This message contains confidential information and is intended only for KHCA/KCAL membership. Dissemination, distribution or copying the contents of this email beyond this group is strictly prohibited. |
|
|
AHCA/NCAL Elects Board of Governors, Directors at Annual Convention
Today, the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living elected AHCA’s Board of Governors and NCAL’s Board of Directors for the 2023/2024 term. Phil Scalo of New Jersey was elected as AHCA Chair, and Mark Maxfield of Idaho was elected as NCAL chair. READ MORE
|
|
Bill would block federal nursing home staffing mandate
A Minnesota Congresswoman has introduced legislation that could stop the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services from implementing its proposed nursing home staffing requirements.
Protecting Rural Seniors Access to Care Act, H.R. 5796, would prohibit federal officials from finalizing the draft rule introduced on Sept. 1 and convene a nursing home workforce advisory panel instead. READ MORE
|
|
AHCA/NCAL Leaders, Lawmakers Continue To Push Back Against Proposed Federal Staffing Mandate
McKnight’s Long-Term Care News (10/3, Marselas, Towhey) reports, "Leaders of the nation’s largest nursing home association said Monday that they would continue to fight against and eventually ‘triumph’ over a proposed federal staffing mandate that would cost providers as much as $6.8 billion annually and require facilities to hire 100,000 new workers." These proclamations during the AHCA/NCAL Annual Convention and Expo "came as lawmakers in Washington delivered their own battle cry on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ proposed rule." The article adds, "Nearly one-third of the Senate signed on to a letter Friday asking CMS to withdraw the mandatory staffing rule, saying this is the ‘worst possible time’ for the mandate." AHCA Board Chair Phil Fogg said, "Coming out of COVID and dealing with severe workforce supply challenges, wouldn’t it have been great to have felt the support of our president and CMS?" Fogg added, "While it doesn’t always feel like it, we have the ability to lead and triumph." Meanwhile, "AHCA President and CEO Mark Parkinson called the proposal ‘a bad idea that’s been put together in a bad way.’" Parkinson "called on providers to continue submitting comments to CMS on its proposal," adding, "I know if we do this, we will eventually prevail on this issue."
|
|
AHCA’s Parkinson Discusses Business, Policy "Nightmares" Facing Nursing Home Industry
Skilled Nursing News (10/2) reports, "The ‘clinical nightmare’ created by Covid-19 has come to an end, but the ‘business nightmare’ related to the pandemic is ongoing, and the ‘policy nightmare’ has only just begun." This, "according to" AHCA/NCAL President and CEO Mark Parkinson, who spoke at the AHCA/NCAL Annual Convention and Expo Monday. Parkinson added, "What’s keeping me up right now is the policy nightmare. ... The proposed staffing rule is an overreaction – a poor reaction to a horrible crisis that we all experienced." Despite these concerns, "he is optimistic about the nursing home industry’s ability to influence the proposal during the current 60-day comment period." Parkinson also "highlighted several recent examples of successful advocacy, including on the issue of vaccine mandates for health care workers." And while "workforce challenges remain more concerning...the trends are moving in the right direction in terms of regaining pre-pandemic staffing levels." Parkinson said, "I’m hopeful that within a year, we’ll be back almost to normal, and we can say the business nightmare is over – but it’s not quite over yet."
|
|
Clinical Update from KHCA Consultant Linda Farrar
Just a reminder: The newest version of the Minimum Data Set (MDS) became effective October 1, 2023. The final item sets and the final RAI manual were published recently, and provide detailed information on the changes and coding guidelines. Key changes for the MDS include the deletion of Section G, changes to the mood interview, now known as the PHQ-2-9 interview, and the addition of questions related to the Standardized Patient Assessment Data Elements (SPADES). SPADES data collection came about as part of the IMPACT act of 2014, which requires standardized collection of data elements across all areas of post-acute care.
AHCA has developed member only tools to assist with section changes and implementation. READ MORE
|
|
Thank you!
Thank you to everyone who attended the 73rd Annual Convention & Trade Show last week! Be sure to follow us on social media where we will post pictures when they become available. If you took a head shot with our photographer on the trade show floor, we will email them to you as soon as we have them!
|
|
DON Boot Camp
New for 2023! DON Boot Camp Re-Vamp! This program has been specifically created for Nurses that are new to the Director of Nursing Position, RN’s with the potential for serving in the DON position and nurse managers in Long Term Care/Skilled nursing facilities. We’ve collected input from Nurses that have attended in the last few years and have incorporated new and additional topics. Great for new DON’s and for those that want a refresher.
Segment 1: Roles and Responsibilities of the DON
Segment 2: Clinical Excellence
Segment 3: The Regulatory and Survey Process
Segment 4 Leading Clinical Improvement
Segment 5: Staffing and Human Resource Management
Segment 6: Overview of the Business Operations of the Nursing Department
|
|
Webinar: Deep Dive Into Federal Regulations in a Year: §483.50 Laboratory Radiology and Other Diagnostic Services
10/10/2023 1:30PM - 3:00PM
|
|
Webinar: The Main Attraction: Activities That Work: MDS, Care Planning & Documentation Requirements for Activities
10/11/2023 1:30PM - 2:30PM
|
|
Webinar: The Main Attraction: Activities That Work: Required Components of the Activity Program
10/18/2023 1:30PM - 2:30PM
|
|
Wound Champions in the Post-Acute LTC Setting
10/24/2023 8:00AM - 5:00PM
|
|
Webinar: Mission Possible: SNF Department Head Briefing - Steering Survey Success
10/24/2023 1:30PM - 2:30PM
|
|
Webinar: The Main Attraction: Activities That Work: Designing and Formatting the Activity Program
10/25/2023 1:30PM - 2:30PM
|
|
Virtual ICD-10 Coding Workshop
12/4/2023 8:30AM - 4:00PM
|
|
Administrator in Training (AIT) Program
Looking for an AIT Program? Click here for more details on KHCA's Program.
|
|
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
