TIP OF THE WEEK
Ideas for celebrating National Nursing Home Week
National Nursing Home Week will begin on Mother's Day, May 13, 2007 and continue through May 19, 2007. The American Health Care Association (AHCA) established the weeklong celebration in 1967.
TREASURE OUR ELDERS
The theme for 2007 is Treasure Our Elders. Below are just a few ideas you can use to prepare for your nursing home week celebration.
- Help residents to share their treasures. Hold a resident showcase and ask those with special or secret talents to participate. Perhaps, you have a woman who loves to sing. See if you can find someone who might like to sing but hasn't done so in the past and match him or her with a partner for a duet.
- Make a treasure chest cake (Click here for the AHCA recipe).
- Plant a treasure garden. Planting the seeds is like burying treasure and the reward for tending to the treasure will be the beautiful flowers that grow.
- Click here for more activity resources from AHCA.
SUPPORT STAFF TO PROVIDE QUALITY CARE
Your staff members work year-round to create a warm, welcoming environment for the residents who live in your facility. National Nursing Home Week also provides you with an opportunity to recognize their contribution.
Provide clinical staff members with a Nursing Home Clinician’s Pocket Guide. This pocket guide includes information in the areas of communication, medication administration, pain, wounds, depression, cognition, and common conversions. Order free guides for all staff online at www.ohiokepro.com/shopping.
PERSON-CENTERED CARE
National Nursing Home Week may also be the right time to kick off new person-centered care initiatives.
Click here to access an archive of change strategies for person-centered care in areas such as bathing, dining, death and dying, and sleeping/waking. Download ideas for recruiting and orienting employees, as well as how to provide employees with consistent assignments.
Learn more about Person-Centered Care at www.centeredcare.org.
RESOURCE SPOTLIGHT
Facility Assessment Checklists for Pressure Ulcers
Facility assessment checklists are tools used to assess current pressure ulcer management systems and identify areas for improvement. These checklists are designed for completion by a director of nursing or other team leader who knows the facility's processes of care.
MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT
Ohio KePRO is the Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) authorized by the Medicare program to review medical services provided to Medicare beneficiaries in Ohio. As you may know, we review medical records to determine whether services delivered to these beneficiaries meet medically acceptable standards of care, are medically necessary, and are delivered in the most appropriate setting. In addition, we review written complaints from Medicare beneficiaries about the quality of Medicare services they have received and conduct quality improvement projects to make measurable improvements in beneficiary health status or satisfaction.
In order to participate in the Medicare program, certain providers are required under federal law to have a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with a QIO. Medicare Advantage Organizations (MAs) must have a MOA with a QIO or an independent quality review organization. MOAs outline the QIO’s and provider’s responsibilities during the review process. MOAs are also intended to be informational.
Section 1866 (a)(1)(E) of the Social Security Act requires providers of services to have an agreement with QIOs to release data related to patients when a QIO requests it.
Section 1866 (a)(1)(F)(i) of the Social Security Act requires hospitals which provide inpatient hospital services paid under the Prospective Payment System (PPS) to maintain an agreement with QIOs to review the validity of diagnostic information provided by such hospitals, the completeness, adequacy and quality of care provided, the appropriateness of admissions and discharges, and the appropriateness of care provided for which additional payments are sought.
Section 1866 (a)(1)(F)(ii) of the Social Security Act requires hospitals, critical access hospitals (CAHs), skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), hospices, LTACs, CORFs and home health agencies (HHAs) to maintain an agreement with a QIO to perform certain functions.
The MOA describes (a) Ohio KePRO procedures with respect to certain contract obligations, (b) review and appeal rights providers have with respect to these obligations, and (c) opportunities providers have to partner with Ohio KePRO in local and national quality improvement projects.
Ohio KePRO has sent out two previous requests for MOAs. Ohio KePRO is most appreciative of those who have signed and returned their MOAs to us. If you have not signed and returned your MOA to Ohio KePRO, it is imperative that you do so immediately. If you require another copy of the MOA or have any questions, please contact Linda Greel at 216-447-9604, ext. 2102 or via e-mail at lgreel@ohqio.sdps.org.
IN THE NEWS
BED RAIL REMOVAL DOESN'T INCREASE FALLS IN ELDERLY
April 18, 2007 -- Reuters Health -- Reducing the use of restrictive side rails on the beds of nursing home residents does not increase the likelihood of falling, and may actually help prevent falls, a new study demonstrates. Deaths and injuries have been linked to the use of full-length side rails, generally when patients try to climb over them and fall or become trapped against them.
While government regulators and professional groups now discourage the routine use of restrictive side rails, they add, "many nursing homes continue to use these devices inappropriately." Read more >>
OHIO, MICHIGAN RATE AVERAGE IN MOST MEDICAID AREAS
April 19, 2007 -- Toledo Blade -- For quality of health care, Ohio’s Medicaid program ranks the third highest among all states nationwide, according to a report released yesterday. Yet Ohio’s health insurance program for needy residents was ranked No. 29 overall nationwide after falling below average on the report’s three other categories: eligibility requirements, covered services, and reimbursements to providers. Read more >>
WESTAT TO SURVEY OHIO PROVIDERS THIS SPRING/SUMMER
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has contracted with Westat to survey a sample of Ohio healthcare providers about Ohio KePRO, the Medicare Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) for Ohio. If contacted, please take the opportunity to complete this voluntary, confidential survey online or by phone and help shape the future of healthcare quality improvement in Ohio.
HUMANIZING DEMENTIA CARE MAY EXTEND PATIENTS’ LIVES
April 24, 2007 -- Newswire -- Through an intensive comparative study of two nursing home units using contrasting approaches to dementia care for elders with severely disturbed behaviors, Central Michigan University professor of anthropology Athena McLean has found that "humanizing" approaches to dementia care may not only extend quality of life for patients, but also their length of life. Read more >>
RESPITE CARE BENEFITS UNPROVEN DESPITE HIGH DEMAND
April 24, 2007 -- Newswire -- Family members and friends often need support as they cope with being the main caregivers for their older, sick or disabled loved ones. One source of such support is respite care, but there is no clear proof that it benefits those who use it, according to a new review from England. Read more >>
OHIO KEPRO EVENTS
THE GOOD APPLES: TIPS FOR ATTRACTING AND RETAINING THE RIGHT EMPLOYEES
In this half-day workshop, we will delve into key strategies for improving workforce retention in the nursing home, including:
- The impact of turnover and absenteeism on an organization and what you can do about it.
- Strategies to improve the hiring and orientation process.
- Motivating employees and improving staff satisfaction.
- Setting goals and measure improvement in workforce retention.
Who should attend: Directors of Operations, Directors of Nursing, Nursing Home Administrators, Staff Development, and Human Resources.
Save these dates and register today!
7/11 – Cincinnati | 7/24 – Wooster | |
7/12 – Springfield | 8/7 – Boardman | |
7/17 – Cambridge | 8/15 – Columbus | |
7/19 – Sylvania | 8/21 – Wellston |
CANCELLED: COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE CONFERENCE CALLS
The remaining community of practice conference calls have been cancelled. This includes further discussions about restraints (May 1+3, 2007).
For more information, please contact the Nursing Home Team at 1-800-385-5080
INDUSTRY EVENTS
30th Annual Nursing Assistant Convention and Recognition Program
June 20, 2007, Akron, OH
Dementia: The Emerging Epidemic, A support group meeting for family, friends, and caregivers
May 10, 2007, 7:00pm to 8:30pm, Courtyard by Marriott, Springfield, OH.
Call OMH, Rita Brown at 937-525-3000 to register before May 3, 2007.
Dementia: The Emerging Epidemic Training for Professionals
May 11, 2007, 8:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., The Ohio Masonic Home, Springfield, OH.
Call OMH, Rita Brown at 937.525.3000 to register before May 4, 2007.
Navigating the MDS Through the Ohio Medicaid Reimbursement System
Ohio Department of Job and Family Services
June 11, 2007 or August 23, 2007
Call Cheryl Robertson at (614) 466-9088 for more information.
Medicare Learning Network: Learning resources and products for the healthcare professional.
Alzheimer’s Association Training Events
Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine Courses
Ohio Department of Health, Technical Assistance Program – New Programs
Ohio Health Care Association Events
An archive of The Nursing Home Weekly Update is available on our Web site. Click here >>
