58th Annual KHCA/KCAL Convention and Trade Show

Treasure Our Elders

September 25-26, 2008

Century II-Convention Hall - Wichita, Kansas

click here for brochure

For clarification...sign up for the convention is based on signing up your facility.  You can bring up to 5 staff for one low price!  What a great opportunity for your team to get away and have some fun.  There are tracks for all professionals.  Let us know if you have any questions.

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  KHCA/KCAL Golf Event

Sign up a team or come by yourself we are playing golf the day before the 58th Annual Convention and Trade Show.

For more information click here!

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  What if you could predict how your survey would look ??
Join us for a free webinar!

The Kansas Health Care Association is presenting a webinar with Andrew Porch, PHD, Chairman and CEO of Healthcare Solutions, a division of Team TSI Corporation.  Team TSI specializes in analyzing and scrubbing MDS submission files, all types of survey data.   If you would like to join us at the KHCA office you are welcome or you can join from the comfort of your office, home or wherever you have your computer.

Webinar information:

August 27, 2008
10:00AM CENTRAL (11AM EASTERN)
www.gotowebinar.com
Click on Join Webinar on the left, then enter the following:
Webinar ID:  340851940
Conference Call Information:
(712) 432-1300, access code 665-081-138

Questions give Cindy a call or email at cluxem@khca.org

If you would like to check out their website go to www.teamtsi.com

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  Final Regulation for Sprinklering

Final Regulation for Sprinklering 
 
 
CMS issues the final rule for sprinkler regulation on 8/13/08 with an effective date of 10/14/08. The five-year phase in period from the date of publication 8/13/08, requires all long-term care facilities to be completely sprinklered by August 13, 2013.
 
This regulation will be found at F454, under the requirements for physical environment at 42 CFR 483, Subpart B 483.70 (2) (a) (8). As a part of the requirements for healthcare, there are no provisions for alternative methods of compliance, such as waivers, FSES or performance-based design.
 
This final rule requires all long term care facilities, regardless of construction type, to be equipped with an approved, supervised automatic sprinkler system by August 13, 2013. If the facility is located within another occupancy, such as a hospital, the LTC unit will be required to be sprinklered.
 
These systems must be installed in accordance with the 1999 edition of NFPA 13, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems, and maintained in accordance with the 1998 edition of NFPA 25, Standard for the Inspection, Testing and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems, once they are installed. CMS incorporated these older editions so that facilities will continue to be in compliance with the provisions of the 2000 edition of NFPA 101, the current adopted Life Safety Code standard.

Click here for the Federal Register final regulation. 

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  Satisfaction Surveys

All KHCA Member Nursing Facility and Nursing Facility for Mental Health homes received and email from KHCA asking for information on whether your home currently does satisfaction surveys.  We ask because the Kansas Department on Aging is considering adding satisfaction surveys to the Quality Incentive Program.  If satisfaction surveys are added to the pay for performance program, it would not be effective until 7/1/09.  The State asked both Association’s to survey their membership to see how many providers are currently doing satisfaction surveys.  The results will be kept confidential and only totals will be given to the State. No home identification will be given out.

The survey asks that providers complete it by September 12th.  We would like one response per home. The survey is designed so that once you start the survey you have to complete it.  It will not allow you to exit and re-enter the survey program.  The survey is six questions and should take approximately 10 minutes to complete. Contact Nancy at KHCA with any questions. 

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  Governor Appoints KHCA member to E-Health Advisory Council

 Health care costs can be lowered by eliminating redundant paperwork and implementing better technology; to achieve this goal in Kansas, Governor Kathleen Sebelius has appointed eight health care experts to the E-Health Advisory Council.

The Governor's appointees are:

Karen Braman-Preferred Health Systems
Helen Connors-University of Kansas School of Nursing
Jacqueline John- Great Plains Health Alliance
Brett Klausman- Midwest Health Management
Dennis Lauver-Salina Chamber of Commerce
Larry Pitman- Kansas Foundation for Medical Care
Maren Turner-AARP
Rod Bremby- Ex-officio, Kansas Department of Health and Environment                                   

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  Kansas Center for Assisted Living News
National Assisted Living Week—September 7-13, 2008

“Filling Life with Love”

If we look back on our lives, the fondest memories are associated with events that happen with our family members and dearest friends at our sides.  These memories and good times need not stop happening because of adulthood.  Fill your assisted living residents’ lives with love during this special week and show them how important they are to your life and to your local community.
If you need suggestions go to www.nalw.org .

Let us know if you have anything special planned.  khca@khca.org

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  Kansas Chapter of the American Assisted Living Nurse Association begins!!

We will be having an organizational meeting for our Kansas Chapter of AALNA next week, August 28th, 1pm at the association office.  Also, we will make the conference line available if you would like to join the meeting by phone. 

KHCA/KCAL Association Office
117 SW 6th Ave, Suite 200
Topeka, KS
785-267-6003

To call in for the Conference call:
Dial  800-917-9796, then enter the Participant Passcode of 658145
If you have problems dial: *0 during the call for help.

This organizational meeting is for any LPN or RN involved with assisted living.

At the Convention in September we hope to have our first chapter meeting with the chair person of the national AALNA organization.

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  AHCA Updates

AHCA/NCAL Focuses On Fall Congressional Activity

AHCA/NCAL expects that Congress will be actively considering the Fairness in Nursing Home Arbitration Act (H.R. 6126), which would prohibit the use of pre-dispute arbitration. This is an example of the title of the legislation being the exact opposite of what it means. The House version of the bill has been passed out of the House Judiciary Committee and there is a good possibility that the Senate Judiciary Committee will do the same in September.  If you have an opportunity to speak with any of our Kansas Congressional Delegation especially Senator Sam Brownback let him know we do NOT support HR 6126.  This is just another opportunity for unnecessary litigation.


On July 31, 2008, the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced its annual update notice for Medicare PPS rates to skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) for federal fiscal year (FFY) 2009 (October 1, 2008 through September 30, 2009). After strong advocacy by individual members of Congress, KHCA, and our national affiliate, the American Health Care Association (AHCA), CMS decided to defer consideration of a proposed rate cut and instead adopted a proposal which will increase rates for FFY 2009.

 It is estimated nationally that Medicare PPS rates for SNF’s will increase on average by 3.4%.

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  CMS Stops Payment on 8 "Hospital Acquired Conditions" Effective October 1, 2008

 The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will implement regulations that will not pay a hospital for eight conditions if they are acquired in the hospital.  Therefore, expect hospitals to start more testing and review of patients that enter their doors before finalizing primary and secondary diagnoses. 

The eight conditions are:

1. Serious preventable event-foreign object retained after surgery
2. Serious preventable event-air embolism
3. Serious preventable event-blood incompatibility
4. Catheter-associated urinary tract infection
5. Pressure ulcers
6. Vascular catheter-associated infection
7. Surgical site infection-mediastinitis after coronary artery bypass graft surgery
8. Hospital acquired injuries-fractures, dislocations, intracranial injury, burn.

An additional nine conditions may be added for FY 2009 including surgical site infections for certain elective procedures, Legionnaire's disease, delirium, and deep vein thrombosis to name a few.  The additional conditions will be subject to a comment period.  CMS hopes to force hospitals to pay more attention to the issue of preventable errors, injuries and other conditions.

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  AHCA Convention and Trade Show--Nashville

Register for 2008 AHCA/NCAL National Convention & Expo And NCAL Day:

 Earn Up To 23 CEUs!

Attendees at the AHCA/NCAL 59th Annual Convention & Exposition in Nashville, Tenn. October 5 to 8, 2008, can earn up to 17 CEUs.  Add NCAL Day and earn up to 23 CEUs.

Seventy educational sessions spread across 14 specialized tracks means that attendees will have access to the information they need.

Learn from the leading thinkers in the industry, including faculty from some of America’s top universities with gerontological focuses—Yale University, the University of Arkansas, the University of California—San Francisco, the University of Minnesota, and the University of Pittsburgh.
Register today.

www.ahcancal.org

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  New Surveyor Guidance Manuals Available Soon!

The American Health Care Association, KHCA's national affiliate, has updated its Long Term Care Survey manual to reflect the new CMS survey requirements on Nutrition and Sanitary Conditions that will become effective on September 1, 2008.

The September 2008 edition of the Long Term Care Survey contains updated information regarding the interpretive guidelines, investigative protocols and determination of compliance for changes to F-Tags 325 & 371. AHCA's survey manual is the only resource that formats F-Tag information into an easy-to-read table and it also highlights all CMS (since July 2004) updates in red print.

Place your pre-order for the September 2008 edition today (expected ship date late August or early September).

Annual subscriptions for the Long Term Care Survey include automatic updates.

Email or call Karla at KHCA if you would like to order a new survey manual.  kwerth@khca.org

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  Resident Satisfaction Committee Updates

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/.

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. 

Click here for Provider Manual Updates from the KMAP website

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  Best Practices Blog Coming!

The Resident Satisfaction Committee is currently working on setting up a blog on the KHCA website for member providers to share best practices.  They anticipate it being up and running in the next month or so.

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  LANE To Present Webinar on September 25th

Topic
Staff Stability – A How-To Webinar that describes the many variables that affect staff recruitment, retention and attendance. Learn a variety of interventions and best management practices to help you manage your staff to improve care to your residents!
 
Faculty
 Barbara Frank, David Farrell, Scott West, Steve Levenson, Doug Motter, Marguerite McLaughlin and others!

When
September 25th, 2008, 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time (Call-in begins at 1:45 p.m. E.T.)

Who
Directors of Nursing, Human Resource Staff, Administrators.

Where
Bring a cup of coffee or soda to your nursing home’s conference room.  You can use a telephone line and follow along with handouts, or you can follow along on your computer.

Registration
Go to  http://www.directeventreg.com/registration/event/59248147   by September 23rd, 2008 to register for the teleconference. You may also call (888) 869-1189 and tell the operator that you want to register for Conference ID #59248147. After you register, you will receive three separate numbers that you will need to access the call. These include the call-in number, the direct event pass code for the conference and your registration ID.  Please keep these in a safe place until the day of the teleconference!

Handouts
The Power Point presentation will be posted on www.nhqualitycampaign.org by September 15th, 2008. You will be able to download the presentation and follow along with the speakers. There will also be other information to download and read on Staff Stability that you may find helpful.

On the Day of the Teleconference
On the day of the teleconference, starting at 1:45 p.m. E.T., call the number given to you when you registered and enter the direct event pass code and your registration ID. You will be connected to the conference. To view the Power Point Presentation online, go to http://www.idtconnect.com/dataconb.asp, sign-in as a participant with the Conference ID (2025089407), and enter your name.

CEUs are not available for this webinar.

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