Rethink - Skilled Nursing News

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Mark Parkinson, President and CEO of the American Health Care Association (AHCA) Apr 14, 2021

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In the skilled nursing world, it was a truth universally acknowledged that the Patient-Driven Payment Model was a lifeline for operators trying to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting “business nightmare.” But the federal government has proposed a recalibration of the new system, and it’s not clear yet what that could mean for providers. Mark Parkinson, the president and CEO of the American Health Care Association, joined Rethink to talk about why SNFs can be more optimistic than in years past about the proposed changes from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services – and why the Biden administration’s push to invest $400 in home- and community-based care isn’t as antagonistic to SNFs as it might first appear. Listen to this episode to hear about: -The unanswered questions around occupancy and what needs to happen for recovery -Why the proposed PDPM recalibration isn’t likely to be a repeat of drastic Medicare cuts in 2011 -Elevating and investing in frontline caregivers, and what it will take to do that properly

Mikko Cook and Carrie Leljedal Mar 24, 2021

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The federal government in March ended a year-long nightmare for families across the country when it announced the relaxation of visitation bans at nursing homes in all but a few limited cases. But for the family members who spent 2020 working to reunite with their loved ones, the work won’t end along with the expiration of strict lockdowns. SNN sat down with a pair of those leaders — Mikko Cook and Carrie Leljedal — to learn what they want to see from operators and policymakers in the future. Listen to this podcast to discover: 1. What families think operators did wrong — and right — during the coronavirus 2. How states could facilitate essential caregiving programs to prevent future lockdowns And more!

Angela Perry, Administrator, Vernon Manor Mar 04, 2021

Show notes

When the first vaccines against COVID-19 received emergency use authorization, long-term care residents and workers at those facilities were at the front of the line to receive them. And as the shots have rolled out, residents have participated at high rates, and new COVID-19 cases among residents have plummeted. Frontline workers have been more hesitant – but with time, that could change. Angela Perry, the administrator at Vernon Manor Nursing Home in Connecticut, joined Rethink to talk about the facility's ongoing efforts to boost staff uptake of the vaccines – and how her facility is thinking about the future of keeping COVID-19 out as the federal partnership to distribute vaccines comes to a close. Listen to this episode to learn about: -- The ongoing process of talking with staff members and listening to their concerns about the vaccine – and the importance of knowing which voices they trust -- The questions about immunization for new admissions to a facility and in terms of staff turnover -- One of the options for facilities to sign up for immunization, even after the federal Pharmacy Partnership for Long-Term Care Program ends

Hank Watson, Chief Development Officer, American Health Plans Feb 16, 2021

Show notes

Simply maintaining day-to-day operations at a nursing facility in 2020 was a herculean task, but several providers were able to also execute on the roll-out of an I-SNP, a special kind of Medicare Advantage plan for long-term care residents that proponents say provide both clinical and financial benefits to individual facilities. Hank Watson, chief development officer at American Health Plans, sat down with SNN to talk about the experience of launching new I-SNP ventures in 2020 and beyond, and why he — and his company's nursing home partners — still see promise in serving as both provider and payer. Listen to this episode to learn: 1. How COVID-19 changed the I-SNP calculus for providers 2. Why investing in clinical care is vital for I-SNP success 3. How operators can bridge the gap between value-based payments and fee-for-service 4. And more!

Tim Peck and Rob MacNaughton of Curve Health Nov 13, 2020

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Tim Peck and Rob MacNaughton of Curve Health by Skilled Nursing News

Tammy Tuminaro, CEO Century Rehabilitation Inc Oct 19, 2020

Show notes

Third-party rehabilitation providers are a crucial part of clinical care in the skilled nursing setting, and neither the pandemic this year nor an overhaul of Medicare reimbursement last year has changed that fact. But it has changed how rehab providers are working with their SNF partners. Tammy Tuminaro, the recently named CEO of Century Rehabilitation, joined Skilled Nursing News' Rethink podcast to talk about how third-party rehabilitation providers are navigating the pandemic and how Century sees the relationship between SNFs and third-party rehabilitation evolving. Listen to this episode to learn more about: -- The promises and pitfalls of telehealth for providing rehabilitation -- How SNFs and third-party rehab can collaborate more closely – and why they need to -- The importance of clinical pathways in getting residents to the best outcomes.

Dr. Rayvelle Stallings, SVP of PruittHealth Physician Services and CMO at PruittHealth Aug 07, 2020

Show notes

The institutional special needs plan model was one of the hottest topics of conversation in the skilled nursing world – of course, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. But for PruittHealth, its role as a Medicare Advantage provider gave it a unique position in its role as a skilled nursing provider, according to the operator's new corporate medical officer, Dr. Rayvelle Stallings. She believes that offering the I-SNP allows PruittHealth to ensure continuity of care in a way that helps navigate the new reality of the pandemic – while keeping residents and employees safe. Listen to this episode to learn: -Why the institutional needs plan model positions PruittHealth to provide the fullest continuity of care for its patients. -The promises and pitfalls of greater telehealth use, and why it's here to stay. -How infection control is shaping the new normal for PruittHealth's SNFs.

Susan Ryan of The Green House Project Aug 05, 2020

Show notes

After a disheartening experience working in nursing homes, former director of nursing Susan Ryan spent years spearheading initiatives designed to keep the elderly out of institutional care settings at all costs. But over time, she came to believe that there would always be a need for skilled nursing facilities to serve a specific portion of the aging population — just not the kind that have existed for decades. As the senior director of the non-profit Green House Project, Ryan has traveled the country spreading the gospel of nursing campuses centered around small homes, with resident independence and autonomy at the heart of the care model. It's an initiative that could gain steam as regulators, operators, and investors look to a post-COVID future. Listen to this podcast to learn: -- How operators can work with regulators to implement unique, resident-centered designs -- Why Green House can give operators a competitive advantage in their marketplaces -- And more!

Jon Ferry of Bradley Arant Boult Cummings Jul 09, 2020

Show notes

As nursing homes navigate COVID-19, the actions they take now could present legal minefields in the months and years to come. Those could stem from lawsuits brought by individuals – or by investigations from the state or federal government. Jon Ferry, a partner at the law firm Bradley Arant Boult Cummings and a former assistant U.S. attorney, joins Rethink to talk about some of the considerations for skilled nursing providers. Listen to this episode to learn: -The nuances of liability regulations in different states, especially those established for health care settings during COVID-19 -The ways the pandemic-induced changes might shape legal definitions and future lawsuits -What the Department of Justice’s National Nursing Home Initiative – announced just before COVID-19 hit in full force – will be investigating with the backdrop of the pandemic -And more!

Karen Hoffman, Clinical instructor, University of North Carolina School of Medicine Jun 25, 2020

Show notes

Until scientists develop a vaccine or effective treatment for COVID-19, infection control — already so vital to resident safety — must be at the top of every nursing home operator's list of priorities. For Karen Hoffman, that topic has been the subject of her career over the course of four decades. As a former CMS consultant, current clinical instructor at the University of North Carolina, and 2019 president of APIC, Hoffman has dedicated her professional life to improving infection control and preventing the spread of disease in nursing homes and other settings. She joined "Rethink" to discuss why COVID-19 can be so difficult to contain, how operators should reframe their mindsets to fight it as a chronic menace, and what CMS should do when evaluating its enforcement strategies. Listen to this episode to learn: -- Simple investments with major preventative payoffs -- Ways CMS can improve and enhance enforcement efforts moving forward -- Key areas for operators to focus on -- And more!

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