News

A summary of key strategies from a two-year Workforce Solutions Grant pilot project funded by the LeadingAge Minnesota Foundation can now be found on www.workforcegrants.org.  

A recent article in McKnight’s Long-Term Care News shared that long-term nursing home residents enrolled in UnitedHealthcare’s Medicare Advantage Institutional Special Needs Plans (I-SNPs) are 112% more likely to use skilled nursing services than those with Medicare fee-for-service plans.   

What experience are you selling? Does your sales process give decision makers - the eldest daughter, family, and the future resident - a realistic picture of what life will be like, should they choose you?  Dayta Marketing, a valued partner in the LeadingAge Savings & Solutions Center says organizations who focus on experience and create a sales and marketing funnel that’s customized, responsive, and caring will emerge as winners who have gained natural advocacy from their residents and families.  

Does your staff know what to do when they find a resident unresponsive? Having a policy and procedure in place is not enough. In our assessment of OHFC substantiated reports, we continue to see system failures and staff behaviors that hinder an effective response to urgent situations. Join us on Oct. 8 for a Safe Table on DNR Status and Response.  

No matter what setting you’re in, TB Prevention and Control is one of the highest cited deficiencies. It has risen steadily to land as the most frequently cited in Comoprehensive Licensed Home Care survey this past quarter. Also, in the past quarter, F880 Infection Control has taken the number one spot in citations for care centers. Bumping TB Prevention and Control out of first place should be an easy fix as the reasons for the correction orders are basically:  

We are now less than one month from implementation of the new Patient-Driven Payment Model (PDPM) that will take effect on Oct. 1.  LeadingAge MN has worked with other state affiliates and our national association to develop some new tools, including a rate calculator and case mix system, that are posted on our PDPM web page.  

A recent analysis of Comprehensive Home Care licensed providers surveys for the past quarter (April 1, 2019 – June 30, 2019) revealed several trends. Of the top 10 correction orders written, Tag #1035 Individualized Treatment/Therapy Mgmt Plan has risen to the top of the 52 initial surveys conducted. 

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has issued a final Inadmissibility on Public Charge Grounds rule  that goes into effect Oct. 15. This rule applies prospectively to determine the eligibility of persons wishing to immigrate to the US, obtain a green card to authorize employment or to obtain certain visas. It will not be applied to immigrants currently in the country unless or until they seek to change or extend their immigration status. 

New resources to prevent drug diversion in long-term care are now available. The Minnesota Pathway to Prevent Diversion of Controlled Substances in Long-Term Care features a pathway and support tools to help you increase awareness, assess your processes, create individual plans for intervention implementation, and measure your outcomes. 

National Adult Day Services Week, which takes place Sept. 15-21, is a great opportunity to highlight the important work these valued providers do every day. Our theme this year is focused on raising public awareness on how Adult Day Services can help prevent loneliness and social isolation.  

Does our staff know how to access a resident’s DNR status in an emergency or what to do – without delay – when they find a resident unresponsive? Are they confident to take those next important steps? Join us Oct. 8 for a Virtual Workshop that will explore those questions and more, as we provide a new systematic approach called Rapid Evaluation Teams to help improve your organization’s process for staff to call for and receive support to rapidly evaluate and address an urgent or concerning situation.  

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Central Office recently shared survey guidance relating to a couple of transfer/discharge documentation issues.  

Under regulations enacted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) hazardous waste pharmaceuticals may not be sewered (flushed or poured down a drain) for disposal after Aug. 21, 2019. 

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) this week issued an update that addresses changes to the Home Care Bill of Rights that went into effect Aug. 1. MDH is working on updating each version of the Home Care Bill of Rights with the changes and will post them on its website when they are available. In the meantime, MDH is directing providers to the following notice to Home Care Providers to guide distribution of the new Bill of Rights language: 

Quality improvement projects developed by Health Support Specialists from Avera Marshall, Three Links, Traverse Care Center and Regent at Burnsville were recently selected as the winners of the ICan Innovation Contest.   

At the request of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is now publishing a list of nursing homes in each state that are candidates for “Special Focus Facility” (SFF) status. For many years CMS has published a list of facilities that currently hold SFF designation, and that monthly publication now includes the names of facilities at risk of being designated.  

The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) has posted for public comment the third round of evidentiary packages for Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) settings. This batch includes settings that have been identified as Prong 3 and includes Adult Day, Customized Living and Foster Care providers.  

It’s happening in less than 60 days. The new Patient Driven Payment Model (PDPM) goes into effect on Oct. 1. Are you prepared for this major change in how you document and are reimbursed for care?  

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has issued Information Bulletin 19-03 informing the public about the home care and assisted living protections strengthened by the Minnesota Legislature as part of the Elder Care and Vulnernable Adult Protection Act of 2019. 

Recognition is the greatest motivator! We are launching a Recognition Challenge as part of our Safe Care for Seniors program. Between now and Sept. 15, we challenge you to nominate individuals and/or staff teams in your setting for a Make Zero Harm Possible award.