Brookside Retirement Community--PEAK Award

Secretary Kathy Greenlee and Brookside Staff!

Congratulations to Brookside Retirement Community of Overbrook for being selected as a 2008 PEAK award winner! The PEAK award is an acknowledgment of Brookside’s staff and residents working together as a team.  As you know, PEAK is a program that supports culture change in nursing homes.

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  Money Follows the Person Webinar--FREE!

 
Important Free Webinar for Nursing Homes on Money Follows the Person June 27th 10:00 am to 11:30 am
 
Join us for a Webinar on June 27
  
Space is limited.
Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/371684778
 
KAHSA, KHCA and KDOA will host a free webinar for nursing home providers to explain the Money Follows the Person (MFP) Project that will kick off on July 1.  Nursing Home Administrators, DONs, Social Workers and other in-house discharge planners are strongly encouraged to tune in.
MFP is designed to assist nursing home residents to return to community living if they choose to do so.  Up to 1000 people statewide may be impacted over the next four years. To qualify individuals must:  1) Have resided in a nursing home or ICFMR for at least 6 months, and 2) Qualify for Medicaid.  They will be self-identified through MDS Section Q or directly self-refer.  Once identified and upon permission of the resident, a Community Bridge Building Team (CBBT*) will meet with the resident and legal representative to discuss options for community living and available services. (*The CBBT includes Area Agency on Aging and Independant Living Center staff, plus a professional employed by the nursing home in which the resident resides.)  
Presenter:  Deb Schwarz, KDOA

Continuing Education:
Approved for 1.5 continuing education clock hours for Adult Care Home Administrators by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment in the core of Administration, KDHE Health Occupations Credentialing Approved Provider number LTS A0009.  The Kansas State Board of Nursing approves the Kansas Association of Homes and Services for the Aging as a provider of continuing education.  This course is approved for 1.5 continuing education hours applicable for RN and LPN relicensure (KSBN LT0102-1116).
Only one registration per organization is required.  The registrant becomes the contact person. For CEUs, a sign-in sheet and quiz will be emailed to the contact person to be distributed to all persons wanting CEUs. Call Diana @ 785-233-7443 with questions.
Registration:  Free
 
Title:
 
Important Free Webinar for Nursing Homes on Money Follows the Person June 27th 10:00 am to 11:30 am
  
Date:
 
Friday, June 27, 2008
 
 Time:
 
10:00 AM - 11:30 AM CDT

 
System Requirements
PC-based attendees
Required: Windows® 2000, XP Home, XP Pro, 2003 Server, Vista
 
Macintosh®-based attendees
Required: Mac OS® X 10.3.9 (Panther®) or newer
 

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  2008 Trade Show Update

Registration for the trade show continues on a daily basis. We are seeing a number of repeat vendors and adding a few new ones as well.  Over the next several weeks we will be contacting old friends we have yet to hear from and reaching out to new ones.  Current registration is at 42.

KHCA/KCAL is  “Goin to the Caribbean” so we are on the lookout for pirates and beach bums. All are encouraged to dress for the occasion.  We have lots of exciting things planned to make this the most successful trade show yet. For more information please contact Karla at 785-267-6003.  See you thar!!!!

Click here for trade show brochure.

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  Moran Manor receives Excellence in Action Award!

Moran Manor has also been honored by My Innerview for excellence in customer service. This is the second community from the Americare skilled division to be honored as a national leader in customer service. I’m so proud of our company and the great communities we have caring for the Elders of our nation. Way to go Moran Manor team!

The criteria are as follows:

1.    Completed a family or resident satisfaction survey during calendar year 2007.

2.    Had a minimum of 10 responses, with a minimum 30% response rate.

3.    Scored in the top 10% of qualifying facilities on the question "What is your recommendation of this facility to others," in terms of the percent of respondents rating the facility as "Excellent".

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  Kansas Health Care Association/ Kansas Center for Assisted Living Annual Convention

TREASURE OUR ELDERS
KHCA/KCAL 58th Annual
Convention & Trade Show
Hyatt Regency Wichita and Century II Convention Center
September 25-26, 2008

Make your hotel reservations at the Hyatt today by calling (800) 233-1234. 
Reservations MUST be received by September 2, 2008,
to get the best KHCA rate!! Last year, the hotel did sell out.

Convention Highlights:
7 Concurrent Education Tracks
Bigger and Better Trade Show
Caribbean Social Complete with Pirates
Lots of Booty and Treasures to be given away

Don’t forget the awards program!
Check out www.khca.org for nomination applications for
Distinguished Citizen, KHCA staff awards and KCAL awards.

KHCA/KCAL is goin’ to the Caribbean!
Beach bums, Sea Dogs, Landlubbers and Pirates are welcome.
Pirate Patch or Flip Flops - Dress accordingly or walk the plank.  See ya thar!!!!!!!

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  NAHCA members attend AHCA/NCAL Congressional Briefing

Cindy Luxem, Marla Nispel attended the American Health Care Association/ National Center for Assisted Living Congressional Briefing.  Also attended representing the National Association of Health Care Assistants, were Cindy Rush, Plaza West-Topeka, Natasha Baird, and Roxanne Fanning from Quaker Hill in Baxter Springs.  Neil Youngs, Medline and Michael Pochowski, Brookdale Senior Living also accompanied the group from Kansas.  The crew visited the Congressional offices of Senator Pat Roberts, Congressional offices of Boyda, Moran, and Moore.  We had a fabulous time even though it was 88 degrees with 80% humidity.  We discussed preserving Medicare funds, quality issues, Medicare part d as it relates to hcbs eligibles, and other priority issues.  Chris Matthews, of MSNBC's HardBall program was the key note speaker for the event.

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  Nursing Home Week at Wheatridge Park Center

This young lady has been visiting Wheatridge Park Care Center since she was just a day old.  Her great-grandmother is a resident.  She can hardly wait to get into the room with refreshments!!!

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  Jack Vetter greets residents in Garden City!

Body text here.

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  Kansas Center for Assisted Living

HCBS Training
Kansas Center for Assisted Living hosted two HCBS…From the beginning courses June 17 and June 19 in Overland Park and Chanute. Over 40 people were in attendance for the Overland park meeting and 30 for Chanute. Cindy Luxem, KHCA/KCAL President/CEO addressed the attendees and encouraged participation in their association. A high number attending were not KCAL members and KCAL staff used the opportunity to tout member benefits and encourage membership application. KCAL District Vice Presidents plan to follow up with the nonmembers to provide additional information. KCAL will host two more HCBS from the beginning course July 22 in Hays and July 23 in Wichita.

Adult Care Home Operator Course
Kansas Center for Assisted Living will host an Adult Care Home Operator Course August 4-8, 2008 in Topeka, Kansas. This course provides the basic requirements as outlined by Kansas Health and Environment Health Occupations Credentialling as well as additional information needed to become an Adult Care Home Operator. The course will be held at the Topeka Holidome at 605 SW Fairlawn. A facility tour and showcase will allow new Operators to visit area homes. New this year… KCAL will host an evening hospitality designed for KCAL member homes to meet and recruit new Operators for their buildings. Contact Linda MowBray at Lmowbray@khca.org for more information.

KCAL Convention and Tradeshow
Once again, KCAL will be teaming up with KHCA to host the biggest provider convention and tradeshow in the state. Mark your calendars for September 25 & 26, 2008 and plan to be in Wichita for this spectacular annual event. New this year…KCAL staff will be honored at the convention. Look for nomination forms for staff and residents soon.

On the Horizon
KCAL plans to revise and renew the Resident Care Coordinator course designed for nurse leaders in Assisted Living, Residential Health Care and Home Plus. Look for more information in the late summer/early fall.

New House and Senate Cosponsors Show Support for Part D Bills

Several new federal representatives have become cosponsors of Part D bills that were introduced in the House and Senate.

On the House side, Reps. Nancy Boyda (D-Kan.) Michael Michaud (D-Maine), Marilyn Musgrave (R-Colo.) and Mark Sounder (R-Ind.) became the latest cosponsors of the House bill titled, Medicare Part D Home and Community Services Copayment Equity Act of 2008 (H.R. 5604)  Click here for the entire story and the last NCAL FOCUS Magazine. Forgot your “Members Only” Log in and Password? Contact the kcal office at khca@khca.org

KCAL staff is currently revising the Kansas Center for Assisted Living website and soon you will have your own web site for up to date assisted living news.  Be looking for the debut of www.mykcal.org.

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  CMS to Publish Final Rule on Sprinklers

LONG TERM CARE FACILITIES ACROSS AMERICA TO PROTECT RESIDENTS WITH FULL SPRINKLER SYSTEMS

Long term care facilities such as nursing homes across America will, for the first time, have to protect their residents by installing sprinkler systems throughout their buildings if they wish to continue to serve Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, under a new regulation to be issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Facilities will have a five-year phase-in period to be fully compliant with the new rule.

 Approximately three million elderly and disabled Americans reside in the nation’s 16,000 nursing homes, all of which must have comprehensive sprinkler systems in place by 2013.  To date, there has never been a multiple-fatality fire in a facility with a sprinkler system that meets the requirements of today’s rule.
“CMS is taking further action to protect the lives of our beneficiaries through a more comprehensive and effective approach to fire safety,” said Kerry Weems, acting administrator of CMS.  “In the past, certain older facilities were exempt from having an automatic sprinkler system, but we now will hold all 16,000 nursing homes in the nation to this standard.”

As an interim step taken prior to publication of this rule, CMS in March 2005 began requiring all long term care facilities that did not have sprinklers to install battery-operated smoke alarms in all patient rooms and public areas.  Although fatal fires in nursing homes are rare, in a July 2004 report, the Government Accountability Office estimated that automatic sprinkler systems can decrease the chance of fire-related deaths by 82 percent.

CMS has already taken many actions to increase resident safety over the past several years, including stepped-up frequency in the number of fire safety inspections performed. The agency previously began publishing on its Nursing Home Compare Web site the number of fire safety violations, as well as information on the extent to which nursing homes had sprinkler systems, for every long term care facility in the country.

Under previous CMS regulations, newly constructed and rehabilitated nursing homes must be equipped with sprinkler systems.  But prior to adoption of today’s rule, existing homes were not required to have such systems by the federal government. 

CMS follows the fire safety guidelines developed by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and all new sprinkler systems installed as a result of this rule will have to meet NFPA technical specifications.  To be in compliance with the new rule, nursing homes must have sprinkler coverage in all areas such as resident rooms; kitchen, dining and activity areas; corridors; attics; canopies; overhangs; offices; waiting areas; closets; storage areas for trash and linen; and maintenance areas, etc.

“This is an important new rule for protecting the health and safety of persons living in long term care facilities such as nursing homes who are, by definition, some of the most vulnerable among us,” Weems said. “It is widely believed by fire safety experts that automatic sprinkler systems are the single most effective fire protection step facilities can take.”

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  My Innerview
Greater Transparency with My InnerView Satisfaction Assessment Tools

Greater Transparency with My InnerView Satisfaction Assessment Tools

AHCA continues to offer you the tools to successfully begin a satisfaction assessment process in your nursing facility. Stay ahead of the drive for greater transparency in facility operations and prepare for possible future quality rating systems. AHCA and My InnerView offer a provider-proven, easy to use, satisfaction assessment system used by nearly 5,000 AHCA member nursing facilities at a reasonable cost. Join AHCA and My InnerView for a free Satisfaction Assessment Webinar to learn how easy it is to begin the process of assessing your resident, family and staff satisfaction. The Webinar is at 1 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, June 25, 2008. Participants must log on to My InnerView to register and receive log-in and call-in information.

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  Therapy Caps Exceptions Process May Expire June 30, 2008

During a recent CMS Skilled Nursing Facility Open Door Forum conference call, a CMS official confirmed that if the therapy exceptions process were to expire June 30, 2008, therapy services provided since January 1 would count toward the cap.  That means if a patient receives therapy services between January 1- June 30 that reach or exceed the $1,810 cap, then the patient would be responsible for full payment on any additional therapy service rendered starting July 1, 2008.  AHCA is working overtime to try to get legislation passed to extend the exceptions process.  KHCA will continue to monitor this over the new few days.

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  NPI: National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES) – IRS Data Match

In an effort to ensure that the data submitted to the National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES) for organization health care providers is accurate, CMS initiated an NPPES-IRS data match to ensure that the legal business name (LBN) and employer identification number (EIN) in NPPES are consistent with IRS data.  

This week, CMS will mail out letters to organization health care providers that have an EIN/LBN combination in NPPES that are different from the information maintained by the IRS.  These letters request that the health care providers review and update their LBN and/or EIN in NPPES. If health care providers can not furnish data that are consistent with the IRS, we will deactivate the National Provider Identifier in NPPES.  CMS will continue to match these health care provider data in NPPES against IRS data to ensure the accuracy of NPPES data. 

As always, more information and education on the NPI can be found through the CMS NPI page www.cms.hhs.gov/NationalProvIdentStand on the CMS website.  Providers can apply for an NPI online at https://nppes.cms.hhs.gov or can call the NPI enumerator to request a paper application at 1-800-465-3203. 

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  Open Door Forum- CMS Nursing Home-Five Star Ratings

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will be hosting an "Open Door Forum" on Tuesday (tomorrow) to discuss, among other issues, the new five-star rating system for nursing homes.

The ratings system is expected to be available in December of 2008, according to CMS officials. The agency will be open to suggestions and comments from nursing homes, consumers, industry groups and the general public over the next few months, CMS says. Other topics up for discussion at the Skilled Nursing Facilities/Long-Term Care forum include the new sprinkler system mandate, the Minimum Data Set (MDS) and consolidated billing.

The forum, which will be conducted by conference call, is slated to begin at 2 p.m, EST. To participate, call (800) 837-1935 and use the reference ID 50249977.  For more information, visit www.cms.hhs.gov/opendoorforums.

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  AHCA Emphasizes Quality Improvement in America’s Nursing Homes

CMS “Five-Star” Should Include More Components to Fully Measure Quality

Washington, DC – The American Health Care Association (AHCA) today commended the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for their commitment to quality nursing home care through the newly introduced “five-star” rating system, but urged caution, stating that although they support a quality index, any system that relies heavily on survey data can not accurately assess quality in any one facility.

“Every one of our nation’s nursing home residents deserves the highest quality nursing home care, and although we applaud the longstanding work of CMS, we do not believe that an index which relies upon a broken survey system is an accurate way to measure quality,” stated Bruce Yarwood, President and CEO of AHCA. “Quality improvement is a dynamic ongoing process – and its quantification must reflect the many variants that go into the delivery of care.”

As CMS further develops the “five-star” rating system, Yarwood urged the agency to, “Incorporate consumer and staff satisfaction, which are two critical components of quality care.”

In releasing this new program, CMS praises the work of the Advancing Excellence in America’s Nursing Homes campaign. As a founding member, AHCA has been working with CMS and other stakeholders to enhance quality care and improve consumer information in our nation’s nursing facilities.

Yarwood emphasized that one of the keys to improving the collaborative process between providers and regulatory authorities – and a key to helping facilities in need of improvement – is expanding the concept of transparency beyond just facilities to include the survey and enforcement process itself. “Our profession has helped lead the nation's healthcare sector in terms of quality improvement, and we are committed to continuing our relationship with CMS to advance a transparent survey process that recognizes quality, and provides the resources for facility improvement, will enhance every facility’s efforts to improve patient care, and would mirror our profession’s own quality improvement initiatives.”

“Continuing to work successfully with all stakeholders – and establishing a ‘culture of cooperation’ – is imperative to optimizing care quality in every facility,” continued Yarwood. “In this way, we can continue to improve the quality of care and quality of life for the millions of patients and families who rely upon us every day for the long term care and services they need.”

“We look forward to continuing our work with CMS and other willing partners to influence development of the program to create a system that is fair to facilities and appropriate for consumers, and that ensures every American has continued access to quality nursing home care – now and in the years and decades ahead.”

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  7/1/08 Final Medicaid Rates

The 7/1/08 Final Nursing Facility Medicaid Rates are listed on the KDOA website.  Click here to view it.  Also click here for the Minimum Wage Increase Pass-Through application.  KDOA would like us to remind providers to send your minimum wage increases information in now to KDOA.

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  Update From Kansas Nursing Facility Project

Hello from the staff of the Kansas Nursing Facility Project!  The Kansas Nursing Facility Project is staffed by an independent research team from the School of Nursing and the School of Social Welfare and we’re funded by the Kansas Department on Aging (KDOA).  We are located at the University of Kansas Medical Center School of Nursing.  The primary goal of our project is to conduct research with Kansas nursing homes that may aide in improving quality of life for those who live and work in our nursing homes. 

Many of you have participated in our project in the past and we would like to update you on our current work and what will be doing in the very near future.  This past year we traveled to 12 Kansas nursing homes to pilot test an instrument designed to measure whether or not Kansas nursing homes are engaging in culture change.  We applaud these nursing homes for their generosity in allowing us to collect data in their homes! Our initial testing went well and we are now preparing to adminster the instrument to all nursing homes in the state of Kansas.

All Kansas nursing homes will be receiving questionnaires in the mail designed to measure whether or not our state nursing homes are participating in culture change.  Briefly, culture change is an effort to make a nursing home less like an institution and more like a home while maintaining quality of life for those who live and work there.  Core values include choice for residents, improving quality of care, staff empowerment and creating a homelike setting.  Please note, your home DOES NOT have to be engaging in culture change, or even have heard of culture change to complete the questionnaires.  Participation in this project is voluntary for both nursing homes and individuals.  Results will be reported at the facility level ONLY and questionnaires will be completed anonymously so that individuals cannot be identified.

We truly appreciate the interest and support we have received from both nursing homes and provider associations. As always, please feel free to contact us at anytime at our new toll free number, 1-877-508-1868.

Annette Becker, Project Director
Valorie Coffland, Project Manager
Marge Bott, Principal Investigator

*The Kansas Nursing Facility Project is a project examining organizational characteristics that relate to resident care and quality of life in nursing facilities in the state of Kansas.  If you have any questions or concerns or would like more information about the project, please feel free to contact Annette Becker, Project Director, at (913) 588-1868  or abecker@kumc.edu OR Valorie Coffland, Project Manager, at (913) 588-1855 or vcoffland@kumc.edu call us toll free at 1-877-508-1868.

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  Secretary of Aging to Hold Budget Meetings for Public

Secretary of the Kansas Department on Aging Kathy Greenlee has scheduled three public meetings in July.  Click here for more information.

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  American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living

Click here for information about the 2008 Convention in Nashville, TN. 

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  Education news
Association Education

KHCA/KCAL Education Highlights
For more information check www.khca.org and
Click on the education calendar

Life Safety, Fire Safety & OSHA
Knowing the rules for nursing homes
Featuring nationally recognized Life Safety expert Tom Jaeger

July 16 in Topeka
&
July 17 in Wichita

Communication is everything when it comes to knowing and understanding the rules for Life Safety, Fire Safety and OSHA. This very special workshop will focus on keeping your home in compliance and ahead of the regulatory curve. Special emphasis will be given to the KHCA Preventative Maintenance Manual.

Linking Your Assessments
To Kansas Reimbursement Systems
Featuring Myers and Stauffer’s Senior Nurse Consultant Carol Job, RN, RAC-CT and Leslie Brown, CPA

July 22 in Hays
July 23 in Wichita
July 24 in Topeka

Training Objectives:
1. Understand the relationship between the MDS, RUGs and facility reimbursement.
2. Understand the 53 Medicare Grouper System and the 34 Grouper Medicaid System.
3. Understand calculation of ADLs for RUG and how they affect payment.
4. Understand how the use of Rosters and rate sheets translates RUGs to Rates.

KCAL Adult Care Home Operator Course
August 4 – 8, 2008
Topeka, Kansas

This course is recommended for current Operator’s as a beneficial update on the latest information in assisted living and residential health care.

As presenters of the first adult care home operator’s course in the state, KCAL and KHCA have been leaders in the AL/RHC/HP field since its inception
.
Kansas AL/RHC professionals as well as state regulators will offer their knowledge on the elements necessary to successfully operate these facilities.

Attendance for the entire course is required to be eligible to sit for the Operator’s Exam.

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  Resident Satisfaction Committee Links

Advancing Excellence is a new coalition based, two-year campaign that launched in September 2006. The campaign is reinvigorating efforts to improve the quality of care and quality of life for those living or recuperating in America's nursing homes.

http://www.nhqualitycampaign.org/.

My InnerView’s  Quality ProfileTM tool assists leaders in monitoring pressure ulcers and physical restraints within their nursing homes as well as sets organizational targets for clinical quality improvement. Our Satisfaction Surveys allow facilities to measure resident, family and staff satisfaction.
http://www.myinnerview.com/

Kansas Culture Change Coalition is a group that provides support to long-term care organizations striving to develop systems that value the dignity of each individual who lives and works within their setting.  It is an organization of diverse interest groups that combine their talents to effect change that is hard to do as individuals.  The Kansas Culture Change Coalition maintains the vision of the Pioneer Network that supports a culture of aging that is life affirming, satisfying, humane, and meaningful.  Culture Change can transform a "facility" into a "home, a "patient/resident" into a "person", and a "schedule" into a "choice".
http://www.kansasculturechangecoalition.org/.

KFMC’s work with KS nursing homes assists nursing home staff with improving care processes on the clinical quality measures. Nursing homes who have committed to working with KFMC over the past five years have made significant progress in reducing quality measure rates.
http://www.kfmc.org/.

Web Resource Guide

QIS Updates- click on tab 9 to access the Critical Element Pathways at
http://www.aging.state.ks.us/Manuals/QIS/TabIndex.html.  Click here for the Resident Interview and Resident Observation forms. http://www.aging.state.ks.us/Manuals/QIS/Tab05/CMS-20050_Resident_Interview_and_Observation.pdf. 

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