UPDATE Weekly

Earlier today, Governor Pat McCrory held a press conference to unveil plans to reform the costly Medicaid program. North Carolina, through a Partnership for a Healthy North Carolina, will provide more comprehensive care, improved customer service and a more predictable cost structure. Articles covering this topic can be found on your local media outlets.

Following the press conference, NC DHHS Secretary Wos met with key provider groups, including NCHCFA. An informational mailing is being prepared that will be sent to our members in the near future.

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Make plans today to join your colleagues for the second annual NCHCFA Summer Symposium. The three-day event will be August 6-8, 2013 at the Marriott Grande Dunes Resort, Myrtle Beach, SC. Call the Marriott Resort at (800) 228-9290 to reserve your overnight room. Identify yourself as a NC Health Care Facilities Association Convention attendee! To make your reservation online, visit http://tinyurl.com/2013symposiumreserve. Please note that when our room block is full, rooms will be on a first come, first served basis at prevailing published rates.

Please call the Association office at (919) 782-3827 with any questions. Brochures will be mailed to members in May!

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Palmetto GBA has posted several questions and answers to address providers confusions regarding the impact of the recent sequestration cuts. Click here to access this information.

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NCTracks, the replacement MMIS claims system, will go live July 1, 2013. Instructor-Led Training on the new system begins April 8-12 in Asheville, NC (for institutional and professional providers), and April 22-24 (for pharmacy and dental providers).

Training is free, and spaces are still available, as are sessions at other locations around the state (Raleigh, Charlotte, Greensboro, Wilmington and Greenville) throughout April, May, and June.

For anyone unable to attend training in person, participation via Webinar is possible.

To register, or to view a calendar of training dates and locations, go to https://www.nctracks.nc.gov/provider/providerEnrollment/index.jsp and click on the link for “NCTracks Training”.

An NCID is required to register for training. To obtain an NCID, go to https://ncidp.nc.gov/pmf/Registration.html.

If you have any questions regarding NCTracks training, please contact the CSC EVC Call Center at (866) 844-1113 or by e-mail at NCMedicaid@csc.com.

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Submit nomination forms today for the American Health Care Association (AHCA) 2013 Volunteer of the Year awards. Nominations for the Volunteer of the Year award must be submitted through the NCHCFA office — not directly from individual facilities. The deadline for nominations is Friday, May 17, 2013. Visit the News and Updates section of the Member Center on the Association’s Web site at http://www.NursingHomesNC.com to obtain nomination forms and to review all rules and criteria. Because the nomination forms are reproduced as is and submitted to judges in the long term care community, please make sure your forms are typed. Variations of AHCA’s nomination forms will not be accepted. Faxed nomination forms will not be accepted. The winners will be honored at AHCA’s 64th Annual Convention and Exposition, October 7-10, 2013 in Phoenix, AZ. If you have any questions or comments, please e-mail or call Ms. Claire Krawsczyn at ckrawsczyn@ahca.org or (410) 340-2210.

AHCA will also recognize an honoree of distinction from an ICF/IID facility or HCBS Waiver Home for their dedication to improving the quality of life of clients and advancing community understanding of individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities. The same rules/regulations apply as above. (Intellectual Disabilities/Developmental Disabilities Hero of the Year Award- ID/DD Hero of the Year)

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The NC State Board of Examiners for Nursing Home Administrators will offer the 2013 Preceptor Seminars on April 22nd and 23rd, 2013 and April 23rd and 24th, 2013 at the Kingston Plantation, Myrtle Beach, SC. You will need to choose the first seminar dates for Renewal Preceptor certification and the second seminar dates for Initial Preceptor Certification and Continuing Education Only. The seminars will be open to all nursing home administrators seeking continuing education credits and/or preceptor certification. This is the only Preceptor Seminar being planned for 2013 by the NC State Board of Examiners for Nursing Home Administrators.

Click Here to download more information along with the registration form.

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The national theme for the 2013 National Nursing Home Week (NNHW) is Team Care. NNHW will be observed in skilled nursing facilities throughout America, Beginning Mother’s Day, May 12th and continuing through May 18th, 2013.

NNHW’s theme recognizes residents and patients in long term and post-acute care settings, the dedicated staff who care for them, and the value of care planning where everyone “pitches in” for optimal outcomes. The observance is an opportunity to involve families, community members, youth, and others in a community-wide show of support and respect for these individuals and the staff who provide care or support services. Activities are designed to foster intergenerational contact, strengthen family relationships and to encourage volunteerism by individuals and local organizations.

Stay tuned for the planning guide, full of fun activity ideas to celebrate the week at your community. Team Care should be on display at your facility by using special themed products that are available from the AHCA Bookstore. Order soon as quantities are limited. More information is available at the dedicated Web site http://www.nnhw.org and on Facebook. E-mail inquiries should be sent to nnhw@ahca.org. Please inform your staff of the date and theme!

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Bernie Dana draws on his 28 years of experience as an executive and consultant, his academic training and research in quality management, and his involvement in the AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award program in developing this practical guide to creating a quality management system in your organization. He begins with the crucial role of leadership and the basics of quality that will enable leaders and supervisors to shift from the inspection-oriented and crisis management thinking that is often embedded in long term care. He then provides practical guidelines for developing six essential elements of a quality management system that will be the foundation for continuous performance improvement. This new edition provides a step-by-step process for developing a long-range plan and creating and using a balanced scorecard of key measures to assess organizational performance.

To order, visit http://www.AHCApublications.org or call (800) 321-0343.

Product # 6816
AHCA Members (on-line price) $34.95

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Important information for residents and families. It outlines what physical restraints are, when they should be used, rules and regulations concerning restraints, and making decisions about using them. Contact Jan Williams at janw@nchcfa.org to order brochures for your facility.

NCHCFA Members: $30.00 per 100 brochures plus tax and shipping

Non-Members: $60.00 per 100 brochures plus tax and shipping

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How Facebook Improves Memory

http://healthland.time.com/2013/03/01/how-facebook-improves-memory

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Before making the animated feature Finding Nemo, the Pixar filmmakers received a graduate-level course in ichthyology (the study of fish).

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