DEFENSE STRATEGY

Survey tags citing nursing homes continue to run high nationwide

Immediate Jeopardy tags increasing in nursing homes are on pace to either meet or exceed 2023, expert analysis shows. CMS data for the 2023 calendar year shows a total of 6,115 F-689 tags, with 784 rated as Immediate Jeopardy. In calendar 2024 thus far, there have been a total of 2,990 F-689 citations with 406 classified as IJ.

The citations warrant an all-hands-on-deck response to understand why, said Denise Winzeler, Curriculum Development Specialist for the American Association of Post-Acute Care Nursing.

“I think it’s imperative that facility leaders remain diligent and review their incidents daily and identify the root cause of the issue,” Winzeler told McKnight’s. “Identifying the root cause and correcting that root cause with a sustainable intervention mitigates the risk not only for the resident that was involved but for any other residents that the same issue may affect in the future.”

Combat survey citations with Excelas’ medical chronology, an unbiased summary outlining the details of significant medical events related to allegations and other areas of concern.

PATIENT SAFETY ACT

Court denies nursing home’s effort to withhold privileged safety records

The decision reverses a lower court finding from 2023 that had protected such self-critical documentation from discovery under the state’s robust Patient Safety Act. That law is meant to support reflective processes that can help all kinds of healthcare providers improve quality and build in new or better safeguards.

But the ruling from the New Jersey Supreme Court in two consolidated cases found that a CareOne nursing home and assisted living community had invalidated the protection by sharing self-critical documentation outside of its safety committee.

Others have warned that allowing more access to previously protected documentation could have a chilling effect on staff willingness to self-report errors or providers’ ability to conduct robust internal investigations with an aim of improving quality.

INDUSTRY KNOWLEDGE & NETWORKING

2024 DRI Senior Living and Long-Term Care Litigation Seminar

September 18-20, 2024 | Chicago Hyatt Regency in Chicago, IL

Thursday, September 19, 2024 at 9:15 am
The Bloody Truth About Brain Bleeds & Blood Thinners: Suits, Surgery, and Solutions

PURPOSEFUL LEADERSHIP

How early adoption of remote work allowed for success: Excelas celebrates its 19th anniversary

Research shows that remote work attracts and retains talent, increases productivity, leads to better mental and physical health, and improves work-life balance.  Excelas recognized the importance of this flexibility early in the company’s history and has fully embraced flexibility as part of a business strategy, rather than an afterthought.

The pandemic pushed many employers to a work-from-home environment, even if systems were not in place.  Fortunately for Excelas, sophisticated remote work procedures, including technical, operational, and managerial systems, were established long before the pandemic, ensuring seamless client service and high employee satisfaction

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