UPDATE Weekly

Register today for the NCHCFA Annual Convention and Expo, February 23-26, 2014 at the Sheraton Greensboro Hotel at Four Seasons/Joseph S. Koury Convention Center, Greensboro, NC. Call the Sheraton at (800) 242-6556 to make your room reservation. Identify that you are with “NC Health Care Facilities Association 2014 Convention” to receive the group discounted rate. Don’t miss the opportunity to earn up to 16 hours of educational credit for North Carolina Nursing Home Administrators, as well as up to 14 hours of Nursing CE credit! The advanced registration deadline is Friday, February 7th. To obtain an additional brochure visit the Member Center of the Association’s Web site at http://www.NursingHomesNC.com.

The North Carolina Health Care Facilities Association would like to thank the 2014 Corporate Sponsor Pruitt Health for their generous support of the upcoming Annual Convention & Expo. Be sure to visit them on Tuesday, February 25th at the booths listed below:

Pruitt Health – Booths 325 & 327
UniHealth Home Health – Booth 428
United Hospice – Booth 430
United Medical – Booth 426
United Pharmacy – Booths 329 & 331
United Rehab – Booth 424

The North Carolina Health Care Facilities Association would like to thank the 2014 Convention Hosts for supporting the upcoming Annual Convention & Expo. Be sure to visit them at the booths listed below:

Blue Ridge Pharmacy – Booths 315 & 317

Healthcare Services Group, Inc. – Booths 429 & 431

Medipack Pharmacy – Booth 530

NH Med Services – Booth 528

Poyner Spruill LLP – Booth 302

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Does your facility have a question for NCTracks? On Tuesday, February 25th, NCTracks will have a help center open exclusively for 2014 Convention attendees. Eight representatives from NCTracks will be on-site to assist individuals with specific questions. This will be similar to other help centers that have been held across the state, except this will be solely for SNF providers attending the NCHCFA Annual Convention. Please bring a list of your NCTracks issues as well as any supporting documentation. Please bring a list of your NCTracks issues as well as any supporting documentation. The Help Center will be open on a first come, first serve basis, from 8:00 am-5:00 pm conveniently located near the EXPO Hall.

In addition, NCTracks will also provide a brief progress report of the Medicaid claims processing system as it continues to develop and improve since its implementation July 1, 2013 for Package One attendees during “Reimbursement Hot Topics” and for Package Two attendees during “Billing Office Staff Day – Navigating NCTracks.” “Navigating NCTracks” will be a very detailed and informative program for Billing Office Staff. If your Medicaid Billing Staff have any specific questions and/or concerns they would like addressed LIVE during “Navigating NCTracks,” please e-mail them to Sam Clark at samc@nchcfa.org and include “NCTracks Question” in the subject line.

Register your Billing Office Staff today! Reminder, if a facility registers two staff members for Package Two, a Nursing Assistant or Billing Office Staff member may attend Package Two at NO CHARGE!

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Election of officers and members of the Board of Directors will be conducted on Sunday afternoon, February 23rd, during NCHCFA’s Business Meeting. The business meeting will be held in conjunction with NCHCFA’s Annual Convention in Greensboro. All persons seeking an office or a position on the Board of Directors should have their name submitted to the Nominating Committee by Friday, February 7th. The nomination must be submitted in writing or e-mailed and include the candidate’s full name, the office being sought and the facility or company of employment. Please mail or e-mail the information to the attention of:

By Mail:
Nominating Committee
North Carolina Health Care Facilities Association
5109 Bur Oak Circle
Raleigh, NC 27612

By E-mail:
Karen Outland, NCHCFA, kareno@nchcfa.org

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In order to help Palmetto GBA assist providers in finding the correct form so they can begin processing your request as soon as possible, effective January 27, 2014, there are new options on the Forms page of the Palmetto GBA Web site.

If you know which form you want to access, you can select the ‘I know the form I need’ icon which will take you to the View All Forms Page depending on your provider type. These forms are listed by subject.

If you are not sure which form you need, you can select the “I’d like a little help” icon. By selecting this option, Palmetto can help narrow down your options by asking a series of questions.

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The CMS MLN Connects™ Call Program has a variety of online resources to get you started down the road to ICD-10 proficiency. Check out the Calls and Events Web page for slide presentations, audio recordings, and written transcripts, from previous ICD-10 educational conference calls, or view one of the ICD-10 educational video programs. Read, listen, or view these information packed programs at your convenience to learn more about implementing ICD-10 in your workplace.

For the latest information on ICD-10, visit the CMS ICD-10 dedicated Web site, including the Medicare Fee-For-Service Provider Resources Web page for a list of resources developed under the Medicare Learning Network ® (MLN).

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“Living the Aloha Spirit” is this year’s theme for National Nursing Home Week! The American Health Care Association (AHCA) will be adapting this theme to reflect how the profession and every skilled care center honors and practices the aloha spirit in order to sustain a quality and harmonious environment for residents, patients, families, staff and individuals who interact with the long term and post-acute care community in any capacity. More information will follow! National Nursing Home Week is May 11-17, 2014!

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This book offers CNAs the support of trained and experienced mentors to guide their way as they develop into quality health care professionals. Implementing this program can help you reduce your facility’s CNA turnover rate, save money and build a more competent staff. You’ll have happier residents and a higher quality facility as a result!

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

Product #6706
AHCA MEMBERS $59.95

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Important information for residents and families This brochure 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 Member: $30.00 per 100 brochures plus tax and shipping
Non-Members: $60.00 per 100 brochures plus tax and shipping

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Major player will stop certifying EHR systems, including in long-term care.

http://www.mcknights.com/major-player-will-stop-certifying-ehr-systems-including-in-long-term-care/article/331681/

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The Capitol Building played host to Washington’s most powerful figures during a State of the Union address, but at least one cabinet member will be absent — the designated survivor.

By tradition, one Cabinet secretary is chosen to the “designated survivor” and is required to skip the president’s speech in case of a catastrophe that wipes out the president, vice president, Supreme Court justices and other Cabinet members. For the past two years this responsibility was given to the Secretary of Energy.

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