A Message from the Office of the State Fire Marshal: Emergency Lockdowns in Healthcare Settings

Click here to see the release regarding lockdown situations in healthcare facilities.

Virtual Regional Round Table Discussion

Please join survey certification and credentialing commissioner Lacey Hunter and assistant commissioner Dawne Altis for a virtual session of Adult Care Home regional round tables next Tuesday, November 26th, 2024, from 12pm-2pm. Topics will include:

• State Licensed Only Involuntary Discharge Reporting (Assisted Living, Residential Health Care, Home Plus)

• Changes to CCRC since July 1, 2024

• Receivership - what is it and how do you apply for it

• Top deficiencies cited

• Survey consistency

• CMPs and Other Enforcement

• NATCEP Bans and Waiver Process

Please register to attend here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYudeGpqD4iGNBuGehQyxvIq9AekkdxzFi8

CMS issues ‘significant’ survey changes for 2025

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on Monday issued "significant revisions” to its long-term care surveyor guidance, with changes affecting everything from admission and discharge standards to the use of psychotropic medications and newly adopted infection prevention practices. READ MORE

McKnight's LTC News: ‘Vigilance,’ ‘solid systems’ needed ahead of extensive survey changes, nursing home experts warn

Skilled Nursing News: CMS Unveils Major Changes for Nursing Home Surveys for 2025 

Trump to tap Dr. Oz to head CMS

President-elect Donald Trump said Tuesday he will nominate TV personality and unsuccessful Senate candidate Mehmet Oz, MD, a cardiothoracic surgeon, as the next administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. READ MORE

The latest Your Top-Line publication for skilled nursing centers in your state are now available!

Your Top-Line is a LTC Trend Tracker℠ publication that includes metrics and graphics outlining skilled nursing center's progress on Five Star performance, the AHCA/NCAL Quality Initiative, their journey through the Quality Awards program, and other necessary data to help skilled nursing centers achieve their desired goals.

If you need help downloading your report, please e-mail Jennafer Sumner at jsumner@khca.org

New NAHC Home Care Salary & Benefits Report Available

The 2024-2025 Home Care Salary & Benefits Report, published by HCS in cooperation with NAHC, is now available. This year’s study had 1,079 participants and covers 55 jobs and 20 fringe benefits. Attached is a press release on Home Health Directors of Clinical Services to share with members.

Also, the HCS Corporate Compensation study is underway, deadline 12/2. It covers salaries for top executives with oversight for multiple agencies or larger revenue Visiting Nurse Associations/VNS. Questionnaires are available on the HCS website. 

Watch Now: “What We Didn’t Get to Say in Orlando”

The recording of AHCA/NCAL’s special session, "What We Didn’t Get to Say in Orlando," is now available to watch on-demand. Presented last week at the Fall Conference for CEOs and Executive Leaders, this session features AHCA/NCAL Principal Mark Parkinson, President and CEO Clif Porter, and AHCA Board Chair Phil Scalo. Originally prepared for Delivering Solutions 24, which the Association was forced to cancel last month, the session honors Parkinson’s 14 years with AHCA/NCAL, and introduces Porter as the new president and CEO.

Webinar: Welcome to the World of Dietary! LTC Refresher Course

December 12th, 2024 - 10:00AM - 2:30PM

Dietary department need a refresh? Sharpen your dietary knowledge and establish effective dietary department systems when you join Proactive for this virtual workshop. This 4-hour training will review team building, food service regulations, documentation requirements, IDT collaboration, preventing common deficiencies and much more! Co-presented by a dual Registered Dietitian and Nursing Home Administrator and a nurse/legal nurse consultant, your team will gain insights into the dietitian role, effective dietary systems and recommended QA oversight and management duties of the facility administrator! Don’t miss this unique opportunity to elevate the quality of your dietary department.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the importance of staff development, training, and teamwork in the dietary department.
• Identify the regulatory requirements pertinent to the dietary manager role.
• Identify survey procedures surveyors will follow to assess compliance with dietary related requirements.
• Recognize areas of common deficiencies and how to avoid them.
• Discuss integration of systems between nursing and dietary departments.
• Describe best practices for implementing and/or improving assessment and documentation practices pertinent to systems related to nutrition and hydration.
• Understand the role of the dietary manager in collaborating with the IDT to manage systems related to nutrition and hydration and reducing weight loss in LTC facilities

Click here for more details.

Assisted Living Lunch and Learn: A Deeper Look at FCS/NSA and HSP

12/5/24 - 9:30AM - 2:00PM Wichita, KS

Click here for more details.

Webinar: Deconstructing Immediate Jeopardy Mitigation: Navigating Top Risk Areas: Reducing Risks Related to Respiratory Care

12/10/24 - 1:30PM-2:30PM

Click here for more details.

Webinar: Welcome to the World of Dietary! LTC Refresher Course

12/12/24 - 10:00AM-2:30PM

Click here for more details.