A quarrel between a 98 year old and her 100 year old roommate in a Dartmouth Mass. nursing home led to the 98 year old being charged with second degree murder, for the September death of the 100 year old.
The defendant, who is alleged to have suffocated her roommate, has been placed in a mental hospital for evaluation.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Thursday, October 29, 2009
HIPAA Security Alert
HIPAA Horrors
The Blade (Toledo) reports on October 28th an imaging technician was arrested in Ohio for driving infractions and possession of marijuana.
During the arrest the police scanned his cell phone.
In his phone were photos of dozens of partially clad patients preparing for imaging tests, including minors.
Wow.
The penalties and lawsuits are likely to be massive.
The Blade (Toledo) reports on October 28th an imaging technician was arrested in Ohio for driving infractions and possession of marijuana.
During the arrest the police scanned his cell phone.
In his phone were photos of dozens of partially clad patients preparing for imaging tests, including minors.
Wow.
The penalties and lawsuits are likely to be massive.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Health Care Reform Part 2
President Obama's speech yesterday was "hitting the reset button" for health care reform.
First impressions - the numbers do not add up.
And every President since Nixon has promised to reduce "waste, fraud and abuse" from Medicare and Medicaid.
Game on!
First impressions - the numbers do not add up.
And every President since Nixon has promised to reduce "waste, fraud and abuse" from Medicare and Medicaid.
Game on!
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
HIPAA Security Social Nightmares
Facebook ™, Myspace ™, Twitter ™ and millions of web logs (“blogs”) are connecting people worldwide, and that includes your employees.
Some business organizations are using these social networks, some not, but either way it is a good bet your employees are using these sites to connect with and expand their social networks.
That can be a huge problem!
Employees used to flashing every aspect of their lives on-line are very likely to discuss work on-line as well.
Social networks sites create a huge risk for HIPAA violations, and also for employee problems (some of the comments posted can be incredibly vicious),
HIPAA is 24/7!
No, you cannot control your employees lives, EXCEPT as it relates to work.
Every health care organization should develop policies and procedures on the use of social networking sites for the broadcast of work related information. Soon.
Some business organizations are using these social networks, some not, but either way it is a good bet your employees are using these sites to connect with and expand their social networks.
That can be a huge problem!
Employees used to flashing every aspect of their lives on-line are very likely to discuss work on-line as well.
Social networks sites create a huge risk for HIPAA violations, and also for employee problems (some of the comments posted can be incredibly vicious),
HIPAA is 24/7!
No, you cannot control your employees lives, EXCEPT as it relates to work.
Every health care organization should develop policies and procedures on the use of social networking sites for the broadcast of work related information. Soon.
Monday, July 6, 2009
The Arbitration Battle Continues
Many long-term care providers require a new resident to sign an arbitration agreement at admission.
Providers feel this is necessary to cope with the medical malpractice atmosphere.
Many consumer groups and politicians feel this is an abuse, essentially barring the court house door for neglected and abused residents.
A federal bill introduced in Congress in 2008 was not passed, but has been reintroduced. Some state legislatures have gotten involved in the issue.
Provider representatives are lobbying heavily against the bill, for obvious reasons.
Providers feel this is necessary to cope with the medical malpractice atmosphere.
Many consumer groups and politicians feel this is an abuse, essentially barring the court house door for neglected and abused residents.
A federal bill introduced in Congress in 2008 was not passed, but has been reintroduced. Some state legislatures have gotten involved in the issue.
Provider representatives are lobbying heavily against the bill, for obvious reasons.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Current Issues
What are the hot issues in long-term care?
Financing (short-term) - state budgets are in serious trouble, and that puts serious pressure on Medicaid.
Financing (long-term) - what will health care reform do to long-term care?
Post-acute bundling of payment - see previous post.
Nursing - good news, the lousy economy may be pushing more nurses back into the workforce. Bad news, are these the quality nurses we want?
Transparency - should ownership of facilities be more transparent to the public?
Home and community based services for the disabled
Financing (short-term) - state budgets are in serious trouble, and that puts serious pressure on Medicaid.
Financing (long-term) - what will health care reform do to long-term care?
Post-acute bundling of payment - see previous post.
Nursing - good news, the lousy economy may be pushing more nurses back into the workforce. Bad news, are these the quality nurses we want?
Transparency - should ownership of facilities be more transparent to the public?
Home and community based services for the disabled
Monday, June 15, 2009
The Hospital Discharge and Re-Admit Cycle
The federal government has major issues with the cost of health care programs, at the same time the reform movement is trying to expand insurance coverage.
One of the targets is the discharge / re-admit issue with Medicare patients.
Hospitals have incentives to discharge elderly patients to home or an ltcf, but re-admissions are quite common, driving up cost.
Physician judgments and family wishes play into this, and these factors may be difficult to change.
One proposal is "payment bundling," the hospital would get a single payment and then must reimburse the ltcf. This could be difficult for ltcfs, but could also provide incentives for better cooperation and coordination of services.
One of the targets is the discharge / re-admit issue with Medicare patients.
Hospitals have incentives to discharge elderly patients to home or an ltcf, but re-admissions are quite common, driving up cost.
Physician judgments and family wishes play into this, and these factors may be difficult to change.
One proposal is "payment bundling," the hospital would get a single payment and then must reimburse the ltcf. This could be difficult for ltcfs, but could also provide incentives for better cooperation and coordination of services.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Briefing Paper: Email and electronic communications
The first in a series of briefing papers on administrative topics:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/16018098/Email-Briefing-Paper-Health-Care
http://www.scribd.com/doc/16018098/Email-Briefing-Paper-Health-Care
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Selling Health Care Reform
President Obama is selling health care reform with the argument that we need to fix health care in order to fix the overall economy.
Economic advisor Christina Romer distributed an op-ed piece today explaining how health care reform would 1) improve family incomes, 2) enhanced GDP, 3) lower budget deficits, 4) lower unemployment, 5) provide greater health care coverage (of course) and a 6) better labor market.
Wow, this is quite a claim.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/assets/documents/CEA_Health_Care_report.pdf
Economic advisor Christina Romer distributed an op-ed piece today explaining how health care reform would 1) improve family incomes, 2) enhanced GDP, 3) lower budget deficits, 4) lower unemployment, 5) provide greater health care coverage (of course) and a 6) better labor market.
Wow, this is quite a claim.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/assets/documents/CEA_Health_Care_report.pdf
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Graying Prison Population
An interesting side effect of longer prison sentences and three-strike laws has been the graying of the prison population in many state systems.
Not surprisingly, sick elderly prisoners are exploding the health care budgets of the states, and the states have enough budget problems already.
A proposal in Ohio seeks to move frail, sick elderly prisoners to long-term care facilties, with a promise the prisoner/residents will be too frail and sick to be a danger to anyone.
[see the Columbus Dispatch, Nursing Homes May Get Ailing Inmates, May 28, 2009]
Certain categories of prisoners, including life without parole, first and second degree felons, and probably sex offenders, would not be allowed in the ltc-parole program, according to Ohio officials.
Developing........
Not surprisingly, sick elderly prisoners are exploding the health care budgets of the states, and the states have enough budget problems already.
A proposal in Ohio seeks to move frail, sick elderly prisoners to long-term care facilties, with a promise the prisoner/residents will be too frail and sick to be a danger to anyone.
[see the Columbus Dispatch, Nursing Homes May Get Ailing Inmates, May 28, 2009]
Certain categories of prisoners, including life without parole, first and second degree felons, and probably sex offenders, would not be allowed in the ltc-parole program, according to Ohio officials.
Developing........
Health Blog Family
Now we have a blog family………
Health Care Reform and Public Policy
http://healthcarethinktank.blogspot.com/
healthcarethinktank@gmail.com
Physician Group Practice Management Topics
http://practicemanagementnews.blogspot.com/
practicemanagementnews@gmail.com
Long-term Care Management News
http://longtermcareupdates.blogspot.com/
longtermcareupdates@gmail.com
Health Care Reform and Public Policy
http://healthcarethinktank.blogspot.com/
healthcarethinktank@gmail.com
Physician Group Practice Management Topics
http://practicemanagementnews.blogspot.com/
practicemanagementnews@gmail.com
Long-term Care Management News
http://longtermcareupdates.blogspot.com/
longtermcareupdates@gmail.com
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Welcome
Into the blog-o-sphere!
This web log will be an attempt to provide news and views on key topics in long term care, with an emphasis on public policy and administrative topics.
Some upcoming special items:
Briefing Paper: Compliance in Long-term Care Facilities
Briefing Paper: Primer on Wage-and-Hour compliance
This web log will be an attempt to provide news and views on key topics in long term care, with an emphasis on public policy and administrative topics.
Some upcoming special items:
Briefing Paper: Compliance in Long-term Care Facilities
Briefing Paper: Primer on Wage-and-Hour compliance
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