This message contains confidential information and is intended only for KHCA/KCAL membership. Dissemination, distribution or copying the contents of this email beyond this group is strictly prohibited. |
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As a reminder, the renewal deadline for your KHCA/KCAL membership is March 31st. We strive to give you a highly-valued return on your dues investment, and we look forward to serving you in the year ahead.
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OSHA Recordkeeping and Reporting: A Guide to Determination
The guide will cover the determination behind the OSHA Recordkeeping and Reporting requirements, helping LTC facilities navigate these requirements more effectively. It will specifically address the determination of work-relatedness for injuries and illnesses, such as COVID-19, in the process of identifying recorded or reported events. READ MORE
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PHCA Head Urges Congress To Leave Assisted Living Regulation To States, Calls For Federal Efforts To Boost Workforce Pipeline
McKnight’s Senior Living (2/6, Bonvissuto) reports, "An assisted living advocate is telling Congress that rather than add ‘new layers of bureaucracy’ through federal oversight of the industry, regulation of the setting should be left to the states while the federal government focuses on establishing a workforce pipeline for providers." Pennsylvania Health Care Association President and CEO and National Center for Assisted Living board member Zach Shamberg "responded to the recent US Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing on assisted living with a letter asking for collaboration to strengthen the entire long-term care continuum." The article adds, "No one-size-fits-all model can meet the needs of America’s aging adults, Shamberg told the senators in a letter. ‘This is why we have various levels of long-term care,’ he wrote, adding that the various types of providers should be treated differently." Shamberg continued, "Once again, due to the unique entities throughout the long-term care continuum and the differences in regulations from state to state, federal government involvement – albeit well-intentioned – will only create issues for residents and providers, just as it has for nursing homes." But, Shamberg added, "We believe you have an important role to play in establishing a workforce pipeline that can match the rapidly increasing demand for senior care – that includes comprehensive immigration reform, regulating staffing agencies and a number of other initiatives."
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iQIES Enhancement Now Available: Provider Certification Tracks
In ASPEN, users could see when provider certification activities were complete via a certification kit upload. Until recently, users were required to track these activities separately throughout the iQIES system.
We are excited to offer a new functionality that will help guide users track certification lifecycles. Users can now track certification elements in iQIES and see the progress as these elements are completed. The ability to track a provider’s certification is accessible from the Provider History page, within Provider Forms or Surveys. The system will associate a Track ID to the provider and display visual cues to show the status of all the required certification elements.
For questions about this information, please contact our QIES/iQIES Service Center by phone at 1-888-477-7876 (Select Option 1) or send an email.
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KCAL District 5 Round Table
Thursday, February 15, 2024 from 2:00PM - 4:00PM in Wichita, KS
Assisted Living Round Table with KCAL Board Members Jennifer Scheck and Kasey Breidenthal and KHCA/KCAL VP of Operations & Education Polly Berkley. This includes ALL Assisted Livings, Home Plus and Residential Health Care Communities in District 5. (See image for counties included in this district.)
Location:
The Colony Coworking Space
659 N. Market St.
Wichita, KS 67214
You do not have to be a KCAL Member to attend and there is no cost.
RSVP:
If you plan to attend this meeting, please RSVP to the KHCA/KCAL office by emailing Teresa Keating (tkeating@khca.org). Please indicate your name, community, and a phone number.
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Office of the State Fire Marshal News - body worn cameras
Office of the State Fire Marshal is providing a brochure to all facility operators who might have questions about OSFM staff use of body worn cameras.
Due to recent questions, our legal counsel has visited with legal counsel from the Kansas Hospital Association, Kansas Association of School Boards, Kansas Board of Education, and other groups/entities who have contacted us with concerns over the use of the Body Cameras. In all cases, the attorneys have agreed that OSFM is operating legally, and the use of the body worn camera by our staff does not violate HIPAA or FERPA. All the attorneys have agreed that they need to better educate their membership and will be distributing the pamphlet.
Our personnel are to be accompanied by a staff member who ensures rooms are clear and no private materials are visible before we ever enter them. Under the law, it is the facility staff responsibility to protect privacy, and this is nothing new. That responsibility existed prior to the invention of body worn cameras.
Our personnel understand that these cameras are there to defend them from malicious allegations and that the videos are not viewed unless a complaint is made against an employee or there is an unusual incident that needs to be documented. Our recordings are protected from disclosure by K.S.A. 45-254, which defines the recordings as a criminal investigation record. In the end, these cameras document the true events and protect the State of Kansas against frivolous claims and complaints- saving an enormous amount of funding from having to defend against unsubstantiated allegations against our employees.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our legal counsel, Jared P Smith at jared.smith@ks.gov or 785-250-9498.
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Clinical Update from KHCA Consultant Linda Farrar
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Did you know that OSHA recently expanded its recordkeeping requirements? Nearly all providers are already required to maintain OSHA 300 Logs, Form 301, and Form 300A and submit 300A summary data before March 2nd each year. The NEW requirement for employers with 100 or more employees adds additional information to be submitted: OSHA 300 logs and Form 301 (incident reports). AHCA/NCAL is hosting an upcoming webinar with Brad Hunt, Chief Risk Officer at Leverity Insurance Group on February 13 at 2 PM CT. Brad, an expert on OSHA standards, will explain the OSHA recordkeeping requirements and prepare members to meet the deadlines and maintain compliance with the standard. He will also share best practices and how to avoid common mistakes when submitting this required information.
- According to AHCA…your organization and you advocate, says: “Residents in LTC communities are among those at the highest risk of severe disease and illness from common respiratory viruses, including the flu, RSV, and COVID-19. The good news is that safe, effective, and accessible vaccines are available to protect these individuals from serious illness or even death.” Most of you are acutely aware that COVID-19 is not “over”…by a long shot. Many nursing facilities continue to have outbreaks. Research has proven that being “up-to-date” with the vaccine may not prevent a person from having symptoms of COVID-19 but it does generally mean that the symptoms are minor and seldom leads to hospitalization. So, would it surprise you that as of the CDC website, last updated on 1-24-24 that 32% of nursing home residents in Kansas are considered up-to-date, which is down from the high of 35% on December 31, 2023?
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PEAK Program Enrollment Information
Are you looking for proven strategies to improve resident quality of life and satisfaction? Are you looking to elevate consumer demand? Do you want to reduce staff turnover? Don’t get left behind, enroll in the PEAK program today through April 15. Current PEAK participants do not need to enroll. Email coapeak@ksu.edu for details or questions. Go the PEAK website to learn more about the program and its benefits or call and talk to a PEAK consultant at (785) 532-2776.
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Resident Care Coordinator Training for Nurses in Assisted Living
Assisted Living homes are one of the fastest growing segments of Kansas Long Term Care. Homes that understand the importance of the Resident Care Coordinator know that the right nurse with the right systems can be the answer to providing excellence in resident centered care.
Join KCAL professional nurses for a full day of training specifically designed to give nurses in the state licensed only setting (Assisted Living/Home Plus/Residential Health Care) the tools they need to succeed. From “up-to- date” regulatory information to hints for designing systems, this course will provide “The Right Stuff” for a nurse to succeed as a Resident Care Coordinator.
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Webinar: Deconstructing Immediate Jeopardy Mitigation: Navigating Top Risk Areas: Reducing Risks Related to Falls and Other Accident Hazards
2/13/24 - 1:30PM-2:30PM
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OSHA Recordkeeping & New Reporting Requirements
2/13/24 - 2:00PM-3:00PM
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Webinar: The Impact of the MDS: MDS Influence on the Quality Measures
2/14/24 - 1:30PM-2:30PM
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Resident Care Coordinator Training for Nurses in Assisted Living
2/16/24 - 8:30AM-3:30PM in Ottawa, KS
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Webinar: Documentation in Depth: Supportive Documentation for Behavioral Health and Mental Illness
2/20/24 - 1:30PM-2:30PM
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Webinar: The Impact of the MDS: MDS Influence on Spades and SNF QRP
2/21/24 - 1:30PM-2:30PM
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Webinar: Nursing Facility Discharge Processes
2/22/24 - 1:00PM-2:30PM
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Webinar: Payroll Based Journal and Staffing
2/27/24 - 1:00PM-2:15PM
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Life Safety Code Boot Camp
2/28 - 2/29/24 - 8:00AM-3:30PM in Olathe, KS
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Webinar: The Impact of the MDS: MDS Five Star Factors
2/28/24 - 1:30PM-2:30PM
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Administrator in Training (AIT) Program
Looking for an AIT Program? Click here for more details on KHCA's Program.
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Kansas Health Care Association and the Kansas Center for Assisted Living
1100 SW Gage Blvd. | PO Box 4770 | Topeka, KS 66604
PH: 785-267-6003 FAX: 785-267-0833
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