UPDATE Weekly

North Carolina Health Care Facilities Association is offering a train-the-trainer program utilizing FutureCare NC’s human patient simulator. Dr. Mandy Richards, DNP, RN will use a state of the art human patient simulator that displays real time patient diagnostics and disease symptomology. This seminar offers a one-time “train-the-trainer” human patient simulator session to member facilities and corporations. Simulation based learning curriculum helps train staff using scenarios ranging from SBAR communication practices, clinical skills and assessment enhancement to medication errors and pneumonia identification. The session is designed to highlight the benefits a facility may achieve through the use of human patient simulator learning which focuses on the interactions and communication among nursing teams.

This will be an all-day training. Facilities and corporations will be able to register teams with 3 or 4 members with a maximum of 60 seats available. Teams must, at a minimum, include a RN (the person identified as responsible with facility implementation), one Nurse Aide, and one LPN. These groupings may also be composed of teams assigned by multi-facility management.

This seminar will be offered in Raleigh on June 4th. To register, log onto our Web site http://www.NursingHomesNC.com and download the brochure and registration form. You may fax the registration to (919) 787-8418 or e-mail it to kareno@nchcfa.org.

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The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has published a final rule that allows a limited time waiver for full sprinklering for nursing centers that meet very specific criteria. The relevant pages of the final rule (http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2014-05-12/pdf/2014-10687.pdf) are pages 27126-27130; 27142; and 27155.

On Friday, May 16th, CMS expects to issue an S&C Memo outlining the procedures that a qualified facility may use to apply for a due date extension.

While this final rule will impact only a small number of nursing centers, the nursing home industry appreciates that CMS was willing to take into consideration those facilities with extenuating circumstances which prevented compliance with the original full-sprinklering date of August 13, 2013.

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As announced in UPDATE last week, the American Health Care Association (AHCA) hosted a Webinar explaining AHCA’s SNF PPS wage index calculator. For those unable to participate on the Webinar, AHCA has posted a recording on their Web site.

The calculator provides AHCA members with:

1. an easy way to calculate their facility’s FFY 2015 (Oct 2014-Sept 2015) Medicare PPS Rates as Proposed by CMS;
2. a comparison between their FFY 2014 Medicare PPS Rates (Oct 2013-Sept 2014) and the Proposed FFY 2015 (Oct 2014-Sept 2015) Medicare PPS Rates;
3. an analysis of the impact any change in the wage index for their local area has on the Proposed FFY 2015 (Oct 2014-Sept 2015) Medicare PPS Rates; and
4. for members who input their Medicare by RUG category data, a summary of their distribution of Medicare days across the RUG categories and across therapy levels of intensity.

You may download the wage index calculator, as well as a user guide on the SNF PPS Web site.

Please note: You must be a member of AHCA with a login and password to download these materials. If you do not know your login and password, please e-mail update@ahca.org.

AHCA will keep you informed of any future tutorials regarding this tool. If you have any additional questions regarding the wage index change, please contact wageindex@ahca.org.

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We are pleased to announce a new partnership between NCHCFA, the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL), HealthCare Interactive (HCI), and the Alzheimer’s Association. HealthCare Interactive created the CARES® on-line dementia care training programs, which are recommended by AHCA/NCAL to help reduce the off‐label use of antipsychotic medications.

CARES® is non‐pharmaceutical based training that incorporates person‐centered care strategies— including HCI’s trademarked CARES® Approach—throughout all of its CARES programs. In addition, individuals can become certified in Alzheimer’s Association® essentiALZ® or essentiALZ Plus after completing CARES programs and passing certification exams. Access to the certification exams is included in the purchase of these programs:

• CARES® Dementia Basics™
• CARES® Dementia Advanced Care™
• CARES® Dementia‐Related Behavior™
• CARES® Activities of Daily Living™

As a friend, supporter, and/or member of AHCA/NCAL, you will receive 10% off any CARES purchase through HealthCare Interactive, so take advantage of our new partnership today and continue to support our initiative of reducing the off‐label use of antipsychotics. Just use Purchase Code AHCA10 at checkout.

To take a free “test drive” of any CARES® programs, visit http://www.hcinteractive.com/testdrive.

To learn more about HealthCare Interactive programs and products, visit http://www.hcinteractive.com?.

Don’t forget: Save 10% with Purchase Code AHCA10.

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The advance Copy of Chapter 7 of the State Operations Manual (SOM) has been revised to incorporate the following provisions of Section 6111 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (the Affordable Care Act):

• Independent IDR: An independent informal dispute resolution process (independent IDR) will be available when a civil money penalty (CMP) is imposed./li>
• Escrow: After an independent IDR, CMP funds will be collected and placed in escrow pending completion of any formal appeal.
• 50 Percent Reduction: A CMP may be reduced by 50 percent in certain cases of prompt correction for self-reported non-compliance.
• Use of CMP Funds: A portion of the CMP attributable to Medicare may be used for programs for the protection or benefit of nursing home residents.
• Reminder of Survey Process Timeframes: We are also highlighting specific timeframes associated with the survey process and emphasizing the importance of meeting these timeframes. You may view the entire contents at: http://www.Survey and Cert Letter 14-18 [PDF, 1MB].

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The 65th Annual AHCA/NCAL Convention & Expo registration is NOW OPEN! Early Bird deadline is July 18th! This year’s convention will offer you the opportunity to deepen your professional knowledge, network with colleagues from across the country, spend time in the Expo Hall discovering new business solutions, and even rock out a little. This is the must-attend event for long term and post-acute care professionals. Register today and take advantage of the lowest registration rates available! Click here to register now!

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How can you measure the effectiveness of quality improvement efforts? Read this book and find out! Chapters cover preparing to collect data, data collection, understanding variation, run and control charts, control chart case studies, developing improvement strategies, and using patient surveys for CQI. An appendix shows five ways to calculate control limits.

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

Product #6912
AHCA MEMBERS $58.00

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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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Using the Internet to reduce depression.

http://www.mcknights.com/using-the-internet-to-reduce-depression/article/343956

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United Airlines became the first airline to employ a stewardess when Ellen Church, a registered nurse, flew for the company on May 15, 1930.

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