July 8, 2024

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The Latest News

Clinical Update from KHCA Consultant Linda Farrar

According to survey data related to F689, after falls resulting in major injury, elopement is the next most common finding for a high-level deficiency, usually an Immediate Jeopardy tag. The CMS definition of elopement is: “When a resident leaves the premises or a safe area without authorization and/or any necessary supervision to do so without staff knowledge”. Without trying to be too obvious, prevention is the best answer and the answer to prevention is an effective Elopement Assessment then development of interventions to prevent elopement. Here are some key elements to consider for an effective Elopement Assessment. READ MORE

Invitation to Public Input Meetings on FE and PD Waiver Renewals

A message from Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services

We are pleased to invite you to participate in the upcoming public input meetings hosted by the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS). These meetings will focus on the renewal of the Frail Elderly (FE) Waiver and the Physical Disability (PD) Waiver. We value your ideas and feedback and encourage you to join us in these important discussions.

Public input meetings will be held virtually and in person throughout July. Please join one of these meetings to hear our ideas for improving the Waivers and to share your own.

We look forward to your participation and the opportunity to hear your valuable insights. Together, we can work towards enhancing the support and services provided to the frail elderly and individuals with physical disabilities in our community.

Please check the documents below for detailed information on the meeting schedules and locations for each waiver.

FE Waiver Public Comment Invitation

PD Waiver Public Comment Invitation

TOMRROW! Webinar: Deconstructing Immediate Jeopardy Mitigation: Navigating Top Risk Areas: Reducing Risks Related to Medication Errors

7/9/24 - 1:30PM-2:30PM

Click here for more details.

2024 Staff Recognition Program

The 2024 Staff Recognition Program is here again, and this is a way for you to honor your staff and volunteers. Our yearly awards ceremony is just a small way of honoring some of the great men and women who care for the elders of our great state! The time taken from your busy schedules to fill out this nomination is very much appreciated.

Winners will be honored at our Annual Convention and Trade Show on Friday, September 27, 2024.

Deadline to submit nominations is Friday, August 23, 2024.

Governor Kelly Announces Administration Appointment

Tuesday, Governor Laura Kelly announced the following appointment:

Long-Term Care Ombudsman

Purpose: To advocate for residents of long-term care facilities including nursing homes, assisted living facilities, residential care facilities, and boarding care homes.

Haely Ordoyne, Clyde, KS

Ordoyne says, “I am truly humbled to have been recommended by several amazing leaders in our state. I look forward to serving and collaborating with other amazing leaders and organizations to continue to advocate for, educate and empower residents of long-term care facilities including nursing homes, assisted living facilities, residential care facilities, and boarding care homes.”

Ms. Ordoyne’s appointment officially starts Monday, July 8, 2024.

The mission of the Office of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman is to enhance the quality of life and quality of services in Kansas adult care homes through advocacy, education, and empowerment.

Ombudsmen promote person-directed living which respects individual values and preserves individual rights and preferences.

Kansas's Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program was founded in 1975 as a result of the federal Older Americans Act, which grants a special set of residents' rights to individuals who live in long-term care facilities such as nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and other adult care homes. Staff and volunteer ombudsmen seek to ensure the health, safety, welfare and rights of these residents throughout Kansas.

The Ombudsman Program operates under the authority of federal and state law.

CMS Revises PBJ Staff Turnover Definition

Other Updates Coming on July 31 to Nursing Home Data and Care Compare

Monday, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released QSO-24-14-NH regarding updates coming to Nursing Home Care Compare and Data.CMS.gov on July 31, 2024. The updates reflect previously announced changes that CMS made public in September 2023.

The changes include:

Revising How the Staff Turnover Measure is Calculated: CMS will exclude employees who are on leave for 90 days or less from being counted as staff turnover. This will help accommodate for staff who are out on maternity or parental leave. Currently, any staff absence of 60 days or more counts as turnover, so this change should lower turnover rates.
Implementing New Staffing Level Case-Mix Adjustment Methodology: Beginning on July 31, CMS will post the new staffing level case-mix adjustment methodology for staffing measures reported on Care Compare. CMS will revise the staffing rating thresholds to maintain the same overall distribution of points for affected staffing measures.
Updating Quality Measure Risk-Adjustment with Most Recent Data: CMS will revise the risk adjustment methodology for the claims-based quality measures to incorporate the most recent data available.
Posting Facility-Level Data on Resident and Facility Characteristics: Beginning on July 31, CMS will start posting aggregate MDS data at the facility-level on Data.CMS.gov. The data will likely be facility-level version of the MDS frequency data currently available at the state- and national-level.
Updating Nursing Home Guides Posted on Care Compare: CMS will post new guides for consumers on the Nursing Home Care Compare website as part of the agency’s efforts to promote "minimum health and safety expectations.”

More details on all of these updates can be found here. Please contact regulatory@ahca.org with questions.

New LTC Facility Assessment Resources Now Available

AHCA has developed several new resources to assist skilled nursing facilities in preparing to meet the new requirements of the long-term care facility assessment effective August 8. They include a Facility Assessment Checklist, Action Brief, and webinar. READ MORE

A Mid-Year Update from Mark Parkinson

COVID Recovery Nearly Complete; Staffing Mandate Looms

The first half of 2024 has flown by, and a lot of good things have happened. But we still have some work to do. Below I share my mid-year update on both of these areas and more.

COVID RECOVERY IS NEARLY COMPLETE
POLICY UPDATE – WE HAVE BEEN WINNING, BUT STILL HAVE WORK TO DO
NCAL HITS RECORD MEMBERSHIP!
THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT – SILVER TSUNAMI FINALLY HERE; FINDING WORKERS WILL BE THE PROBLEM
QUALITY IS A KEY PART OF THE ANSWER
PROVIDER NETWORKS CONTINUE TO GROW
I’M GOING TO DISNEY WORLD!!!

Click Here to Read

We need your help!

Our AIT Program continues to grow, and we need preceptors!

Current area of needs:

Seneca – one
Wichita area – two
Kansas City area – four
Labette County area - one

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.

2025 Webinar Planning

As we look forward to education planning for 2025 we will once again utilize our partnership with Proactive Medical for webinars. Please take a moment to complete the survey included here about topics of interest to you and your entire team. Please consider all areas of the building when responding.

Education Spotlight

Webinar: Fire and Smoke Door Inspections

Tuesday, July 30, 2024

10:30AM - 12:00PM

Kenn Daily, LNHA with Elder Care Systems Group has prepared this door inspection training and an inspection form to be used in meeting the annual fire door inspection requirement. The training packet has been developed to provide guidance and training to ensure that individuals inspecting and testing doors are prepared and qualified.

This webinar is available LIVE only and will not be recorded for distribution.

Click here for more details.

Upcoming Education