HCPro.com: Briefings on Long-Term Care

July 2008 (Volume 16, Issue 7)	view entire issue

F-tag #329 update: One year after implementation
F-tag #329, regarding gradual dose reduction, is a requirement that came out about one year ago. However, physicians are resisting gradual dose reduction if they have a patient on a treatment plan that's been working. They don't like the idea that they have to change what's already working just because it's a rule, says Maureen Wern, president of Wern and Associates, a full service long-term care consulting firm in Warren, OH. Another challenge in implementing the rule is ensuring that it's done correctly and in a timely fashion, Wern says.

Improve retention rates by spending smarter: A financial approach to recruitment and retention
Staffing issues are an ongoing problem in many nursing homes. However, some homes are discovering that investing in retention also aids in recruitment. The money you're spending on recruiting could be used instead on keeping people in their positions, says Barbara Frank, MPA, cofounder of B&F Consulting, whose office is based in Warren, RI. "If it costs $3,000 when you lose an employee, could you give that employee some incentives or bonuses to stay instead?" asks Frank.

Quality assurance: Why your facility should focus on quality
Quality assurance (QA) is linked to quality improvement (QI), and in long-term care, it's important to maintain a quality improvement program. Nursing homes tend to rely on QI programs, but QA is different. "In our homes, we're moving to ensure we have a continuous quality improvement program, and we've tailored it to our long-term care facilities," says Jeffrey Backer, director of QA and risk management at the State Veterans' Homes Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs in Fort Indiantown Gap, Annville.

Screening for MRSA: Looking beyond a universal approach
Is universal screening the answer to reducing Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections at your facility? Two new studies have offered very different conclusions on the subject. The first study, "Universal Screening for Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus at Hospital Admission and Nosocomial Infection in Surgical Patients," published in the March 12 Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), found that screening all patients when they were admitted to 12 surgical wards did not reduce MRSA infections.

Are you taking advantage of the QM/QI trend reports?
Editor's note: This month's column was written by Diane Brown, a long-term care regulatory specialist at HCPro. The benefits of using the quality measure/quality indicator (QM/QI) trend analysis reports seem to be a well-kept secret. If you haven't reviewed the new QM/QI trend reports, you're missing out on an exceptional quality assurance (QA) tool. The reports were introduced in July 2005, along with several other changes to the quality measurement system.

Other recently-published articles from Briefings on Long-Term Care:

Avoid the ‘dirty little secret’ inside healthcare

Minimize mistakes when responding to the media

Dealing with the challenge of medical identity theft

Project management pointers to develop staff leaders

Receive financial backing: What you need to take out a loan

Embracing change: How to make a big shift in culture

Capturing referral opportunities: How to avoid letting money fall through the cracks

Implement critical thinking in your facility

Implement a successful discharge planning process

Preparing for baby boomers

Will your facility earn a five-star rating?

Installing proper sprinkler systems in your facility

CMS announces changes to two F-tags

MedPAC proposes SNF PPS changes for 2009

Are you taking advantage of the QM/QI trend reports?

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