TIP OF THE WEEK
Take advantage of Ohio KePRO’s technical assistance services
As the Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) for Ohio, Ohio KePRO provides assistance to all Ohio nursing homes in an effort to improve quality of care for Ohio nursing home residents. In addition to scheduled conference call and seminar offerings, you can also take advantage of personal, one-on-one assistance from a member of the Ohio KePRO Nursing Home Team.
Ohio KePRO provides assistance in the following areas:
- Quality improvement pain management, pressure ulcer prevention, reducing restraint use, and reducing incidence of depression
- Culture change and person-centered care
- Workforce retention
Below are just a few things we can help you with:
- Consulting -– At a fork in the road with your most recent QI project? Call us to bounce your ideas off of an unbiased third party. We may even have some suggestions you haven’t thought of or some tools to help you succeed.
- Research –- We can help you find best practices and research to support your efforts. Do you have a family member questioning your restraint-free policy? Contact us for evidence-based research that supports reducing the use of restraints.
- Training Resources -– The Ohio KePRO library of presentations and other materials can be used by Ohio nursing homes for staff training and education.
- Material Shopping –- A shopping bag is available at www.ohiokepro.com/shopping. Sort for nursing home materials to view the teleconference recordings, resource CDs, brochures, pocket guides, and other tools available for order on our Web site.
Through our Medicare QIO contract, Ohio KePRO is able to provide these services at no cost to Ohio nursing homes. For more information, call Ohio KePRO toll-free at 1.800.385.5080 and ask for a member of the Nursing Home Team. Or e-mail us at ltc@ohqio.sdps.org.
RESOURCE SPOTLIGHT
Off-Label Use of Atypical Antipsychotic Drugs
Atypical antipsychotics are used primarily for schizophrenia and bipolar mania. They are also prescribed "off label" for symptoms like agitation, anxiety, psychotic episodes, and obsessive behaviors. These drugs can cause serious side effects. Evaluating research about how well atypical antipsychotics work for off-label conditions can help you weigh the benefits and risks of these drugs. The table at the end of the summary gives information on drug dosage and price.
IN THE NEWS
CDC UPDATES 2007 INFLUENZA RECOMMENDATIONS
July 13, 2007 -- CDC -- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published Prevention and Control of Influenza: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), 2007. This report provides recommendations on influenza vaccinations for 2007, an update to the 2006 recommendations regarding the use of influenza vaccine and antiviral agents. Read more >>
CMS SAYS PAY-FOR-PERFORMANCE EXPERIMENT SHOWS REDUCED COSTS
July 12, 2007 -- Kaiser Network -- An experiment to gauge the efficacy of a pay-for-performance system showed that coordinating care and reducing hospitalizations can lower Medicare costs, CMS officials said on Wednesday, The New York Times reports. The study, which began in April 2005 and will run through April 2008, is an attempt by CMS to re-examine how Medicare reimburses physicians for care with a focus on quality, rather than the number of tests and procedures performed. Read more >>
SOME CHRONICALLY ILL ADULTS WAIT FOR MEDICARE
July 12, 2007 -- NY Times -- When uninsured adults with common chronic illnesses became eligible for Medicare, they saw doctors and were hospitalized more often and reported greater medical expenses than people who had had insurance. And their increased use of medical services continued at least until at least age 72, according to a recent study published in The New England Journal of Medicine. 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.
7/24 – Wooster
7/26 – Oberlin
7/31 – Lyndhurst
8/7 – Boardman
8/15 – Columbus
8/21 – Wellston
INDUSTRY EVENTS
Navigating the MDS Through the Ohio Medicaid Reimbursement System
Ohio Department of Job and Family Services
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 >>
