A report recently published by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) found that there is no evidence to support the often accepted idea that home or community-based long-term care is less expensive than or provides superior care over institutions such as skilled nursing facilities. Instead, study authors argue that community-based elder care solutions reportedly benefit consumers who prefer to avoid entering a long-term care facility. The AHRQ report defines long-term care as daily living, housing, and medical care over an extended time frame. According to the AHRQ, the question of how to provide the best, most economical long-term care solutions for the nation’s aging population has become increasingly important as states continue to experience revenue shortfalls. Currently, about 1.4 million U.S. residents reportedly reside in a skilled nursing facility. Approximately 40 percent of all long-term care provided throughout the country is paid for by federal Medicaid insurance. In addition, an estimated 64 percent of the money spent on long-term care for Medicaid beneficiaries is paid to nursing homes. At this time, at least 11 million Americans require some type of long-term care to assist them in their daily lives and about 55 percent of those individuals are reportedly age 65 or over. In addition, the AHRQ estimates that at least two-thirds of individuals who are over age 65 will require long-term care assistance for at least two years before the end of their lifetime. The costs associated with receiving institutional care allegedly often exceed those for community-based elder care solutions. Because of this, many states have prioritized community-based solutions. Between 1995 and 2009, Medicaid spending on community-based long-term care solutions reportedly doubled. The AHRQ report argues, however, that there is no evidence that community-based solutions provide superior care. Still, skilled nursing facility residents allegedly exhibit more physical and […]
There is reportedly a Medicaid payment backlog of approximately six months for nursing homes and other long-term care facilities operating in Illinois. The State of Illinois has purportedly opted to delay payments to facilities that care for the state’s elderly and disabled Medicaid recipients in an effort to manage budgetary concerns. Reimbursements from the federal Medicaid insurance program reportedly fund the care of about two-thirds of all nursing home patients and approximately 60 percent of all assisted living facility residents in the state. According to some, the practice not only shifts the financial burden for Medicaid recipients in Illinois to the facilities that care for them, but also serves to decrease a company’s incentive to employ an adequate number of direct care staff. According to Wayne Smallwood, Executive Director for the Affordable Assisted Living Coalition, small facilities are hit hardest by the backlog due to less flexibility in their budgets. He said many such nursing homes are currently experiencing difficulty with meeting payroll as funds become depleted. Jerry Finis, CEO of Pathway Senior Living, stated larger companies also feel the crunch when Medicaid payments are not received. A lack of information from state officials reportedly makes it hard for skilled nursing facilities to plan for unexpected shortfalls. Judy Baar Topinka, Comptroller for the State of Illinois, said the backlog has grown by at least $2 billion over the course of the past year. In addition, Baar Topinka stated the late Medicaid reimbursements are likely to get worse in the coming months. In some cases, late Medicaid payments allegedly mean long-term care facilities are forced to delay payments for essential services such as utilities. According to Pat Comstock, Executive Director at Health Care Council of Illinois, a number of skilled nursing facilities have responded to delayed payments and the current 2.7 […]
Medical care facility transitions for nursing home residents can often lead to a number of health complications. In fact, up to 20 percent of Medicare beneficiaries who enter a hospital are readmitted within 30 days. A study recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association claims nursing homes and other long-term care facilities that collaborate with a patient’s other healthcare providers may have the ability to reduce repeat hospitalization rates. In a report entitled “Association Between Quality Improvement for Care Transitions in Communities and Rehospitalizations Among Medicare Beneficiaries,” researchers led by the non-profit corporation Colorado Foundation for Medical Care found that partnering between medical providers reduced rehospitalization rates by an average of almost six percent in the first 30 days following discharge. That number was reportedly almost three times the rate found when long-term care facilities attempted to reduce rehospitalization rates but failed to coordinate with community health care providers. As part of the study, researchers analyzed data collected by 14 Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Quality Improvement Organizations (QIO) over a three-year-period. The QIOs purportedly focused on quality improvement efforts such as community organizing, coordinating evidence-based hospital discharges, providing technical assistance with regard to the implementation of best care practices, and monitoring. In 10 of the 14 communities that participated in the study, skilled nursing facilities also implemented the Interventions to Reduce Acute Care Transfers model for sharing relevant medical information. In addition to reducing rehospitalization rates, researchers found that collaboration saved each QIO community about $3 million in Medicare funds. According to Dr. Jane Brock, lead study author and Chief Medical Officer at the Colorado Foundation for Medical Care, the research project successfully engaged entire communities in improving nursing home resident care. This was reportedly the first time researchers focused on successful health care intervention […]
A former Orland Park skilled nursing facility employee has reportedly filed a whistle blower lawsuit in Cook County Circuit Court. In her lawsuit, the former overnight nursing supervisor claims she was fired in 2011 in retaliation for reporting the alleged sexual assault of a 93-year-old resident to local police. The former nursing home supervisor claims she was required to take action after a fellow nurse reported the alleged incident to her. According to her complaint, a fellow nurse allegedly witnessed a male co-worker sexually abuse an elderly female resident at the Lexington Healthcare Center. The former supervising nurse stated she verified that the incident actually occurred prior to notifying local authorities. Several months after she reported the alleged sexual abuse, the 63-year-old supervising nurse was purportedly fired. According to her complaint, the nurse believes she was fired after nine years of service for bringing bad publicity upon the nursing home. The nurse’s lawsuit seeks $30,000 in damages pursuant to the State of Illinois’ whistle blower protection law. She is also reportedly seeking compensation for lost wages and benefits. As this sad case demonstrates, nursing home abuse can take many forms, including sexual assault. Skilled nursing facilities in Illinois are required to immediately report any suspected instances of sexual abuse of a resident. The Illinois Department of Public Health is tasked with investigating and responding to all reports regarding senior citizen neglect or abuse at a skilled nursing facility. In addition, law enforcement, healthcare, and social service professionals must notify the Health Department anytime they suspect an elderly Illinois resident who is unable to report his or her abuse was victimized by a caregiver. Too often, seniors in Illinois and elsewhere suffer egregious abuse at the hands of their caregivers. The sexual assault of an elderly or disabled nursing home resident […]
Evergreen Park Nursing Home Settles Cook County Lawsuit Over Bedsores
January 30, 2013 |A former nursing home patient’s family has reportedly settled a bedsore lawsuit that was filed against an Evergreen Park skilled nursing facility following her death. The 77-year-old stroke victim purportedly resided at the Evergreen Health Care Center for four months during the first half of 2007. When the woman died, she was allegedly immobile and covered in bedsores. The woman also reportedly suffered from dehydration, sepsis, and pneumonia at the time of her death. According to the nursing home resident’s granddaughter, her bedsores resulted from neglect on the part of the care facility. In her lawsuit, the woman’s granddaughter accused the Evergreen Health Care Center of failing to prevent, treat, or monitor the stroke victim’s bedsores. She also claims such failures contributed to her grandmother’s death. The woman’s family claims that she was likely never turned, they often found her soiled, and on at least one occasion her feeding tube was dislodged. In addition, the stroke victim’s granddaughter stated that facility employees failed to discover or treat any of her bedsores. 25 lawsuits were reportedly filed against the Evergreen Health Care Center between 2001 and 2012. The for-profit nursing home also nearly lost its state license in 2010 after Illinois officials purportedly cited the facility for resident falls and other injuries, medication errors, and severe patient neglect. The nursing home was later allegedly placed on a nursing home watch list after at least 15 complaints were filed regarding the quality of care provided to residents during a two-year-period. Although ownership did not change, the Evergreen Park facility was reportedly placed under new management in 2011. According to Evergreen Health Care Center spokesperson Liana Allison, the facility has since increased the number of registered nurses employed by the nursing home, provided more than 5,000 hours of staff training and development, and […]
The current influenza outbreak is reportedly the worst the nation has seen in more than a decade. Earlier this month, the nation’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) declared that influenza has officially spread to epidemic levels. CDC data claims that 41 states are currently experiencing widespread influenza activity. During the first half of January, an estimated 128 million flu vaccines were reportedly administered to individuals throughout the country. That number purportedly accounts for about 95 percent of the influenza vaccines that were expected to be produced fot the U.S. over the course of the entire year. The CDC currently recommends that all health care personnel obtain a flu vaccine in an effort to prevent the spread of the virus. This flu season, a record number of cases were allegedly reported in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities located in Illinois and throughout the nation. Because the flu is more likely to prove fatal to the elderly and individuals with underlying health conditions, it is especially important for skilled nursing facility workers to remain vigilant with regard to preventing the spread of illness. Nursing homes are encouraged to provide disease prevention education materials to anyone who lives in, works at, or visits their facility. In addition, signs should be posted at each entrance to warn others regarding any potential flu or other outbreaks. Whenever possible, masks should be worn by anyone with a cough, facility employees should be encouraged to stay home when feeling ill, and the Illinois Health Department should be notified regarding any suspected cases of the flu. As always, frequent hand washing is vital. According to Michelle Stober, a registered nurse with Pathway Health Services, it is important for skilled nursing facilities to properly prepare, prevent, and respond to any influenza or other outbreak. Stober […]
For the first time, the United States government has released reports regarding issues uncovered by nursing home investigators across the nation without redactions. The non-profit organization ProPublica reportedly obtained the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services reports through a Freedom of Information Act request. In order to protect the privacy of nursing home residents, patient and employee names are not included in the reports. Previously, much of the information included in the unredacted Medicare and Medicaid reports was made available on ProPublica’s Nursing Home Inspect website. The tool reportedly allows website visitors to browse the more than 267,000 nursing home deficiencies documented across the nation over the last three years by keyword. Although the searchable Nursing Home Inspect tool currently only includes redacted care facility inspection reports, the complete and unredacted reports are now also available online. The unedited Medicare and Medicaid Services reports are grouped by region and may be downloaded from ProPublica’s website. The additional information will reportedly make the reports more useful to those who seek to learn more about the quality of care provided at a particular skilled nursing facility. For example, the unredacted reports now include any diagnosed medical conditions, all pharmaceutical drugs administered to residents, and patient ages. Such information is useful because it allows consumers to see whether residents receive appropriate prescription medications based on their medical diagnosis. For example, patients who suffer from a dementia disorder should not be administered an anti-psychotic medication because the drugs reportedly do little to manage their behavior. The nation’s Food and Drug Administration also issued a warning about prescribing anti-psychotics to such patients because their use is purportedly associated with an increased mortality rate. Most skilled nursing facilities in Illinois are certified to receive funds from Medicaid and Medicare programs. A certified nursing home is […]
Cada vez más, los pacientes en los Estados Unidos dependen de proveedores privados de atención médica. Durante las últimas décadas, más y más hogares de ancianos, hospitales y otras instituciones de servicios de salud supuestamente han privatizado. Desafortunadamente, el estatus de la ganancia de una facilidad de asistencia médica a menudo afecta el cuidado proporcionado a pacientes. Por ejemplo, los hospitales de para-ganancia son supuestamente menos probables de ofrecer los servicios médicos necesarios que no crean ganancias grandes. Aunque esto es generalmente una buena noticia para los accionistas, puede significar un desastre para los pacientes. Según un estudio, las muertes de pacientes aumentan considerablemente cuando los hospitales sin fines lucrativos llegan a ser privatizados. La dotación de personal también supuestamente tienden a disminuir. En los EE.UU., las empresas privadas supuestamente proporcionan servicios sociales más esenciales que en cualquier otra nación industrializada. Algunos creen que esto ha resultado en una atención de calidad inferior para nuestra nación, enfermos y ancianos. En lugar de bajar los gastos y la eliminación de residuos, hogares de ancianos privatizados y hospitales según se informa ahora les ofrecen a los médicos y otros miembros del personal de atención directa con los incentivos financieros para maximizar los beneficios sin incurrir en ningún gasto adicional. Lamentablemente, esto puede tener un efecto sobre el cuidado del paciente. Según un estudio con respecto al gasto de Medicare, ningún dinero del contribuyente fue guardado cuando Organizaciones privadas de Mantenimiento de Salud (SEGURO MEDICO GLOBAL) fueron utilizados. Adicionalmente, otro estudio reclama que el costo de Medicaid aumentó por acerca del 12 por ciento sin ningún incremento en la calidad cuando los beneficiarios comenzaron a utilizar HMO. Un estudio de Wisconsin encontró que hogares de ancianos sin fines lucrativos tienden a administrar menos sedantes que las empresas lucrativas. En algunas áreas, los residentes […]
Increasingly, patients in the United States are relying on private medical care providers. Over the past several decades, more and more nursing homes, hospitals, and other health service institutions have purportedly privatized. Unfortunately, the profit status of a health care facility often affects the care provided to patients. For example, for-profit hospitals are reportedly less likely to offer necessary medical services that do not create large profits. Although this is generally good news for shareholders, it can spell disaster for patients. According to one study, patient deaths increase sharply when non-profit hospitals become privatized. Staffing levels also allegedly tend to decline. In the U.S., private companies purportedly provide more essential social services than in any other industrialized nation. Some believe this has resulted in lower quality care for our nation’s sick and elderly. Instead of lowering costs and eliminating waste, privatized nursing homes and hospitals reportedly now provide physicians and other direct care staff with financial incentives to maximize profits without incurring any additional expense. Sadly, this can have an effect on patient care. According to a study regarding Medicare spending, no taxpayer money was saved when private Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) were used. Additionally, another study claims the cost of Medicaid increased by about 12 percent without any increase in quality when recipients began utilizing HMOs. A Wisconsin study found that non-profit nursing homes tend to administer fewer sedatives than for-profit enterprises. In some areas, residents at for-profit nursing facilities allegedly receive an average of four times more tranquilizers than those living in a government or non-profit managed facility. Economist Burton Weisbrod believes this disparity has arisen because such drugs are cheap and tend to incapacitate patients who may otherwise require additional care or stimulation. He said programs designed to keep skilled nursing facility residents engaged cost money. In […]
A study recently published by the nation’s Department of Health and Human Services reportedly found that skilled nursing facilities throughout the nation overcharged the federal Medicare system about $1.5 billion in 2009. According to data compiled by Bloomberg News, approximately 30 percent of Medicare claims submitted by for-profit nursing homes were for patient treatments that were either unnecessary or never received. In contrast, only around 12 percent of such claims submitted by non-profit facilities were reportedly deemed improper. In 2010, a similar study found that for-profit nursing homes were twice as likely as non-profits to bill Medicare at the highest possible rate for residents with similar medical issues and needs. A report released in 2012 by the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MEDPAC) claims that for-profit healthcare providers currently dominate the nation’s medical services industry. MEDPAC data suggests that about 33 percent of all nursing home revenues come from the federal Medicare program. An additional 50 percent is reportedly funded by Medicaid insurance for the poor. According to MEDPAC, for-profit skilled nursing facilities enjoy a 20 percent profit margin on all Medicare residents. In 2010, 78 percent of the approximately $105 billion in skilled nursing industry revenues were purportedly paid to for-profit homes. The Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care, a nursing home trade group, claims that nursing homes employ in excess of $1.6 million Americans. Still, the nation’s 10 biggest for-profit skilled nursing facility companies allegedly employed nearly 40 percent fewer registered nurses than non-profit facilities between 2003 and 2008. In addition, the same companies also purportedly received almost 60 percent more deficiency citations following federal inspections. A spokesperson for the American Health Care Association, Greg Crist, stated for-profit nursing homes have increased the number of registered nurses employed since 2009. Crist also claims a number of initiatives designed to […]