UPDATE Weekly

It is time once again to acknowledge front line, unlicensed personnel who have demonstrated outstanding achievements in the long term care profession. This awards program honors individuals who are the backbone in our facilities because of the support they provide to our residents. A panel of judges from the Education and Programs Committee will select a Nurse Aide winner from each of NCHCFA’s five districts. In addition, one recipient, in a non-nursing discipline, will receive the Riley W. Clapp Outstanding Service Award. Each of the award recipients will be honored at the Annual Awards Gala during the Annual Convention and Expo on Tuesday, January 30, 2018 in Greensboro, NC.

To complete nominations on-line or to obtain additional forms, visit the Member Center of the Association Web site at http://www.NursingHomesNC.com. Click on “News & Updates”, select “2018 NCHCFA Annual Awards Packet” and choose “Survey Monkey”. If you have any questions about the Annual Awards, call the Association office at (919) 782-3827. Click here to download and print the brochure. Click here to print the nomination forms. Nominations received in the Association office after Friday, October 20, 2017 will not be considered.

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The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has developed an Emergency Preparedness (EP) Training Online Course which is available 24/7. This course is required for all State Survey Agency and Regional Office surveyors and reviewers who conduct or review health and safety or Life Safety Code surveys for emergency preparedness requirements. Non-survey professionals involved in and responsible for ensuring compliance with regulations are also encouraged to take the course. To access this course, go to https://surveyortraining.cms.hhs.gov and click on “I am a Provider.” Next, click on the course catalog and search for the “Emergency Preparedness” course. When accessing this course through the provider link, a username and password is not needed. Surveying for the emergency preparedness requirements begins November 15th.

Additional resources can be found on the ASPR TRACIE CMS EP Rule page and in the recently updated ASPR TRACIE CMS and Disasters: Resources at Your Fingertips document.

Another valuable resource is the Advanced Copy of CMS Interpretive Guidance and CMS’ Surveyor Tool, which illustrates how each provider type is affected by the specific Code of Federal Regulations citations.

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The Skilled Nursing Facility Quality Reporting Program (SNF QRP) Confidential Feedback Reports containing the claims-based IMPACT Act measures are now available via the CASPER Reporting System. For more information on these reports, please refer to the September 28, 2017 presentation and audio and transcript on the SNF QRP Training Website.

Please note that these reports only contain information for the following claims-based quality measures:

• Total Estimated Medicare Spending Per Beneficiary Measure
• Discharge to Community-Post Acute Care– SNF QRP
• Potentially Preventable 30-Day Post Discharge Readmission Measure

The full Confidential Feedback Reports or Quality Measure reports containing all SNF QRP quality measures (claims and assessment-based) will be released later this year and further training will be forthcoming.

If you have questions about the information contained in your report, please contact the SNF QRP Help Desk at SNFQualityQuestions@cms.hhs.gov.

A Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Quality Reporting Program (QRP) Quick Reference Guide is available, including frequently asked questions, information on help desks, and links to additional resources. Visit the SNF QRP Data Submission Deadlines Webpage for more information.

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Make your overnight reservation today for the NCHCFA Annual Convention and Expo January 28 – 31, 2018. The meeting will be held at the Sheraton Greensboro Hotel at Four Seasons/Joseph S. Koury Convention Center, Greensboro, NC. Call the Sheraton at (800) 242-6556 and identify that you are with “NC Health Care Facilities Association 2018 Convention” to receive the group discounted rate. Brochures outlining specific program details will be available in November.

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The Intent to Apply process for the 2018 AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award application cycle is now open.

The deadline to submit an Intent to Apply payment is Thursday, November 9th at 8:00 PM EST. The Intent to Apply is not mandatory to apply for the Quality Award, but members who submit an Intent to Apply benefit by saving money on their overall application fee and receive weekly tips on submitting a successful application.

Please note the following:

• All applicants should read the application packet in full before submitting an Intent to Apply payment.
• If your center last received a Bronze or Silver Quality Award in 2015 and has not submitted an application meeting minimum requirements since then, this is your last year to submit an application at the next level. If you do not submit an application this year, you will be considered a past recipient and have to resubmit at the Bronze level if your center chooses to participate again in the program. For more information, please review the recertification policy here.
• The National Quality Award Website has numerous resources for applicants. Please make sure to visit AHCA’s Website at http://ahcancal.org/qualityaward to learn about the latest updates to the program.

• If you would like to review your center’s award history or have any questions, please feel free to contact AHCA at qualityaward@ahca.org.

  Key Upcoming 2018 Quality Award Program Dates

  November 9, 2017: Intent to Apply deadline
  December 7, 2017: Bronze, Silver and Gold applications accepted online
  February 1, 2018: Bronze, Silver and Gold final application deadlines
  All deadlines are at 8:00 PM EST

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The North Carolina Health Care Facilities Association will present a full-day session on the following important topics with Cindy Deporter, MSSW, State Survey Agency Director, Division of Health Service Regulations (DHSR).

• New Interpretative Guidelines
• The second phase of the Requirements of Participation (RoP) to be implemented by November 28, 2017
• CMS’ intent to implement, as well as an overview of, the New Survey Process which is scheduled for implementation on November 28, 2017

**Please note that Ms. Deporter presented a shorter session on the above content at our recent Summer Symposium. This will be a more comprehensive, full day session.

We will conclude this session with a one hour presentation by Polly Welsh, Executive Vice President of the NC Health Care Facilities Association, that will focus on staff interface with the new RoP and the Survey Process. We have confirmed the following dates and locations. Click here to register on-line. Click here to download and print the brochure and registration form.

October 26th, 2017 – Embassy Suites, Concord, NC (Sold out!)
November 2nd, 2017 – Sheraton Imperial Hotel, Durham, NC
November 9th, 2017 – Hilton Greenville, Greenville, NC

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Judy Wilhide Brandt will be presenting an encore presentation on the following topics in Durham, NC on November 16th, 2017. If you could not attend the previous sold-out seminar on September 26th, don’t miss out on this one. Click here to download and print the brochure and registration form. Click here to register on-line.

• Review SNF Quality Reporting Program (QRP), Section GG Coding
• Discuss the purpose of Post-Acute QRP and the role of SNF-QRP
• Understand which MDS items are used for MDS based QRP measures and how to avoid a 2% APU reduction
• List the current QRP claims and MDS based measures with overview of how they are calculated
• Discuss the new MDS items for QRP and new QRP measures to begin collection October 2018 as finalized in the FY18 SNF Final Rule
• Discuss implications of accurate coding for Section GG, to include assessment periods, timing and value in health information exchange for transitions
• Review 5 star quality measures and accurate coding
• Discuss administrative oversight of the MDS department to ensure compliance with accurate coding and transmission for all QMs that are MDS based
• Understand how MDS coding affects risk adjustment for claims based measures
• Review Requirements and Interpretative Guidelines for baseline care planning
• Discuss authentic ways to engage the physician and CNAs in care planning as required by Phase 2 ROP

About the Presenter

Judy Wilhide Brandt is one of the nation’s leading experts on skilled nursing facility (SNF) clinical Medicare compliance, Five Star Rating System, Quality Measures and the MDS/RAI process. Judy brings over thirty-five years of combined experience to the long term care profession, with over twenty years in positions of increasing responsibility in nursing facilities as a nurse manager, executive, and consultant. She is the principle for Wilhide Consulting, Inc. and serves as an advisor, auditor, and trainer for multiple providers from stand-alone communities to multi-state chains across the country.

PLEASE NOTE:

This is the same session that was presented on September 26th in Greensboro.

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If your facility has achieved the AHCA Bronze Award for its commitment to quality, it may be time to apply for the Silver Award. In this two-day workshop, you will walk through the application process and apply the criteria to your organization. At the end of the workshop, participants will have the framework for the Silver AHCA/NCAL Quality Award application.

Learning Objectives

• Translate your Bronze application into a Silver Organizational Profile
• Understand the structure and demands of the Silver Quality Award criteria
• Learn how examiners will use key evaluation tools to score your application and how you write to meet the demands of these tools
• Develop an outline to address the basic demands of the Silver criteria and key systems to either describe or develop your application
• Discover effective strategies to avoid the four most common application mistakes

This workshop will be presented November 7th – 8th at the Association office in Raleigh, NC. Click here for more information and to download and print the brochure with registration form.

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For decades, horizontal hostility has been known to play a pivotal role in increasing nursing attrition rates. Team-Building Handbook: Improving Nurse-to-Nurse Relationships offers healthcare organizations a proactive approach to creating a healthy workplace for nursing staff. This small guide provides the core tools they need to build strong teams and avoid the unnecessary expense of finding, hiring, and training new nurses to replace burned-out staff.

This handbook can be used as part of healthcare orientation and precepting programs, as well as for in-services and self-study. Nurses will gain the skills they need to build cohesive teams and combat negativity if it arises in the workplace.

To order, visit http://www.AHCApublications.org or call (800) 321-0343. Fax orders may also be placed at (800) 869-5605.

Product #8375
AHCA MEMBERS $100.00

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NCHCFA has partnered with nationally recognized speaker, Cara Silletto and her company Crescendo Strategies, to offer you a new online course. Are you having trouble retaining young workers? Do you find it hard to understand Millennials? If you missed our Full Day Workforce Summit, this 90-minute, self-paced online course shows leaders a Millennial speaker’s first-hand stories about the real generational issues on the T.A.B.L.E. (technology, authority, balance, loyalty, entitlement). Course participants will learn critical insights about all of today’s workers in order to bridge the widening generational gaps and reduce unnecessary employee turnover.

How companies use this on-line course:

• Consistent training across multiple locations
• Catch-up session for those who missed it live
• New supervisor and manager orientation
• Prep for strategic planning or leadership retreats
• Deep-dive diversity training beyond the basics
• Continuing education credits (1.5 NAB-approved credits)

NCHCFA is pleased to offer member discounts! Click here for more information and promotional codes. Click here to start the course (Remember to enter your promo code).

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High school students, facility reap benefits of vocational training program at SNF

http://www.mcknights.com/the-brighter-side/high-school-students-facility-reap-benefits-of-vocational-training-program-at-snf/article/700985

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Movie trailers were originally shown after the movie, which is why they were called “trailers”.

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