𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞: https://conta.cc/3RXNdxX

Breathe Oxygen & Medical Supply, CareSource, Healthy Blue Kansas, McKesson Corporation, KARE, Molina Healthcare, Medline, KAMMCO, Senior Rx Care Pharmacy and Aetna.

The deadline to submit a 2024 National Quality Award application is next week, Thursday, January 25 at 7 p.m. CST.

If you haven't already, make sure to utilize key resources such as the Criteria Series at each award level and the Silver and Gold Application Submission Templates to assist you in finalizing and submitting your application. And don’t forget to refer to help documents on navigating the application portal to ensure a smooth submission process.

Please contact the National Quality Award team at qualityaward@ahca.org if you need any assistance or have questions.

Provider Magazine (1/16, Bergeron, 151K) reports, "As 2024 begins, trends and predictions about the year are helpful tools in looking ahead and planning for a new business landscape." The article adds, "Technology, particularly as it relates to artificial intelligence (AI), will be a big focus in the long term care industry," as well as "advancements and evolutions in architecture, pricing, operations, and staffing." American Health Care Association President and CEO Mark Parkinson "delivered a promising forecast for the industry in 2024," saying, "The sector will hit our pre-pandemic occupancy and then occupancy will keep climbing. ... For the thirteenth year in a row, we will achieve a Medicare increase, and most states will continue to see improvement in Medicaid rates." National Center for Assisted Living Executive Director LaShuan Bethea agreed, saying, "I believe 2024 will be an exciting year for assisted living. ... Providers have continued to deliver the high-quality care residents depend on, and that will remain a priority." AHCA/NCAL Chief Medical Officer David Gifford, MD, MPH, "said he looks at 2024 optimistically as we continue to see increases in use of long-term care as Baby Boomers begin to reach the age that typically require long term care." Gifford added, "I see continued expansion of managed care and value-based purchasing programs at state and Medicare Advantage plan level." AHCA/NCAL Reimbursement Policy Senior Vice President Martin Allen "said he expects 2024 to be a year of innovative partnerships between AHCA/NCAL, state affiliates, providers, and state Medicaid agencies about Medicaid," explaining, "Our members and affiliates continue to respond to workforce challenges and higher costs, which require our support. We expect these will be opportunities for purposeful collaboration." AHCA/NCAL Quality, Regulatory, And Clinical Services Senior Vice President Holly Harmon "said she is expecting many proposed rules in 2024." 

The Washington Post (1/16, Rowland, 10.52M) reports Senate Special Committee on Aging Chairman Bob Casey (D-PA) "is launching a review of safety lapses in the assisted-living industry" following "an investigation by The Washington Post into the deaths of dementia-care residents who have wandered from facilities." On Tuesday, Casey "sent letters...to the nation’s three largest assisted-living chain owners seeking information about their practices." A hearing is "set for Jan. 25." In "in a set of ‘talking points’" sent to "affiliates in December responding to The Post’s investigation," the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living said, "Ensuring dementia care units are secure is a constant balance between adhering to what the resident and families want, what various regulations require, and the ability to maximize residents’ autonomy." NCAL Executive Director LaShuan Bethea said on Tuesday, "The assisted-living profession is committed to continuing to learn all that we can about dementia and the disease process to meet the ever-changing needs of our residents."

McKnight’s Senior Living (1/17, Bonvissuto) reports Bethea added, "Policymakers, providers and other stakeholders should come together to find ways to advance memory care while honoring why seniors and their families love assisted living – by supporting their independence and autonomy in a home-like environment." The article adds, "The industry has launched several initiatives focused on building consensus around assisted living quality measures, as well as infection prevention and control efforts." Last week, NCAL "released its 2023 regulatory review report, which highlighted regulatory requirements across all 50 states." NCAL was among groups that in June "announced that they had joined with the National Association for Regulatory Administration to develop guidance for the industry and resources for operators, regulators, policymakers and other stakeholders." In addition, NCAL "has its own National Quality Award program, based on the Baldrige Performance Excellence Framework."

Senior Housing News (1/16, Regan) also reports. 

Given that nursing homes increased their reliance on immigrant CNAs with positive outcomes for care quality during the pandemic, researchers in the space are reiterating the need for a policy change to get more immigrant CNAs into the skilled nursing space. READ MORE

TOMORROW! Webinar: Survey Trends in Assisted Living

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Join us at 10:00AM where Cynthia Pendleton, Facility Standards VP and Linda Farrar, KHCA Clinical Consultant will review recent SNF survey findings followed by Nurse Advisory Committee President, Teresa Coover to discuss Nursing Scholarships, hot topics, and the latest happenings.

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With all of the Infection Control tags being written (and I admit, most of them revolve around appropriate hand hygiene), I thought it would be good to discuss small-volume medication nebulizer: inline and hand-held nebulizers. Included in the CDC Guidelines for Preventing Healthcare Associated Pneumonia. READ MORE

If you are a current Preceptor we would love to have you on our list. Please contact Teresa with your Preceptor number at tkeating@khca.org. Are you interested in becoming an AIT Preceptor and shaping the future of the profession?  Our team is happy to walk you through that process. Click here for the KDADS information and give Teresa a call at 785-267-6003.

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Looking for an AIT Program? Click here for more details on KHCA's Program.

Questions? Email Teresa Keating at tkeating@khca.org

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