoms of Hepatitis A should contact their health care professionals or the local health department immediately. ICAPP is fully committed to producing safe and high quality products; consumer safety is its top priority. ICAPP is conducting a comprehensive review of all of its operations and its suppliers to ensure that the food it produces is safe. ICAPP continues to work closely with federal and state authorities and is conducting this recall in cooperation with FDA. For questions or more information, consumers may contact ICAPP by email at customerservice@icapp.com.eg or by phone, between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm Cairo local time, at (201)-541-1624.

MU Leadership Development Academy for Long-Term Care

Posted on

MU Leadership Development Academy for Long-Term Care

  • April 2016 – October 2016:  Kansas City and Springfield

Enrollment is now open for the next professional development certificate program offered by the University of Missouri.  Long-term care can be challenging, but the academy will help you better manage daily crises and get the most out of your employees.  The academy has been proven to increase leadership skills and improve confidence, which will help to create a working environment that encourages teamwork and quality improvement.

Please see the brochure and registration details on the MU Leadership Development Academy’s web page here.

MU Gerontology Update

Posted on

MU Gerontology Update

  • December 1-2, 2016:  27th Annual Gerontology Clinical Update
  • Location:  Peachtree Banquet Center, Columbia

This gerontology conference is two days of evidence-based and application-oriented educational programming based on a combination of suggestions from past participants, current literature and hot topics suggested by the conference planning committee.  Experienced gerontology nurses from hospitals, LTC settings, rehabilitation, home and community health, as well as gerontology nursing faculty, a licensed nursing home administrator, social worker and a LTC facility surveyor, have determined the topics for this year’s event.  Every effort has been made to translate the latest evidence into practical and useful knowledge for the gerontology practitioner.

Please visit the MU Gerontology Clinical Update conference page here for more information including the brochure and registration information.

MLN Emergencies, Disasters, and Lessons Learned: Are You Really Ready?

Posted on

MLN Emergencies, Disasters, and Lessons Learned: Are You Really Ready?

  • November 16, 2016:  Macon
  • November 17, 2016:  Jefferson City

This presentation will discuss emergencies, disasters, risk assessment, and lessons learned from case studies. The presentation will provide participants with specific suggestions to help be better prepared in the event a disaster does occur.

Please see the Workshop brochure and more information including registration here.

CMS New Regulations Program

Posted on

CMS New Regulations Program

  • November 16, 2016:  Independence
  • November 17, 2016:  Columbia
  • November 18, 2016:  St. Louis

At the conclusion of this seminar, each attendee will be able to identify: 1. Analysis of the top 25 issues referenced by CMS in the past 18 month of changes. 2. Discuss what the causative factors are prompting CMS to make each of these changes. 3. Develop specific strategies at the facility level to begin successful implementation of these changes.

Please see the Workshop brochure and more information including registration here.