UPDATE Weekly

The CMS SNF Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) 10-year program starts October 1st, 2018. The SNF VBP program will adjust SNF’s part A payment rates based on their performance on the rehospitalization rate.

The American Health Care Association (AHCA) has developed an in-depth, online training that covers how CMS calculates the following:

1. Rehospitalization rates, including how they are risk adjusted;
2. SNF’s performance score;
3. Resulting incentive payment multiplier, which is used to adjust a SNF’s Part A payments.

The course is divided into six distinct modules that you can review at your own pace and in the order most helpful to you. The course also provides demonstrations on how to access and interpret your CMS feedback reports, which contain your SNF rehospitalization rates, your incentive payment multiplier information, and AHCA’s SNF VBP prediction tool that allows a SNF to estimate the financial impact different rehospitalization rates will have on your revenue.

Lastly, tips on how to more effectively lower your rehospitalization rates to avoid a payment cut are provided.

Registration fee: $25 members, $65 nonmembers. Payment and registration are completed by an individual participant in ahcancalED.

For more information and registration, click here.

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The NCHCFA 7th Annual Autumn Classic scheduled in Southern Pines, NC has been rescheduled for Monday, October 29th at Pine Needles Lodge and Resort. The day will begin at 11:30 am with the Golf Tournament & Day at the Spa (lunch will be provided). The Reception & Dinner will be held that evening and conclude at 9:00 pm. Breakfast will be served on Tuesday, October 30th from 6:30 am-9:00 am and conclude the activities for the 7th Annual Autumn Classic.

If you a have any questions please call Allison Dew at the Association office at (919) 782-3827. Registration materials will be available later this week!

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The Situational Leadership workshop rescheduled from September 19th will be held on Wednesday, October 10th. This workshop is an interactive and dynamic developmental session where attendees will discuss how best to apply the effective principles and approaches of The Situational Leadership Model popularized by renowned leadership and management experts Ken Blanchard and Paul Hersey.

Our high demand and ever-changing work environment requires that leadership interactions with staff be as effective and efficient as possible. Additionally, the diverse experiences, skills, and needs of our employees must impact, more than ever, how we manage, lead and inspire our workforce. The Situational Leadership Model suggests that there is no “one size fits all” approach to leadership.

The four different styles of situational leadership to be discussed are:

1. Delegating
2. Coaching
3. Directing
4. Supporting

This workshop will be held at the NCHCFA office in Raleigh, NC. It will be facilitated by Mark Gogal, a Human Resources Leader with over 25 years of progressive, global, and diverse human resources experience, practical business partnering expertise, strong organizational and analytical skills, and proven strategic management experience. He has a multi-faceted background in developing and implementing core HR policies/practices to meet the changing business, legal, and labor compliance environment. He has worked in a variety of industries in the public and private sectors including healthcare.

For the brochure and registration information, click here!

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“Your Quality Initiative Progress” is a LTC Trend Tracker publication that includes metrics and graphics outlining a facilities progress through the four goals of both the AHCA and NCAL Quality Initiative. Distributed semi-annually, the report also includes links to member resources that help with specific goals.

“Your Quality Initiative Progress” is available any time.

LTC Trend Tracker stores these publications under a facility account. Just log into LTC Trend Tracker, go to “Manage Publications” and then select “Your Quality Initiative Progress“. Members can either download multiple PDFs by division, or view or download single PDFs by building.

If wishing to change which buildings to review, compare to different peer groups, or monitor trends over time, log into LTC Trend Tracker and then “Run a Report” from the left-hand menu bar to start customizing.

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The Quality Award Portal allows for the following:

• Review of the 2019 Quality Award Application Packets (Bronze, Silver, and Gold)
• Submission of an Intent-to-Apply payment
• Submission of a 2019 Quality Award Application and application fee
• Review and completion of a 2019 Quality Award Examiner application

Also, serving as an Examiner is a great way to get involved in the Quality Award Program, and benefits include CEUs, in person and virtual Baldrige Criteria training, and discounted registration rates for AHCA/NCAL’s annual Quality Summit or Convention.

For more information on the National Quality Award Program and the Examiner process please visit AHCA’s website or email AHCA at qualityaward@ahca.org.

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NCHCFA has scheduled the Fall district meetings. District meetings allow participants to interact with peers in a comfortable atmosphere, promoting valuable and productive conversation. Each space will be limited to 40 individuals. The registration fee is $75.00. Lunch will be provided. Click here to download and print the brochure and registration form. This program will offer 3.5 contact hours for nursing home administrators. The agenda will include the following topics/presentations:

10:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Alliant Quality (QIN-QIO)
Alliant Quality will present updates on the Nursing Home Quality Measures for each District with state and national benchmarks. Additional updates on QAPI, readmissions, and the Change Package (if available) will be discussed as the current status of CDI monthly reporting to NHSN with state rankings.

10:30 AM – 2:00 PM
The Multi-Faceted Staffing Crisis
NCHCFA Executive Vice President, Polly Welsh, will discuss the first step in any “improvement process” – When all you are certain of is undesirable reality. As the health workforce shortage becomes more severe – studies, theories, and commentary are abundant. This session promises to be outside the box in its discussions of how to examine a different kind of culture, the individual facility’s workforce culture. Topics will include:

• Explore potential recruitment and workforce development through connections with health occupations and career technical high school students (as well as nursing students within communities).
• Identify how to achieve a culture of retention through person-centered managerial techniques.
• Brainstorm ways to solidify a positive correlation between staff satisfaction and resident satisfaction.

District I
October 2, 2018
Givens Health Center
600 Barrett Lane
Asheville, NC 28803

District II
October 11, 2018
Abernethy Laurels
102 Leonard Avenue
Newton, NC 28658

District III
October 16, 2018
Pennybyrn at Maryfield
1315 Greensboro Road
High Point, NC 27260

District IV
October 23, 2018
Trinity Grove
631 Junction Creek Drive
Wilmington, NC 28412

District V
October 25, 2018
The Solutions Center
Suite 200, Brighton Hall
1101 Slater Road
Durham, NC 27703

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For those who were unable to join the American Health Care Association (AHCA) FY19 SNF PPS Final Rule Webinar on August 1, 2018, you can now view it here. As a reminder, AHCA’s summary of the final rule is available here, and you can view AHCA’s member email regarding the final rule here.. The FY19 Final Rule is posted here, and the fact sheet is here.

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The American Health Care Association (AHCA) has received many questions about the order in which adjustments are made to payment rates and how the SNF Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) incentive payment multiplier (IPM) is applied. Click here to access a document providing a detailed explanation of responses, and visit ahcancalED to view a short video on understanding the SNF VBP Performance Score Reports. A reminder that AHCA will host a Preventing Hospital Readmissions session on Monday, October 8 at its 69th Convention & Expo in San Diego. Learn more and register here.

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The quality measure derived from the MDS, reports the percentage of long-stay residents who are receiving antipsychotic drugs in a 7-day look-back period. The exclusions are diagnosis of schizophrenia, Tourette’s syndrome, or Huntington’s disease.

There are many helpful, common-sense strategies people can use to ease distress and relate to individuals experiencing dementia rather than using antipsychotic medications. These strategies include:

• Using the person’s name with a calm, unhurried approach and relaxed body language
• Using short simple words and sentences and minimizing questions
• Speaking slowly and clearly without raising your voice
• Allowing plenty of time for an answer before repeating yourself
• Using good eye contact and a smile, showing the person that you are friendly and that you care
• Refraining from arguments or criticism
• Keeping the environment familiar and minimizing distractions
• Providing conversation or activities that are relaxing and relevant to the individual’s past interests and strengths

Additional tips for reducing antipsychotics can be found by clicking here.

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If you were unable to attend one of our sessions on the Requirements of Participation Phase 2 and the New Survey Process, the notebook used in the training is now available for purchase. Email Donna Snyder to order a notebook for your facility at donnas@nchcfa.org. The cost is $25.00 plus tax and shipping.

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Leadership lessons from 50 years of observation

SmartBrief Article

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Out of all the species of crabs, the Japanese Spider Crab is the biggest, measuring about 12 feet between its claws.

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