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Member Spotlight: Advena Living of Bonner Springs, Bonner Springs
Advena Living of Bonner Springs is a 45-bed skilled nursing community in Bonner Springs, KS. They are owned by Advena Group and Katie Wilcox is their Administrator.
Advena is the Latin word for newcomer. The company is built on welcoming newcomers to their communities and creating a culture that means “home” to them. Every resident is encouraged to maintain those special daily pleasures, rituals and traditions that make them who they are and bring them joy.
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Lots of things happening at Advena Living of Bonner Springs:
Zola celebrating her 104th Birthday.
Michelle spending time with her grandmother, who moved in last month.
Residents and staff volunteering out in the community.
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HRSA Begins Provider Relief Fund Repayment Notification
Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) began transmitting emails to providers who, based on Provider Relief Fund (PRF) Reporting Period 1 submissions, will be receiving a Repayment Request Notice via the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). In guidance to AHCA/NCAL, HRSA noted:
- Initial notification will come in the form of an alert email to the PRF listed contact(s). The email will not contain the payment specific information included in the Repayment Request Notice.
- Following the email alert, providers will receive, via the USPS, a hard copy letter containing the Repayment Request Notice. The notice will include a Repayment Request Notification ID Number, amount to be repaid and information on HRSA’s Decision Review process (see below).
- Providers who receive an alert email but do not receive a hard copy letter within a week of the alert email should contact the HRSA Provider Support Center at 1-844-968-4207.
- If you have not received an alert email, you should not receive a letter.
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As with other HRSA emails, be sure to check spam filters and email addresses to make sure the alert email is not in a spam folder.
- Providers should not return funds to HRSA until they have conducted their own due diligence on returning funds and should use the Decision Review process as needed. Once funds have been returned, if they were returned in error, HRSA does not have a mechanism to reissue those dollars.
- If a provider does have repayment due, such payments must be returned to HRSA 60 days from the date of the Repayment Notification Letter rather than the email alert date.
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Biden Administration Weighing Federal Minimum Staffing Mandate For Nursing Homes
Health Care Facilities Today (12/14) reports that "in a statement released by" AHCA/NCAL, "the Biden administration is considering a federal minimum staffing mandate for nursing homes, which would impose staffing ratios that would be impossible for providers to meet considering the current labor shortage and lack of government funding." AHCA Quality, Regulatory & Clinical Services Senior Vice President Holly Harmon, RN, said, "A federal staffing mandate without the necessary workforce available and full funding would have negative consequences for nursing home residents. ... Policymakers should once again recognize that implementing a one-size-fits-all requirement is not the solution and instead prioritize resources and develop programs to rebuild the nursing home workforce. Lawmakers must invest in long term caregivers to ensure America’s seniors have access to customized care delivered by trained, devoted professionals."
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Provider lobbyists and lawmakers speed up pleas for help with physician fee cuts
With a looming Friday deadline to keep the government funded, time is running out for Congress to prevent or abate Medicare physician’s fee cuts proposed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Pressure to adopt a continuing resolution instead of hammering out a final 2023 budget could leave key solutions for physicians, therapists and others who work in nursing home’s on the table.
And those solutions could be harder to come by and implement after Jan. 1. READ MORE
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Hit these 3 targets to avoid respiratory outbreaks, U.S. COVID czar tells nursing homes
With two difficult seasons behind them, nursing homes have an opportunity to have “a very different winter,” said White House COVID lead Ashish Jha, MD, at an AHCA/NCAL webinar. READ MORE
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Census and ability to admit new residents
Please take a moment to answer 7 short questions regarding your census and ability to admit new residents. This information is very important for our on-going lobbying efforts. Questions? Contact Linda MowBray
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Members Only Facility Standards Call – Friday, December 16, 2022 at 11:00 AM
Join us on Friday as we discuss the latest SNF survey findings.
Microsoft Teams Meeting
Join on your computer, mobile app or room device
Meeting ID: 239 456 007 087
Passcode: NPDR3h
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Webinar Recording Now Available: Preparing for Respiratory Viruses featuring Dr. Ashish Jha
AHCA/NCAL recently hosted a member webinar focused on practical steps LTC facilities and assisted living communities can take to prepare for the increase in respiratory viruses anticipated this winter. Dr. Ashish Jha, Coordinator of the White House COVID-19 Response team, joined this webinar and shared his insights with participants. This webinar also featured Dr. David Gifford, Chief Medical Officer, AHCA/NCAL, Steven M. Creasy, Pharm, Director, Clinical Services at Pharmerica, and Kenneth Daily, LNHA, President of the Elder Care Systems Group.
The recorded webinar is now available. Please note that this is for AHCA/NCAL members only and requires a log in. Email educate@ahca.org if you need assistance.
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Skilled Nursing Care Centers: Join the Long Term Care Data Cooperative Today
The Long Term Care Data Cooperative is an innovative partnership between skilled nursing care providers, the American Health Care Association (AHCA) and leading electronic medical records (EMR) companies – American HealthTech, MatrixCare and PointClickCare. Together, the Cooperative is developing a new way to collect needed skilled nursing data to help providers better understand the most effective treatments before the next public health emergency.
As a member of the Cooperative, providers receive reports that:
- Provide information on residents at risk for adverse events including hospitalizations, polypharmacy, and infection control.
- Provide more timely quality measures used in CMS's value-based payment program to determine reimbursement payments. It provides nursing homes with valuable information for their improvement plans before it is too late.
- Provide information that can help prepare for survey visits.
In a video message, AHCA Chief Medical Officer Dr. David Gifford, MD, MPH, urges providers to join.
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Funded by the National Institute on Aging, the Cooperative is free and easy to sign up.
To get started, skilled nursing care providers should email LTCDataCooperative@ahca.org to receive a participation agreement and an authorization form to allow your EMR vendor to transfer data to the Cooperative. Once registration is completed, AHCA will contact your vendor on your behalf to begin the data transfer process. That is it.
Contact the LTC Data Cooperative team with any questions. Visit the LTC Data Cooperative website to learn more about this innovative data project powered by skilled nursing care centers.
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"We Can Do This" COVID-19 Public Education Campaign
The US Department of Health and Humans Services has asked NCAL to share with you the We Can Do This campaign and your consideration in joining these efforts. The campaign is a COVID-19 public education campaign to increase public confidence in and uptake of COVID-19 vaccines. The effort uses a wide network of trusted messengers to relay the most accurate information about vaccines to your communities. This is a national effort involving traditional media (TV, print, radio) along with digital and social media. HHS is asking for your help in amplifying these messages to your staff and residents.
Abundant resources are available and through grants, pop-up vaccine clinics can be brought to your facilities and or webinars/town halls can be put on with subject matter experts to help reach your staff, residents, and families. Attached is a short slide deck that further outlines this campaign work. Please consider joining this important campaign as long term care and assisted living centers play a critical role within local communities and together – we can make a difference.
If you have questions, please feel free to contact Pam Truscott at NCAL ptruscott@ncal.org.
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OSHA Finalizes Draft Of New COVID-19 Permanent Standard For Health Care Workers
McKnight’s Long-Term Care News (12/12, Lasek) reports OSHA "has finalized a draft of a COVID-19 permanent standard that aims to protect health care workers from exposure to SARS-CoV-2." However, long-term care advocates "have said such a move isn’t necessary when facilities are already following COVID-19 mitigation measures." The draft was sent to the White House’s OMB for review last week, and while details have yet to be unveiled, "a prior temporary standard required employers to maintain infection prevention and control programs, provide paid leave to encourage vaccination and track COVID-19 cases." Meanwhile, AHCA/NCAL leaders, along with leaders from Argentum, LeadingAge and others, said in a joint letter last year that the new standard "adds a layer of confusion and interferes with the abilities of professionals to make good, clinical decisions."
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MDS Workshop
This workshop has been specifically created for MDS Coordinators that have been in the MDS position for less than 5 years. It is also recommend for Administrators to attend to further understand the MDS process. This program also serves as a refresher for those who want to brush up to make sure they are up to date on the most current information. Seating is limited. Register early to assure you have a seat. Registration Includes: Two full days of in person training (Feb 7-8 in Olathe) AND two full days of Virtual Training (March 1 and March 8).
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Webinar: The Proficient Infection Preventionist Series: Astute Survey Preparedness & Application of Infection Control Regulatory Requirements
12/20/2022 1:30PM-2:30PM
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Webinar: Deep Dive Into Federal Regulations in a Year: §483.10 Resident Rights Requirements
1/10/2023 1:30PM-3:00PM
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Webinar: 5-Star Work Plan A to Z: 5-Star Overview and Health Inspection Domain
1/18/2023 1:30PM-2:30PM
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Webinar: Mission Possible: SNF Department Head Briefing - Department Details for the DON
1/24/2023 1:30PM-2:30PM
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Webinar: 5-Star Work Plan A to Z: 5-Star Staffing Rating
1/25/2023 1:30PM-2:30PM
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MDS Workshop
Feb 7-8 in Olathe AND two full days of Virtual Training March 1 and March 8.
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Virtual Adult Care Home Operators Course
2/15/2023 9am 2/28/2023 3pm
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Looking for options for required Staff In-Service?
KHCA’s online learning platform is BACK! We’ve loaded the in-services for SNF and for AL first. Many more education sessions to come.
Questions about education can be directed to Polly Berkley VP of Operations and Education.
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Mark Your Calendar for these 2023 Dates! |
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Kansas Health Care Association and the Kansas Center for Assisted Living
1100 SW Gage Blvd. | PO Box 4770 | Topeka, KS 66604
PH: 785-267-6003 FAX: 785-267-0833
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