Skilled Nursing Facility

OSHA Focuses Enforcement Efforts on Higher-Risk Workplaces Amid Pandemic

On March 21, 2021, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published a national emphasis program (NEP) to focus its enforcement efforts on preventing employees from contracting COVID-19 and protecting those who report unsafe working conditions. In general, an NEP is a method by which OSHA temporarily focuses its resources on a specific danger or …

Home Health

CMS extends comprehensive care model for joint replacement

CMS recently issued a final rule extending and changing the Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) Model, which was implemented to support better and more efficient care for beneficiaries who are undergoing inpatient surgeries for hip and knee replacements. The CJR program is an opportunity for home health agencies to form and deepen strategic partnerships …

Featured Event

Join us at Post-Acute NOW!

Long term care, skilled nursing facilities, and inpatient rehabilitation facilities across the globe are taking steps to establish new guidelines and keep the industry moving forward into an ever brighter future. Join us and industry leaders as we explore the future of post-acute at this virtual event on June 17. This half day event will focus on topics that are important to post-acute professionals tasked with improving overall quality of care and reducing total health spending.

Private Duty

Employer’s Mandatory Vaccination Policy Update

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) guidance has confirmed employers may require a COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of employment and/or to return to the workplace. Employers that choose to do so, however, need to be careful about how they implement the vaccine requirements. Who Will Administer Vaccine? Under the EEOC’s guidance, administering the COVID-19 vaccine …

Home Health

Simione and BlackTree form SimiTree Healthcare Consulting

Simione Healthcare Consultants and BlackTree Healthcare Consulting have combined to form SimiTree Healthcare Consulting, according to announcement from investors Sheridan Capital Partners on Tuesday, May 18. The new company will “invest significantly in technology, talent and acquisitions of other businesses serving the post-acute market,” according to the announcement. See more of the news release and …

PPS Alert for Long-Term Care

Goal writing for skilled care

As the foundation of a treatment plan, goals should paint a clear and distinct picture of anticipated outcomes of skilled speech-language pathology services. They serve as clinical road maps for the resident and the therapist, in addition to providing clear, functional, objectively measurable target areas that serve as a guide to payers for outcomes achieved during intervention. It can be difficult to find a happy medium between creating objective measures while also remaining focused on function.