Rethink - Skilled Nursing News

Latest Episodes:

Dr. Paula Lester, NYU Winthrop Hospital Jun 17, 2020

Show notes

As COVID-19 initially swept through nursing homes across the country in March and April, operators and staffers had a key advantage: Just about every state implemented stay-at-home orders that kept public spaces clear for the essential health care workers, reducing the risk of infection. But as spring turns to summer, states around the country have implemented varying degrees of “reopening” plans, setting off increases in case counts — and underscoring the reality that the coronavirus will plague long-term care for an indefinite period of time. Dr. Paula Lester, a an associate professor of medicine at the NYU Long Island School of Medicine and a geriatrician at NYU Winthrop Hospital, joins "Rethink" to discuss the top lessons learned from the peak of COVID-19 cases in New York, one of the nation's worst geographic hotspots. Listen to this episode to learn: -- Why operators can't assume they're in the clear, even after performing baseline tests -- Top considerations for reopening safely -- What providers should seek from reform efforts -- And more!

LeadingAge President and CEO Katie Smith Sloan May 20, 2020

Show notes

LeadingAge CEO Katie Smith Sloan has been outspoken in her calls for increased government support for nursing homes and other senior care providers amid the COVID-19 crisis. As the case count continues to rise and operators face down a new normal with coronavirus at the center of every decision they make, Sloan has loudly and forcefully argued that the industry needs more funding and assistance. Sloan joined SNN's "Rethink" podcast to discuss the feasibility of a federal plan to reopen nursing homes to visitors, as well as the top changes she thinks providers should fight for as lawmakers and advocates start to consider new rules and regulations around nursing homes in a post-COVID world. Listen to this episode to learn: -- Why reopening nursing homes is "virtually impossible" right now -- Why Medicaid-focused relief has been so slow to arrive -- What steps leaders and lawmakers should take to prevent future crises -- And much more

Randy Oostra, President and CEO of ProMedica Health System Apr 23, 2020

Show notes

Randy Oostra, the president and CEO of ProMedica Health System, is well situated to see every angle of the unfolding COVID-19 pandemic in both the acute and pos-acute fields. The Toledo, Ohio-based ProMedica acquired the operations of HCR ManorCare in 2018 – which puts ProMedica in a unique position during a pandemic that is attacking every part of the health care continuum and hitting skilled nursing facilities particularly hard. Listen to this episode to learn: -Why more hospital beds are not the solution to the current strain on the health care system -Some of the ways the COVID-19 pandemic could change health care for the better -How ProMedica has worked to give the SNFs the clinical resources they need

The Royal Health Group Apr 22, 2020

Show notes

The Royal Health Group in Massachusetts had long-standing plans to change the location of its skilled nursing facility in the town of Falmuth; what they weren't expecting was that a global pandemic would hit as they planned the transition. Instead of freezing in place, the operator accelerated the move to give the Cape Cod Healthcare system a location for recovering COVID-19 patients. Royal Health CEO James Mamary and vice president of operations Robyn Sloniecki joined Rethink to talk about how they made the change and worked with the state and the health system – and about what other operators can learn from their experience. This episode was recorded on April 17th and reflects the COVID-19 situation at the time. Listen to this episode to learn: -How Royal Health kept its staff and residents updated during the move -How it worked with Massachusetts on fast-tracking its former facility to become a COVID-19 building. -What operators should think about as they find COVID-19 cases in their own SNFs

Dr. Richard Feifer, Chief Medical Officer of Genesis HealthCare Apr 02, 2020

Show notes

As the chief medical officer for skilled nursing giant Genesis HealthCare, Dr. Richard Feifer has a direct view into hundreds of individual nursing homes as they deal with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Dr. Feifer joined "Rethink" to make a direct appeal to leaders about the dire need for personal protective equipment (PPE) and access to COVID-19 testing, two vital weapons against the disease that have been far too hard to come by across the country. He also shared tips gleaned from his work on the front lines, while praising the tireless efforts of staffers on the ground. Listen to this episode to learn: 1. The top lessons Genesis and Feifer have learned throughout the crisis so far 2. How nursing homes can safely separate COVID-19 cases from those without the disease 3. Why operators shouldn't fear overreacting when it comes to infection-control protocols 4. And more!

Arif Nazir, Chief Medical Officer of Signature HealthCARE Mar 23, 2020

Show notes

As both the chief medical officer for Signature HealthCARE and president of AMDA, the Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine, Dr. Arif Nazir has a micro- and macro-level view on how skilled nursing facilities are fighting the novel coronavirus. Dr. Nazir sat down with SNN to talk about what he's seeing on the front lines, as well as the viability of some of the sweeping proposals that governments have floated to help beat back the COVID-19 tide. Listen to this episode of "Rethink" to learn: -- Why the COVID-19 pandemic will permanently change the post-acute and long-term care landscape — potentially for the better -- The roles geriatricians, nursing home operators, and other elder care experts need to play in the coronavirus response -- How frontline caregivers are weathering the storm -- And more!

Angie Roberson of American Case Management Association Mar 13, 2020

Show notes

The novel coronavirus outbreak has put skilled nursing facilities on lockdown and disrupted daily life around the world. But health care needs continue apace, and the junction between SNF and hospital is crucial. Angie Roberson, the president of the American Case Management Association and the director of case management at the Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System, joins Rethink to talk about the importance of communication in the face of COVID-19 and the steps hospitals are taking as they work with SNFs. Listen to this episode to learn: -More about how hospitals are looking at the outbreak and what they're hearing from SNFs -Why the flu season has lessons for dealing with the new virus -What hospitals are assessing as they get patients ready for discharge

Kelli Luneborg-Stern of Trifecta Public Strategies Feb 26, 2020

Show notes

In the senior housing and care spectrum, nursing homes typically have the worst reputation among the general public and the press — a negative image that can only worsen in cases of abuse, neglect, or high-profile accidents. As the managing partner and co-founder of Trifecta Public Strategies, Kelli Luneborg-Stern has guided skilled nursing operators through a variety of difficult times, and despite the challenges, she has nothing but praise for the industry. "They simply do not get the credit that they deserve for what they deal with on a day-to-day basis," Luneborg-Stern says. Listen to this episode to learn: -- How operators can more effectively communicate with the public and press -- The ways misconceptions about the industry have changed over time — and what remains the same -- Top challenges for operators in the year ahead -- ...and more!

John Delossantos, CEO of JMD Healthcare Solutions Feb 12, 2020

Show notes

As the CEO of JMD Healthcare Solutions, John Delossantos has had a front-row seat to the Medicare payment model change still roiling the skilled nursing space. So far, Delossantos is upbeat about PDPM's potential to improve the health of both residents and the industry as a whole, but he's also identified some key areas where operators are still making mistakes that could lead to costly reimbursement losses — or, worse, scrutiny from the federal government. Listen to this episode of Rethink to learn: 1. The most common PDPM errors operators are making — and how to fix them 2. The top regulatory red flags that could lead to payment clawbacks 3. The biggest PDPM surprises so far 4. ...and more

Fred Bentley, Managing Director at Avalere Health Jan 21, 2020

Show notes

The Patient-Driven Payment Model – and all the changes that came with it – arrived officially for skilled nursing providers in October 2019. The new Medicare reimbursement system for SNFs was top of mind throughout the year, but 2020 will bring a variety of new challenges, ranging from the entrenchment of accountable care organizations (ACOs) to the rise of managed care in the Medicaid program. Fred Bentley, managing director at the consulting firm Avalere Health, joined Rethink to talk about what SNFs should think about going into 2020 and how they can position themselves for viability and success. Listen to this episode to learn about: -The need to examine therapy and documentation as PDPM takes hold -Why some larger SNF chains are considering joining the ranks of ACOs -Why managed long-term supports and services in Medicaid is 'an existential challenge' for SNFs