Earn up to 8.75 CEUs at the AHCA/NCAL Quality Summit 2024 on Monday, May 20, through Wednesday, May 22, in San Antonio, TX. The goal of the Quality Summit 2024 is to offer innovative ideas, strategies and inspiration to help you provide the highest quality of care to your residents. This year's education sessions are based on the seven categories of the Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence, the cornerstone of the AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program.
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The Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health in Nursing Facilities (COE-NF) is offering six free training opportunities in March. These educational opportunities include Understanding Race-Based, Historical and Intergenerational Trauma in Nursing Facility Residents on March 19, Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) Suicide Prevention Training on March 20, Opioid Overdose and Naloxone Administration on March 21 and more.
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Telligen QI Connect recently released a list of upcoming education opportunities happening in March. Education opportunities include a Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement (QAPI) 101 Mini Collaborative webinar and Nursing Home Quality Essentials - Dental Hygiene, Oral Care and Infection Prevention webinar happening tomorrow, March 7, Ensuring Medicaid for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) Treatment Through the Care Continuum on Friday, March 8 and more.
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CMS is hosting a webinar on Monday, March 26, at noon to educate providers of current changes to the Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Quality Reporting Program (QRP) and to help providers achieve a full Annual Payment Update (APU) (i.e. avoid the 2% reduction in the annual Medicare APU).
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The Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health in Nursing Facilities’ (COE-NF) February 2024 Newsletter is now available. Topics in this issue include a nursing facility guidance update, free mental health and substance use technical assistance, updated CARES Serious Mental Illness (SMI) office hours, miscellaneous COE-NF resources, including the COE-NF Behavioral Health Needs Assessment, Rapid Behavioral Health Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) Worksheet and Mental Health 101 Bite-Sized Learning, upcoming COE-NF training sessions and more.
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In April 2024, CMS will adjust the Five-Star staffing scoring methodology to penalize missing turnover data. Missing turnover rates will be scored at the lowest points possible (e.g. 5 out of 50 points) instead of rebasing the scoring to allow missing data to be neutral. Most centers are not projected to be impacted by this scoring change, but 10% could see a decrease.
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Your Top-Line is a LTC Trend Tracker (LTCTT) publication that includes metrics and graphics outlining each skilled nursing center's unique progress on Five-Star performance, the AHCA/NCAL Quality Initiative, their journey through the Quality Awards program and other necessary data to help skilled nursing centers achieve their desired goals. As a registered user of LTCTT, you can download your facility’s specific report free of charge in the publications section.
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Applications for the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) Diversity Executive Leadership Program (DELP) are due this Friday, Feb. 16. DELP aims to empower individuals from underrepresented groups, encompassing race, ethnicity, gender identification, sexual orientation, disability and religion. In addition to underrepresented groups, DELP recognizes diversity in other areas such as geographic location and organization.
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Are your Home Health Value-Based Purchasing (HHVBP) reports missing from the Internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (iQIES)? CMS has identified a system issue which caused some HHVBP files, such as the recently distributed October 2023 Final Interim Performance Reports (IPRs), to be deleted from the home health agency Provider Preview Report folders in iQIES. Further, there are Preliminary IPRs retained despite the report retention timeframes outlined on QIES Technical Support Office (QTSO). CMS is actively working to correct the issue.
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As the deadline quickly approaches, we want to remind you about the opportunity to apply for the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) Diversity Executive Leadership Program (DELP). DELP aims to empower individuals from underrepresented groups, encompassing race, ethnicity, gender identification, sexual orientation, disability and religion. In addition to underrepresented groups, DELP recognizes diversity in other areas such as geographic location and organization. Applications are due next Friday, Feb. 16.
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The deadline to submit a 2024 AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award application is tomorrow, Jan. 25 at 7:00 p.m. If you haven't already, make sure to utilize key resources, such as the Criteria Series at each award level and the Silver and Gold Application Submission Templates, to assist you in finalizing and submitting your application.
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The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is seeking nominations for individuals to serve on a high-acuity statewide placement SWAT team. This team is being developed to address the growing number of situations in which appropriate placement cannot be attained for individuals in this state in an effort to clear barriers and better serve Iowans.
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The Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing (DIAL) is seeking nominations for the 2024 Governor’s Award for Quality Care in Health Care Facilities, which recognizes Iowa health care facilities that offer unique or innovative activities to enhance the quality of care or quality of life for their residents. Nominations are open to licensed nursing facilities, residential care facilities and intermediate care facilities, including those facilities specializing in the care of persons with mental illness or intellectual disabilities. Residents and family members may nominate an Iowa-licensed long-term care facility for the award. Facilities may not nominate themselves for this recognition. To be considered for a 2024 Governor’s Award, nominations must be postmarked by March 22, 2024.
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The Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Provider Preview Reports have been updated and are now available. These reports contain provider performance scores for quality measures, which will be published on Care Compare and Provider Data Catalog (PDC) during the April 2024 refresh. Providers have until Feb. 15, 2024, to review their performance data.
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The deadline to submit a 2024 AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award application is next Thursday, Jan. 25 at 7:00 p.m. CST. AHCA/NCAL President and CEO Mark Parkinson has provided a video message, urging members to continue their journey toward excellence in 2024 and apply. If you haven't already, make sure to utilize key resources, such as the Criteria Series at each award level and the Silver and Gold Application Submission Templates, to assist you in finalizing and submitting your application.
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CMS is alerting skilled nursing facility (SNF) providers of upcoming measure removals from the SNF Quality Reporting Program (QRP). Once removed from reports, users will no longer have access to any data or measure results for these measures.
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The American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) has announced the opening of applications for the next class of the Diversity Executive Leadership Program (DELP). DELP aims to empower individuals from underrepresented groups, encompassing race, ethnicity, gender identification, sexual orientation, disability and religion. Fifteen scholars will be selected to participate in a two-year leadership program consisting of education, mentoring, networking and volunteer service in the AHCA/NCAL community. The deadline to apply is Friday, Feb. 16, 2024.
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Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) will host a complimentary webinar today from noon to 1:00 p.m. for health care professionals to develop the necessary skills to provide safe and effective care for residents/patients who are in isolation.
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The University of Iowa’s College of Nursing began a research study in 2021 to identify best practices related to dining activities for individuals with cognitive and memory impairments. During the pilot study, the Optimizing Mealtime Care and Outcomes (OPTIMAL) program found preliminary evidence that improved resident outcomes of resistive behavior, functional impairment and food intake amount. The OPTIMAL team is inviting all Iowa nursing homes, assisted living programs and residential care facilities caring for individuals with dementia or cognitive impairments to take part in the program, which focuses on in-person staff training and facility approach to mealtime. To indicate your interest in this program, please complete the brief survey before Jan. 12. Participation is free and CEUs are available.
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COE-NF’s January 2024 Newsletter is now available. Topics in this issue include the COE-NF grant year one in review, CARES Serious Mental Illness Online Training, CARES serious mental illness office hours, buprenorphine in the long-term care facility, explanation of behavioral health equity, nursing facility regulatory guidance, such as understanding the Preadmission Screening and Resident Review (PASRR) for Quality Care, COE-NF de-escalation toolkit, upcoming COE-NF training sessions and more.
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The University of Iowa’s College of Nursing began a research study in 2021 to identify best practices related to dining activities for individuals with cognitive and memory impairments. During the pilot study, the Optimizing Mealtime Care and Outcomes (OPTIMAL) program found preliminary evidence that improved resident outcomes of resistive behavior, functional impairment and food intake amount. The OPTIMAL team is inviting all Iowa nursing homes, assisted living programs and residential care facilities caring for individuals with dementia or cognitive impairments to take part in the program, which focuses on in-person staff training and facility approach to mealtime. To indicate your interest in this program, please complete the brief survey before Jan. 12. Participation is free and CEUs are available.
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All Home-and Community-Based Services (HCBS) providers must complete and submit the HCBS Provider Quality Management Self-Assessment by Dec. 31, 2023, regardless of whether they are currently offering HCBS services.
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Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHSS) will host a complimentary webinar on Jan. 10, 2024, from noon to 1:00 p.m. for health care professionals to develop the necessary skills to provide safe and effective care for residents/patients who are in isolation. Learn how to identify different types of isolation and when each may be necessary, explore appropriate signage to communicate necessary infection control actions and define the personal protective equipment (PPE) needed in various scenarios.
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The University of Iowa’s College of Nursing began a research study in 2021 to identify best practices related to dining activities for individuals with cognitive and memory impairments. During the pilot study, the Optimizing Mealtime Care and Outcomes (OPTIMAL) program found preliminary evidence that improved resident outcomes of resistive behavior, functional impairment and food intake amount. The OPTIMAL team is inviting all Iowa nursing homes, assisted living programs and residential care facilities caring for individuals with dementia or cognitive impairments to take part in the program, which focuses on in-person staff training and facility approach to mealtime. To indicate your interest in this program, please complete the brief survey before Jan. 12. Participation is free and CEUs are available.
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Are you preparing an application for the AHCA/NCAL Quality Award Program? Baldridge Coach is offering complimentary 20-minute coaching sessions to first time applicants and applicants who have previously applied for an award and did not achieve the level of recognition sought. Please note that this assistance is free, and no further obligation is required.
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All Home-and Community-Based Services (HCBS) providers must complete and submit the HCBS Provider Quality Management Self-Assessment by Dec. 31, 2023, regardless of whether they are currently offering HCBS services. Due to changes from previous self-assessments, IHCA will offer a live webinar tomorrow, Thursday, Dec. 14, to provide guidance regarding this requirement of all HCBS providers. Please note that only a live version of this webinar will be offered, and there will be no on-demand version or recording available.
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Are you preparing an application for the AHCA/NCAL Quality Award Program? Baldridge Coach is offering complimentary 20-minute coaching sessions to first time applicants and applicants who have previously applied for an award and did not achieve the level of recognition sought. Please note that this assistance is free, and no further obligation is required.
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COE-NF’s December 2023 Newsletter is now available. Topics in this issue include an in-depth look at holiday blues, tips to eliminate the holiday blues in nursing facilities, details regarding the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) national helpline, visitation and leaves of absence for residents with substance use disorders regulatory guidance, how CMS plans to expand the behavioral health workforce in 2024, upcoming COE-NF training sessions and more.
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The Home-and Community-Based Services (HCBS) provider self-assessment is due Dec. 31, 2023. All HCBS providers must complete and submit the Provider Quality Management Self-Assessment by the specified annual deadline, regardless of whether they are currently offering HCBS services. Due to changes from previous self-assessments, IHCA will offer a live webinar next Thursday, Dec. 14, to provide guidance regarding this requirement of all HCBS providers.
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Join Telligen QI Connect this December for its monthly educational events. Upcoming events include Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement (QAPI) 101 Mini Collaborative, Implementing Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) to Improve Health Equity Series, Root Cause Analysis Training and more. The next set of classes takes place this Thursday, Dec. 7.
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The Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health in Nursing Facilities (COE-NF) is offering five free training opportunities in December. Training opportunities include Holiday Seasonal Depression: Ways to Support Nursing Facility Residents, Serious Mental Illness in Nursing Facilities: Using a Five Step Approach to Care, Good Grief: Helping Nursing Facility Residents Cope with Loss, Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) and Mental Health First Aide (MHFA).
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Due to a high volume of interest, IHCA/ICAL will offer an additional Bronze-level workshop next Wednesday, Nov. 29. The goal of this workshop is to assist members in crafting a customized application to meet entry-level Quality Award criteria requirements. Skilled nursing facilities and assisted living programs are encouraged to participate.
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The clock is ticking and time is running out to showcase the quality of care you provide by entering the 2024 AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award program. Now is the time to act – the deadline to submit an Intent to Apply (ITA) is tomorrow, Nov. 16, at 7:00 p.m. While submission of an ITA is voluntary and will have no impact on an applicant’s consideration, submitting an ITA only takes five to ten minutes and earns applicants a discounted application fee.
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The AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program offers assisted living providers who are actively engaged in the program an advantage compared to their competition. Assisted living programs that achieve Quality Awards have a unique opportunity to feature their commitment to the highest quality of care for their tenants by providing an illustration of recent quality improvement efforts. Due to a high volume of interest, IHCA/ICAL will offer an additional Bronze-level workshop on Wednesday, Nov. 29.
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The clock is ticking and time is running out to showcase the quality of care you provide by entering the 2024 AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award program. Now is the time to act – the deadline to submit an Intent to Apply (ITA) is next Thursday, Nov. 16, at 7:00 p.m. While submission of an ITA is voluntary and will have no impact on an applicant’s consideration, submitting an ITA only takes five to ten minutes and earns applicants a discounted application fee.
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Due to significant interest, IHCA will be hosting an additional 2024 Bronze Award Application Workshop on Wednesday, Nov. 29. If your organization has thought about participating in the AHCA/NCAL National Quality Awards Program, this is your opportunity to complete the Bronze Award application from beginning to end with coaching support along the way. This workshop is approved for 6.0 CEUs for nurses, administrators and assisted living managers.
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Due to the Payroll Based Journal (PBJ) quarterly deadline, the Internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (iQIES) Service Center is projecting an increase in the volume of calls and emails between now and Nov. 14, 2023.
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IHCA and ICAL members have two weeks left to submit their AHCA/NCAL 2024 National Quality Award Intent to Apply (ITA) to meet the deadline of Thursday, Nov. 16. Additionally, submitting an ITA earns applicants a discounted application fee.
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Have you ever wondered about getting involved in AHCA/NCAL's National Quality Award Program? Get involved and show your support today by applying to join the Quality Award Board by Nov. 2, applying to serve as a Quality Award Examiner by Nov. 9 and submitting your Intent to Apply (ITA) by Nov. 16.
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Join Telligen today, Wednesday, Oct. 25, from 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. at Hotel Renovo in Urbandale to get the latest insights, network with Telligen and Iowa health care providers and discuss opioids, health equity, community coalition building in Iowa and more.
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Join the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Health Care Associated Infections (HAI) Program tomorrow, Oct. 26, at noon for a free virtual webinar: Using Data to Drive an Antimicrobial Stewardship Program.
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The AHCA/NCAL 2024 National Quality Award Intent to Apply (ITA) is now open. The first 100 ITAs received will be entered in a giveaway to win a complimentary 2024 application fee. Applicants who plan to apply for a National Quality Award in 2024 should submit an ITA before the deadline on Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023.
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Due to the Payroll Based Journal (PBJ) quarterly deadline, the Internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (iQIES) Service Center is projecting an increase in the volume of calls and emails between now and Nov. 14, 2023.
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LTC Trend Tracker is a complimentary AHCA/NCAL resource offered to all IHCA members. With just a few clicks of a button, LTC Trend Tracker gives you access to government data collected by CMS on skilled nursing centers – providing you with one central hub for all your reporting needs. IHCA encourages members to access LTC Trend Tracker and download your latest Your Top-Line report.
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The AHCA/NCAL 2024 National Quality Award Intent to Apply (ITA) is now open. The first 100 ITAs received will be entered in a giveaway to win a complimentary 2024 application fee. Applicants who plan to apply for a National Quality Award in 2024 should submit an ITA before the deadline on Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023.
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The Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Provider Preview Reports have been updated and are now available. These reports contain provider performance scores for quality measures, which will be published on Care Compare and Provider Data Catalog (PDC) during the January 2024 refresh. Providers have until Nov. 13, 2023, to review their performance data. Only updates/corrections to the underlying assessment data before the final data submission deadline will be reflected in the publicly reported data on Care Compare.
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CMS has released two Health Equity Confidential Feedback Reports to post-acute care (PAC) providers: the Discharge to Community (DTC) Health Equity Confidential Feedback Report and the Medicare Spending Per Beneficiary (MSPB) Health Equity Confidential Feedback Report. This data is meant to provide feedback to providers about their performance for certain populations who may have been historically disadvantaged and to identify opportunities to focus their internal quality improvement initiatives to provide all individuals their best opportunity to achieve their best potential health outcomes.
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Join Telligen on Wednesday, Oct. 25, from 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. at Hotel Renovo in Urbandale to get the latest insights, network with Telligen and Iowa health care providers, learn about topics such as opioids, health equity, community coalition building in Iowa and more. Please register by Monday, Oct. 16.
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CMS is offering a three-minute, animated explainer video titled, “Brief Interview for Mental Status (BIMS) and BIMS Summary Score: Stopping and Coding an Incomplete Interview,” for home health (HH), inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF), long-term care hospital (LTCH) and skilled nursing facility (SNF) providers. Additionally, CMS is offering a four-minute, animated explainer video titled, “Understanding Coding for N0415 — High-Risk Drug Classes: Use and Indication,” for HH providers.
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The AHCA/NCAL 2024 National Quality Award Intent to Apply (ITA) is now open. The first 100 ITAs received will be entered in a giveaway to win a complimentary 2024 application fee. Applicants who plan to apply for a National Quality Award in 2024 should submit an ITA before the deadline on Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023.
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Join Telligen on Wednesday, Oct. 25, from 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. at Hotel Renovo in Urbandale to get the latest insights, network with Telligen and Iowa health care providers, learn about topics such as opioids, health equity, community coalition building in Iowa and more. Please register by Monday, Oct. 16.
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The 2024 Bronze Award Application Workshop kicks off with a webinar on Oct. 10 that will include an introduction to the award application process, how to access the entry portal and the resources you will need to prepare your application in the next session. The in-person training session on Oct. 17 will provide step-by-step assistance so you can walk away with a nearly completed 2024 Bronze Award Application. This two-part course is approved for 6.0 CEUs for nurses, administrators and assisted living managers.
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The AHCA/NCAL 2024 National Quality Award Intent to Apply (ITA) is now open. The first 100 ITAs received will be entered in a giveaway to win a complimentary 2024 application fee. Applicants who plan to apply for a National Quality Award in 2024 should submit an ITA before the deadline on Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023.
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Join Telligen on Wednesday, Oct. 25, from 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. at Hotel Renovo in Urbandale to get the latest insights, network with Telligen and Iowa health care providers, learn about topics such as opioids, health equity, community coalition building in Iowa and more. Please register by Monday, Oct. 16.
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CMS recently released QSO-23-21-NH regarding updates coming in April 2024 to Nursing Home Care Compare staffing and quality measures. The updates accommodate previously announced changes to the Minimum Data Set (MDS) taking place Oct. 1, 2023. This includes changes to the staffing level case-mix adjustment methodology from Resource Utilization Groups (RUG-IV) to Patient-Driven Payment Model (PDPM). Additionally, CMS announced it will be removing the CMS-672 form (Resident Census and Conditions of Residents).
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The American Health Care Association (AHCA) and National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) has provided three ways in which you can get involved with the National Quality Award Program and support long-term and post-acute care quality improvement journeys. Opportunities include applying for the National Quality Award, submitting a National Quality Award Intent to Apply (ITA) and applying to serve as a National Quality Award Examiner.
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The AHCA/NCAL 2024 National Quality Award Intent to Apply (ITA) is now open. The first 100 ITAs received will be entered in a giveaway to win a complimentary 2024 application fee. Applicants who plan to apply for a National Quality Award in 2024 should submit an ITA before the deadline on Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023.
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Join Telligen on Wednesday, Oct. 25, from 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. at Hotel Renovo in Urbandale to get the latest insights, network with Telligen and Iowa health care providers, learn about topics such as on opioids, health equity, community coalition building in Iowa and more. Please register by Monday, Oct. 16.
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The latest Your Top-Line publication for skilled nursing centers is now available in LTC Trend Tracker with facility-level staffing data to help your organization understand the impact of CMS’s minimum staffing standard proposed rule.
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The AHCA/NCAL 2024 National Quality Award Intent to Apply (ITA) is now open. The first 100 ITAs received will be entered in a giveaway to win a complimentary 2024 application fee. Applicants who plan to apply for a National Quality Award in 2024 should submit an ITA before the deadline on Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023.
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The AHCA/NCAL 2024 National Quality Award Intent to Apply (ITA) is now open. The first 100 ITAs received will be entered in a giveaway to win a complimentary 2024 application fee. Applicants who plan to apply for a National Quality Award in 2024 should submit an ITA before the deadline on Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023.
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CMS recently released the Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE) Model aimed at improving the way dementia care is delivered and supporting unpaid caregivers. The goal is to help those living with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia remain in their homes and communities, thereby minimizing hospitalizations, post-acute and long-term care through improved care coordination and management, caregiver education and support and respite services. Through GUIDE, CMS will test an alternative payment for participants that delivers key supportive services to people with dementia. CMS is accepting letters of interest for the GUIDE Model through Sept. 15, 2023.
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The Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health in Nursing Facilities (COE-NF) assists nursing facilities in their ongoing efforts to enhance the quality of life for residents who experience a variety of behavioral health disorders and offers free trainings, technical assistance and additional resources. While the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing (DIAL) appears to be looking closely at facility training plans for behavioral health training, members are encouraged to consider integrating these training resources into their established plans. A brief webinar titled, “Understanding Substance Use Disorders related to Nursing Facility Residents,” will take place tomorrow, Aug. 31.
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The AHCA/NCAL 2024 National Quality Award Intent to Apply (ITA) is now open. The first 100 ITAs received will be entered in a giveaway to win a complimentary 2024 application fee. Applicants who plan to apply for a National Quality Award in 2024 should submit an ITA before the deadline on Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023.
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It's not too late to apply for this year’s IHCA’s Executive Health Care Leadership Institute! To apply, please submit an updated resume, reference letter and short summary of what you hope to achieve by attending the program via email to Brenda Irlbeck at brenda@iowahealthcare.org by the end of today, Aug. 23. The course begins Aug. 30. IHCA’s Executive Health Care Leadership Institute is a year-long program where leaders have the opportunity to network with peers, maximize their distinct potential and recognize new quality improvement pathways to enhance the future of the post-acute profession.
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The AHCA/NCAL 2024 National Quality Award Intent to Apply (ITA) is now open. The first 100 ITAs received will be entered in a giveaway to win a complimentary 2024 application fee. Applicants who plan to apply for a National Quality Award in 2024 should submit an ITA before the deadline on Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023.
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IHCA’s Executive Health Care Leadership Institute is a year-long program where leaders have the opportunity to network with peers, maximize their distinct potential and recognize new quality improvement pathways to enhance the future of the post-acute profession. While there are a limited number of openings available for this elite leadership training, it's not too late to apply for this year’s program. To apply, please submit an updated resume, reference letter and short summary of what you hope to achieve by attending the program via email to Brenda Irlbeck at brenda@iowahealthcare.org by Aug. 23. The course begins Aug. 30.
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CMS recently released the Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE) Model aimed at improving the way dementia care is delivered and supporting unpaid caregivers. The goal is to help those living with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia remain in their homes and communities, thereby minimizing hospitalizations, post-acute and long-term care through improved care coordination and management, caregiver education and support and respite services. Through GUIDE, CMS will test an alternative payment for participants that deliver key supportive services to people with dementia. CMS is accepting letters of interest for the GUIDE Model through Sept. 15, 2023.
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The AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award program team is pleased to announce that the 2024 National Quality Award Intent to Apply (ITA) is now open. The first 100 ITAs received will be entered in a giveaway to win a complimentary 2024 application fee. AHCA/NCAL encourages applicants who plan to apply for a National Quality Award in 2024 to submit an ITA before the deadline on Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023.
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For more than a decade, IHCA has hosted the Executive Health Care Leadership Institute, formerly known as IHCA's Leadership Academy, to provide leaders with essential tools to advance their leadership skills. In this year-long program, leaders will have the opportunity to network with peers, maximize their distinct potential and recognize new quality improvement pathways to enhance the future of the post-acute profession. While there are a limited number of openings available for this elite leadership training, it's not too late to apply for this year’s program. To apply, please submit an updated resume, reference letter and short summary of what you hope to achieve by attending the program via email to Brenda Irlbeck at brenda@iowahealthcare.org by Aug. 23. The course begins Aug. 30.
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Skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) must report their 2023 Quarter 1 (Dec. 26, 2022 - March 26, 2023) Weekly Healthcare Personnel COVID-19 Vaccination Summary data to the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) by Aug. 15, 2023.
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CMS announced that facilities determined to be out of compliance with the 2022 Quality Reporting Program (QRP) requirements received a non-compliance notification in their My Reports folder in Internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (iQIES) on July 20, 2023. This will impact these facilities’ FY 2024 Annual Payment Update (APU). Failure to comply with Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) QRP data submission requirements may result in a 2-percentage points reduction to the market basket update (also known as the APU). Facilities that receive a letter of non-compliance may submit a request for reconsideration to CMS via email no later than Friday, Aug. 18.
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The Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Provider Preview Reports have been updated and are now available. These reports contain provider performance scores for quality measures, which will be published on Care Compare and Provider Data Catalog (PDC) during the October 2023 refresh. Providers have until Aug. 14, 2023 to review their performance data.
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The July 2023 quarterly refresh for the Home Health (HH) Quality Reporting Program (QRP) is now available on Care Compare. For this refresh, HH Outcome and Assessment Information Set (OASIS) will be based on the standard number of quarters.
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Applications are still be accepted to join IHCA’s Executive Health Care Leadership Institute for 2023-24. For more than a decade, IHCA has hosted the Executive Health Care Leadership Institute, formerly known as IHCA's Leadership Academy, to provide leaders with essential tools to advance their leadership skills. In this year-long program, leaders will have the opportunity to network with peers, maximize their distinct potential and recognize new quality improvement pathways to enhance the future of the post-acute profession. Whether you are new to your leadership role and looking for tips to get started, or you have been a leader for a while, the IHCA Executive Health Care Leadership Institute is for you!
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Brodey Hanson, executive director of The Bridges at Ankeny, has been named the 2023 recipient of the AHCA Leader of the Year Award by the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL). Hanson is recognized for his achievement in fostering a person-centered culture in a long-term care facility.
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Applications are still be accepted to join IHCA’s Executive Health Care Leadership Institute for 2023-24. For more than a decade, IHCA has hosted the Executive Health Care Leadership Institute, formerly known as IHCA's Leadership Academy, to provide leaders with essential tools to advance their leadership skills. In this year-long program, leaders will have the opportunity to network with peers, maximize their distinct potential and recognize new quality improvement pathways to enhance the future of the post-acute profession. Whether you are new to your leadership role and looking for tips to get started, or you have been a leader for a while, the IHCA Executive Health Care Leadership Institute is for you!
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For more than a decade, IHCA has hosted the Executive Health Care Leadership Institute, formerly known as IHCA's Leadership Academy, to provide leaders with essential tools to advance their leadership skills. In this year-long program, leaders will have the opportunity to network with peers, maximize their distinct potential and recognize new quality improvement pathways to enhance the future of the post-acute profession. Whether you are new to your leadership role and looking for tips to get started, or you have been a leader for a while, the IHCA Executive Health Care Leadership Institute is for you!
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The Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Provider Preview Reports have been updated and are now available. These reports contain provider performance scores for quality measures, which will be published on Care Compare and the Provider Data Catalog (PDC) during the October 2023 refresh. Providers have until Aug. 14, 2023 to review their performance data. Only updates/corrections to the underlying assessment data before the final data submission deadline will be reflected in the publicly reported data on Care Compare.
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CMS has released a video tutorial to assist providers with guidance application and interview strategies for the cognitive assessment known as the Brief Interview for Mental Status (BIMS). This video tutorial is approximately 20 minutes in length and is designed to provide targeted guidance for accurate coding using live-action patient/resident scenarios.
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Take your career to the next level with IHCA’s Executive Health Care Leadership Institute, presented by HealthCARE of Iowa and sponsored by Consonus Pharmacy, NuCara, Right Dose, A Guardian Pharmacy and Williams and Company P.C. The program will cover the leadership fundamentals you need to lead others and the specific technical skills in demand in post-acute care settings. Whether you are new to your leadership role and looking for tips to get started, or you have been a leader for a while and looking for new strategies to navigate today’s ever-evolving environment, the IHCA Executive Health Care Leadership Institute is for you! Applications for this elite leadership training are due this Friday, June 30.
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Iowa nursing facilities are invited to participate in the most recent Project Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) series, What Matters Most 2023 ECHO: What's Good for the Resident is Good for Daily Caregivers. This online series is designed to support job satisfaction and retention, improve resident outcomes and enhance resident satisfaction using the proven age-friendly approach to care. All nursing home administrators, advanced practice nurses, nurses/daily caregivers and social workers are welcome. The next course of the series will take place tomorrow, June 29, and will focus on dementia and delirium.
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AHCA/NCAL recently announced the recipients of the 2023 Silver Achievement in Quality Award. Congratulations to IHCA members La Porte City Specialty Care (La Porte City, IA) and West Ridge Care Center (Cedar Rapids, IA) on being recognized by AHCA/NCAL with this award.
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Congratulations to IHCA member La Porte City Specialty Care on winning the 2023 Governor’s Award for Quality Care in Health Care Facilities. A ceremony will be held tomorrow, June 29, at 1:30 p.m. on the La Porte City Specialty Care front lawn.
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The National Quality Award Program is a rigorous three-level process that evaluates an organization’s capabilities against nationally recognized standards for excellence. The program provides a pathway to improved outcomes in areas including care, workforce, leadership and operations. Long-term care and assisted living providers know that by focusing on quality care, you can change the lives of others. IHCA/ICAL encourages all members to consider joining or continuing your quality care journey through the National Quality Award program in 2024.
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The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), in partnership with the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC), is offering three cohorts of complimentary, virtual training for long-term care professionals who provide oversight and guidance to infection prevention and control (IPC) practices. This intensive, foundational course will build competence in the unique challenges of managing IPC in the long-term care setting. Registrations are limited to one per facility, so early registration is encouraged. The first round of training will be July 17-19.
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Congratulations to IHCA member Green Hills Health Care Center of Ames on winning the 2023 Governor’s Award for Quality Care in Health Care Facilities. Green Hills Health Care Center will be presented with the award by Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals Director Larry Johnson at the facility’s location in Ames tomorrow, June 22.
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The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), in partnership with the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC), is offering three cohorts of complimentary, virtual training for long-term care professionals who provide oversight and guidance to infection prevention and control (IPC) practices. This intensive, foundational course will build competence in the unique challenges of managing IPC in the long-term care setting. Registrations are limited to one per facility, so early registration is encouraged. The first round of training will be July 17-29.
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Iowa nursing facilities are invited to participate in the most recent Project Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) series, What Matters Most 2023 ECHO: What's Good for the Resident is Good for Daily Caregivers. This series is designed to support job satisfaction and retention, improve resident outcomes and enhance resident satisfaction using the proven age-friendly approach to care. All nursing home administrators, advanced practice nurses, nurses/daily caregivers and social workers are welcome. The next course of the series will take place next Thursday, June 29, and will focus on dementia and delirium.
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Take your career to the next level with IHCA’s Executive Health Care Leadership Institute, presented by HealthCARE of Iowa and sponsored by Consonus Pharmacy, NuCara, Right Dose, A Guardian Pharmacy and Williams and Company P.C. The program will cover the leadership fundamentals you need to lead others and the specific technical skills in demand in post-acute care settings. Whether you are new to your leadership role and looking for tips to get started, or you have been a leader for a while and looking for new strategies to navigate today’s ever-evolving environment, the IHCA Executive Health Care Leadership Institute is for you! Applications for this elite leadership training are due June 30.
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Congratulations to the 19 long-term care leaders who graduated from IHCA’s 2022-2023 Executive Health Care Leadership Institute yesterday, June 13. If you would like to join the list of IHCA Executive Health Care Leadership Institute graduates, it’s not too late to apply for the 2023-2024 class! Applications for this elite leadership training are due by Friday, June 30.
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The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), in partnership with the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC), is offering three cohorts of complimentary, virtual training for long-term care professionals who provide oversight and guidance to infection prevention and control (IPC) practices. This intensive, foundational course will build competence in the unique challenges of managing IPC in the long-term care setting. Registrations are limited to one per facility, so early registration is encouraged. The first round of training will be July 17-29.
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Iowa nursing facilities are invited to participate in the most recent Project Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) series, What Matters Most 2023 ECHO: What's Good for the Resident is Good for Daily Caregivers. This series is designed to support job satisfaction and retention, improve resident outcomes and enhance resident satisfaction using the proven age-friendly approach to care. All nursing home administrators, advanced practice nurses, nurses/daily caregivers and social workers are welcome. The next course of the series will take place tomorrow, June 15, and will focus on depression.
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The University of Iowa is conducting a study to help understand barriers to infection prevention in long-term care (LTC) facilities. They are seeking focus group participants to answer questions on infection prevention, barriers to infection prevention and infection prevention policies, education and training in LTC. The goal of this study is to improve infection prevention policies and practices in LTC settings.
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Take your career to the next level with IHCA’s Executive Health Care Leadership Institute, presented by HealthCARE of Iowa and sponsored by Consonus Pharmacy, NuCara, Right Dose, A Guardian Pharmacy and Williams and Company P.C. Applications are now open for this elite leadership training. Individuals who apply for the program by June 9 will save $250 with the Early Bird discounted price of $1,250; or save $500 with the Early Bird discounted price of $2,000 for two individuals from the same organization. After June 9, the registration fee is $1,500 for one individual or $2,500 for two individuals for the same organization.
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Congratulations to IHCA member Gracewell Nursing Facility of Denison on winning the 2023 Governor's Award for Quality Care in Health Care Facilities. Gracewell Nursing Facility will be presented with the award by Governor Kim Reynolds and Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals Director Larry Johnson at the facility's location in Denison tomorrow, June 8.
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The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) recently announced the recipients of the 2023 Bronze Commitment to Quality Award. Ten Iowa long-term care facilities were recognized by AHCA/NCAL with this award, which encompassed nearly 400 long-term and post-acute care providers in 47 states.
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The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), in partnership with the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC), is offering three cohorts of complimentary, virtual training for long-term care professionals who provide oversight and guidance to infection prevention and control (IPC) practices. This intensive, foundational course will build competence in the unique challenges of managing IPC in the long-term care setting. Registrations are limited to one per facility, so early registration is encouraged. The first round of training will be July 17-29.
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Iowa nursing facilities are invited to participate in the most recent Project Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) series, What Matters Most 2023 ECHO: What's Good for the Resident is Good for Daily Caregivers. This series is designed to support job satisfaction and retention, improve resident outcomes and enhance resident satisfaction using the proven age-friendly approach to care. All nursing home administrators, advanced practice nurses, nurses/daily caregivers and social workers are welcome. The next course of the series will take place tomorrow, June 8, and will focus on communication skills.
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Take your career to the next level with IHCA’s Executive Health Care Leadership Institute, presented by HealthCARE of Iowa and sponsored by Consonus Pharmacy, NuCara, Right Dose, A Guardian Pharmacy and Williams and Company P.C. Unlike other leadership training programs, this program is custom built for those who work in the post-acute care profession. It includes the leadership fundamentals you need to lead others and the specific technical skills in demand in post-acute care settings. Applications for this elite leadership training are due June 30. Apply by June 9 and receive the Early Bird Discount.
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The University of Iowa is conducting a study to help understand barriers to infection prevention in long-term care (LTC) facilities. They are seeking focus group participants to answer questions on infection prevention, barriers to infection prevention and infection prevention policies, education and training in LTC. The goal of this study is to improve infection prevention policies and practices in LTC settings.
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Take your career to the next level with IHCA’s Executive Health Care Leadership Institute, presented by HealthCARE of Iowa and sponsored by Consonus Pharmacy, NuCara, Right Dose, A Guardian Pharmacy and Williams and Company P.C. Unlike other leadership training programs, this program is custom built for those who work in the post-acute care profession. It includes the leadership fundamentals you need to lead others and the specific technical skills in demand in post-acute care settings. Applications for this elite leadership training are due June 30.
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Iowa facilities are invited to participate in the newest Project Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) series, What Matters Most 2023 ECHO: What's Good for the Resident is Good for Daily Caregivers. This series is designed to support job satisfaction and retention, improve resident outcomes and enhance resident satisfaction using the proven age-friendly approach to care. All nursing home administrators, advanced practice nurses, nurses/daily caregivers and social workers are welcome. IHCA encourages members to participate in this unique opportunity for infection control training and networking.
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On April 17, 2023, CMS transitioned from the Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (QIES) to the Internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (iQIES) Reports User Manual. Access to minimum data set (MDS) submissions and several important reports, including MDS, quality measure (QM), Quality Reporting Program (QRP), value-based purchasing (VBP) and non-compliance letters, will now occur in the iQIES system.
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The Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health in Nursing Facilities (COE-NF) released new resources this week. In addition to the resources and May trainings, the COE-NF provides tailored technical assistance, such as an individualized plan to assist your facility with specific behavioral health needs.
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The 2023 CMS Quality Conference is scheduled for May 1-3, 2023. This free and virtual convention, titled Building Resilient Communities: Having an Equitable Foundation for Quality Health Care, will feature expert speakers on a broad range of health care topics.
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Nominations for the 2023 ACHA/NCAL Awards Program are now open. AHCA/NCAL members are strongly encouraged to nominate those in their community who go above and beyond to provide exceptional service in the long-term care profession. Awards are available for leadership positions and frontline caregivers, and provide a great way to help recognize and retain those who work at your organization. The deadline to submit nominations is Friday, June 9, 2023.
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Nominations for the 2023 ACHA/NCAL Awards Program are now open. AHCA/NCAL members are strongly encouraged to nominate those in their community who go above and beyond to provide exceptional service in the long-term care profession. Awards are available for leadership positions and frontline caregivers, and provide a great way to help recognize and retain those who work at your organization. The deadline to submit nominations is Friday, June 9, 2023.
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For this refresh, Home Health (HH) Outcome and Assessment Information Set (OASIS) will be based on the standard number of quarters. The July 2023 refresh will add a new claims-based measure for public reporting. Due to the COVID-19 reporting exceptions, the claims-based measures have been calculated excluding Q1 and Q2 2020 data from measure calculations.
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CMS recently announced that the transition of the Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessment submission and reporting functionality to the Internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (iQIES) will occur on April 17, 2023. To properly prepare for the transition, the QIES Assessment Submission and Processing (ASAP) system for MDS submissions will be turned off on Thursday, April 13, at 7:00 p.m. Providers should submit completed MDS records prior to 7:00 p.m. on April 13 to QIES (ASAP) or wait until 7:00 a.m. on April 17 to submit data in iQIES.
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The latest updates to Your Top-Line Reports are now available in LTC Trend Tracker for all Iowa nursing facilities. Your Top-Line Report is a LTC Trend Tracker publication that includes metrics and graphics outlining skilled nursing centers’ progress on Five Star performance, the AHCA/NCAL Quality Initiative, their journey through the Quality Awards program and other necessary data to help skilled nursing centers achieve their desired goals. As a member of IHCA, access to AHCA’s LTC Trend Tracker is a free and valuable benefit best used to evaluate and focus resources on quality improvement.
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The Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals (DIA) is seeking nominations for the 2023 Governor’s Award for Quality Care in Health Care Facilities. The Governor's Award recognizes Iowa health care facilities that offer unique or innovative activities to enhance the quality of care or quality of life for their residents. Nominations are open to all health care facilities licensed under Iowa Code Chapter 135C, which include nursing facilities, residential care facilities and intermediate care facilities, including those facilities specializing in the care of persons with mental illness or intellectual disabilities.
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All applications and application fees for AHCA/NCAL National Quality Awards must be submitted in the Quality Award portal by tomorrow, Thursday, Jan. 26, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. Providers can still submit a 2023 award application if they have not submitted an Intent to Apply (ITA).
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The application deadline for AHCA/NCAL National Quality Awards is quickly approaching. All applications and application fees must be submitted in the Quality Award portal by 7:00 p.m. next Thursday, Jan. 26, 2023. Providers can still submit a 2023 award application if they have not submitted an Intent to Apply (ITA).
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CMS recently announced an updated third edition of the Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Quality Reporting Program (QRP) Public Reporting (PR) Tip Sheet. The purpose of the tip sheet is to help providers understand CMS’ public reporting approach to the SNF QRP to account for CMS quality data submissions that were either optional or excepted from public reporting due to the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE).
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Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) will host a complimentary webinar next Wednesday, Jan. 10, from noon to 1:00 p.m. for health care professionals to develop the necessary skills to provide safe and effective care for residents/patients who are in isolation. Learn how to identify different types of isolation and when each may be necessary, explore appropriate signage to communicate necessary infection control actions and define the personal protective equipment (PPE) needed in various scenarios.
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Are you preparing an application for the AHCA/NCAL Quality Award Program? Baldridge Coach is offering complimentary 20-minute coaching sessions to first time applicants and applicants who have previously applied for an award and did not achieve the level of recognition sought. Please note that this assistance is free, and no further obligation is required.
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The American Health Care Association (AHCA) has announced “Cultivating Kindness” as the theme for the 2023 National Skilled Nursing Care Week (NSNCW). The annual, national observance celebrates the essential role that skilled nursing care centers play in providing safe and effective 24-hour nursing care to millions of individuals each year. Essity Health and Medical is the official sponsor of NSNCW 2023.
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A recent study by Pinnacle Quality Insights tells a convincing story regarding the impact of the AHCA/NCAL Quality Award program on recipient centers. The program routinely gathers data from recipient centers to better understand the effects of the Quality Award program on centers that pursue and achieve awards. This study is the first to look specifically at Silver Quality Award recipients and the impact of their achievements on customer satisfaction and employee retention.
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AHCA/NCAL is hosting a webinar this Friday, Dec. 9 at 2:00 p.m. The webinar will focus on practical steps long-term care facilities can take to prepare for the increase in respiratory viruses anticipated this winter. Dr. Ashish Jha, coordinator of the White House COVID-19 Response Team, will be joining this webinar to share his insights with participants.
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CMS recently posted Quality in Focus trainings on its Quality, Safety and Education Portal (QSEP). The trainings consist of 10-minute videos with associated documents. The trainings cover treatment and prevention of pressure ulcer citations, medication error citations and more.
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Representatives of numerous national organizations have developed recommendations for medical and mental health care in assisted living (AL) and are leading the “Be Well in AL” initiative to put the recommendations into practice. ICAL members are invited to join the Be Well in AL launch webinar on Dec. 14. The webinar will introduce new recommendations related to staff and staff training, nursing and related services, resident assessment and care planning, policies and practices and more.
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AHCA/NCAL recently shared a list of five ways to reduce the spread of respiratory viral infections this winter. Increases in Influenza, RSV, COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses are occurring in the general population, with some hospitals in communities nearing or reaching capacity. There are several key steps to help reduce the impact on residents from viral infections this winter.
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As the expanded Home Health Value-Based Purchasing (HHVBP) model prepares to start the first performance year on Jan. 1, 2023, CMS issued the November Pre-Implementation Performance Report (PIPR) to all active home health agencies (HHAs). The PIPRs provide HHAs with data on their quality measure performance used in the expanded HHVBP Model, with comparison to HHAs nationally within peer cohorts. Additionally, the CY 2023 Home Health (HH) Prospective Payment System (PPS) final rule amended the model baseline year from CY 2019 to CY 2022 starting in the CY 2023 performance year to enable CMS to measure competing HHAs performance on benchmarks and achievement thresholds that are more current. The PIPRs provide a preview of where your agency’s performance falls in regard to the new baseline year, in advance of the release of the first Interim Performance Reports (IPRs) in July 2023.
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Members who plan to apply for an AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award are encouraged to submit an Intent to Apply (ITA) by logging into the Quality...
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Join Swift Medical next Thursday, Nov. 17, at 2:00 p.m. CST for its virtual webinar: From Paper Ruler to Digital Measurement — How AI-powered technology can transform your wound care program. This webinar will provide an interactive discussion that explores the challenges associated with the paper ruler method for measuring wounds, and the clinical, operational and financial benefits of using a digital wound measurement technology at the point of care.
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Members who plan to apply for an AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award are encouraged to submit an Intent to Apply (ITA) by logging into the Quality Award Portal by Nov. 15. Applicants who submit an ITA by Nov. 15 will receive an automatic discount on their application fee when they submit their 2023 application.
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It's not too late to register for parts two and three of IHCA's three-part Bronze Award Application Workshop series. The in-person workshops on Oct. 28 and Jan. 11 will offer an application review, peer feedback, application submission and technical support. If your organization has thought about participating in the AHCA/NCAL National Quality Awards Program, this is your opportunity to complete the Bronze Award application from beginning to end with coaching support along the way. This workshop series is approved for 6.0 CEUs for nursing facility nurses, administrators and assisted living managers.
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Members who plan to apply for an AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award are encouraged to submit an Intent to Apply (ITA) by logging into the Quality Award Portal by Nov. 15. Applicants who submit an ITA by Nov. 15 will receive an automatic discount on their application fee when they submit their 2023 application.
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It's not too late to register for parts two and three of IHCA's three-part Bronze Award Application Workshop series. The in-person workshops on Oct. 28 and Jan. 11 will offer an application review, peer feedback, application submission and technical support. If your organization has thought about participating in the AHCA/NCAL National Quality Awards Program, this is your opportunity to complete the Bronze Award application from beginning to end with coaching support along the way. This workshop series is approved for 6.0 CEUs for nursing facility nurses, administrators and assisted living managers.
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Members who plan to apply for an AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award are encouraged to submit an Intent to Apply (ITA) by logging into the Quality Award Portal by Nov. 15. Applicants who submit an ITA by Nov. 15 will receive an automatic discount on their application fee when they submit their 2023 application. Additionally, it’s not too late to register for IHCA’s Bronze Award Application Workshop series. If your organization has thought about participating in the AHCA/NCAL National Quality Awards Program, this is your opportunity to complete the Bronze Award application from beginning to end with coaching support along the way. The in-person workshops occur on Oct. 28 and Jan. 11.
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Members who plan to apply for an AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award are encouraged to submit an Intent to Apply (ITA) by logging into the Quality Award Portal by Nov. 15. Applicants who submit an ITA by Nov. 15 will receive an automatic discount on their application fee when they submit their 2023 application. Additionally, it’s not too late to register for IHCA’s Bronze Award Application Workshop series. If your organization has thought about participating in the AHCA/NCAL National Quality Awards Program, this is your opportunity to complete the Bronze Award application from beginning to end with coaching support along the way. The in-person workshops occur on Oct. 28 and Jan. 11.
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The University of Iowa and Saint Louis University are holding a bi-monthly ECHO series about the health and wellness of staff and residents. Sessions are held every second and fourth Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. The next session will be held on Oct. 20.
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In March 2019, CMS outlined a plan to update the five quality measure (QM) rating thresholds on the Nursing Home Compare website every six months. The plan is to increase the thresholds by 50% of the average rate of improvement in QM rating scores. Due to COVID-19, these updates were put on hold. However, CMS began implementing them in April 2022, and it plans to update them again with the October 2022 refresh.
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Congratulations to The Bridges at Ankeny on receiving the Governor’s Award for Quality Care in Health Care Facilities for 2022. This award recognizes Iowa health care facilities that offer unique or innovative activities to enhance the quality of care or quality of life for their residents. Facilities are nominated for the award by residents and family members.
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Members who plan to apply for an AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award are encouraged to submit an Intent to Apply (ITA) by logging into the Quality Award Portal by Nov. 15. Applicants who submit an ITA by Nov. 15 will receive an automatic discount on their application fee when they submit their 2023 application.
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Effective Oct. 4, 2022, a report retention time period will be applied to user-requested or auto-generated home health agency (HHA) reports in the Internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (iQIES). If you wish to permanently retain any existing reports in iQIES, you may download and save or print a copy prior to the report retention time period change. Any reports not printed or saved prior to the retention period time change will be permanently deleted if the report exceeds the retention time period.
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CMS announced that the Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Quality Reporting Program (QRP) Quality Measure Calculations and Reporting User’s Manual Version 4.0 and accompanying documents are now available. These documents serve as an update to the specifications used to calculate quality measures that are included in the SNF QRP, effective Oct. 1, 2022.
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The National Quality Forum (NQF) has released the "Advancing Anticoagulation Stewardship: A Playbook" to help guide health care organizations to implement evidence-based strategies to promote patient safety in the use of anticoagulant medications. This is a free resource to improve patient safety throughout anticoagulation therapy.
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The Iowa Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Programs at the University of Iowa and St. Louis University invite IHCA, ICAL and ICHC members to join the Post-Acute and Long-Term Care (PAC/LTC) ECHO. This fall, ECHO sessions co-presented by leaders in Kansas and Iowa will focus on promoting health and wellness for staff and residents alike. Sessions are free and provide continuing education credits.
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The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has developed a voluntary Nursing Home Survey on Patient Safety Culture. AHRQ will be collecting survey results beginning Sept. 1 through Sept. 21, 2022. Participating nursing homes will receive a feedback report displaying their results, as well as aggregated, de-identified results from all database participants for patient safety improvement purposes. Nursing homes that have not previously administered the survey still have time to participate.
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The submission deadline for the Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Quality Reporting Program (QRP) is approaching. Minimum data set (MDS) assessment data and data submitted to CMS via the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) for Jan. 1 – March 31 (Q1) of calendar year (CY) 2022 are due with this submission deadline. All data must be submitted no later than 11:59 p.m. on Aug. 15, 2022.
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In January 2022, CMS began posting new weekend staffing and staff turnover measures on Care Compare. These measures will be included in Nursing Home Five-Star Quality Rating System methodology starting with the July 2022 Care Compare refresh.
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The Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Provider Preview Reports have been updated and are now available. These reports contain provider performance scores for quality measures, which will be published on Care Compare and Provider Data Catalog (PDC) during the October 2022 release. Providers have until Aug. 15, 2022 to review their performance data.
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Congratulations to Creston Specialty Care and Pleasant View Care Center on being recognized with the AHCA/NCAL 2022 Silver Achievement in Quality Award. The AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program honors long-term and post-acute care providers that have demonstrated their commitment to improving the quality of care for seniors and individuals with disabilities.
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AHCA/NCAL recently announced the recipients of the 2022 Bronze Commitment to Quality Award. Congratulations to the six IHCA members who received this award — Corydon Specialty Care, Fonda Specialty Care, Panora Specialty Care, Vintage Hills of Indianola, Wapello Specialty Care and Windmill Manor.
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Home health agency (HHA) preview reports and Star Rating preview reports for the July 2022 Care Compare refresh are available in iQIES. CMS also reminded HHAs that it had previously identified an issue in the iQIES system that may have affected HHA’s Services Provided values that are displayed on the HHA provider preview reports that were distributed in iQIES on Feb. 23, 2022.
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AHCA/NCAL's Quality Summit will take place in Kissimmee, Florida on May 16-18. The Quality Summit programming is designed for quality practitioners at all levels, and registrants will have the opportunity to explore over 30 education sessions, earn up to 11.0 CEUs and attend networking events and receptions. The deadline to register is tomorrow, May 5.
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The Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Provider Preview Reports have been updated and are now available. These reports contain provider performance scores for quality measures, which will be published on Care Compare and the Provider Data Catalog (PDC) during the July 2022 release. Providers have until May 30, 2022 to review their performance data.
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Telligen, the Quality Improvement Organization for Iowa, released a new education calendar for May 2022. This month’s training events include Root Cause Analysis, Plan-Do-Study-Act, Ask a Pharmacist, Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement (QAPI) 101 and many more. Members are reminded that all events hosted by Telligen are free and intended to assist nursing homes achieve positive quality outcomes.
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AHCA/NCAL's Quality Summit will take place in Kissimmee, Florida on May 16-18. The Quality Summit programming is designed for quality practitioners at all levels, and registrants will have the opportunity to explore over 30 education sessions, earn up to 11.0 CEUs and attend networking events and receptions. The deadline to register is May 5.
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The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are working together to bring you and your colleagues educational materials on infection control principles through Project Firstline. To help guide the development and distribution of Project Firstline content, please complete the brief and anonymous survey that is linked in this article.
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AHCA/NCAL's Quality Summit will take place in Kissimmee, Florida on May 16-18. The Quality Summit programming is designed for quality practitioners at all levels, and registrants will have the opportunity to explore over 30 education sessions, earn up to 11.0 CEUs and attend networking events and receptions. The deadline to register is May 5.
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CMS previously identified an issue in the iQIES system that may have affected home health agency (HHA) Services Provided values that are displayed on the HHA Provider Preview Reports that were distributed in iQIES on Feb. 23, 2022. The process to collect and maintain the Services Provided information recently migrated into iQIES and CMS is addressing the issues identified. CMS has provided updates on this issue, including instructions for providers on how to review these reports.
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Registration is open for AHCA/NCAL's Quality Summit in Kissimmee, Florida on May 16-18. Registrants will have the opportunity to explore over 30 education sessions, earn up to 11.0 CEUs and attend networking events and receptions. The deadline to register is May 5.
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With the refresh of Care Compare at the end of April, CMS will update the individual quality measure (QM) thresholds that determine Five-Star quality ratings. Unlike prior instances, this rebasing will utilize the plan proposed in March 2019, but was put on hold due to the COVID-19 public health emergency. Under this rebasing, the QM thresholds will be updated every six months by 50% of the average rate of improvement in QM scores.
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Registration is now open for AHCA/NCAL's Quality Summit in Kissimmee, Florida on May 16-18. Registrants will have the opportunity to explore over 30 education sessions, earn up to 11.0 CEUs and attend networking events and receptions. The deadline to register is May 5.
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CMS has identified an iQIES system nuance that may affect the values of services provided that are displayed on the home health agency provider preview reports for the April 2022 refresh. These reports were distributed in iQIES on Feb. 23, 2022. CMS is asking each home health agency to carefully review the services provided values that are displayed on these reports.
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AHCA/NCAL's Quality Summit will take place in Kissimmee, Florida on May 16-18. Registrants will have the opportunity to explore over 30 education sessions, earn up to 11.0 CEUs and attend networking events and receptions. The deadline to register is May 5.
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For the current refresh of Care Compare, Home Health (HH) Outcome and Assessment Information Set (OASIS) measure scores are based on the standard number of quarters. The April 2022 refresh will add two new OASIS-based measures for public reporting in alignment with the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation (IMPACT) Act of 2014.
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The Iowa Society of Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine (IPALTC), a coalition of long-term care physicians and providers, is offering a free webinar next Monday, Feb. 21, to highlight best practices related to prescribing psychoactive medications in long-term care facilities. Additionally, the presenters will illustrate how to manage the gradual dose reduction (GDR) process to obtain optimal quality outcomes and maintain compliance.
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CMS has posted a second edition of the COVID-19 Public Reporting Tip Sheet. This resource will help providers understand CMS’ public reporting approach to the Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Quality Reporting Program (QRP) to account for CMS quality data submissions that were either optional or excepted from public reporting due to the COVID-19 public health emergency. The impact on CMS’ Care Compare website refreshes are also outlined. This eight-page tip sheet serves as a companion document to the first edition tip sheet published in October 2020.
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Registration is now open for AHCA/NCAL's Quality Summit in Kissimmee, Florida on May 16-18. The Quality Summit programming is designed for quality practitioners at all levels. Sessions will showcase the innovative practices of providers across the country, peer-to-peer idea exchanges, new solutions from sponsor partners and informative keynote speakers.
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AHCA/NCAL’s LTC TrendTracker released first quarter 2022 Top Line reports this week. The Top Line report is an LTC TrendTracker publication that includes metrics and graphics outlining a skilled nursing facility's progress on COVID-19 case counts, Five Star performance, their journey through the Quality Awards program and other necessary data to help skilled nursing facilities achieve their desired goals. All IHCA members can gain access to LTC TrendTracker as a complimentary member benefit.
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The Iowa Society of Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine (IPALTC), a coalition of long-term care physicians and providers, is offering a free webinar on Feb. 21 to highlight best practices related to prescribing psychoactive medications in long-term care facilities. Additionally, the presenters will illustrate how to manage the gradual dose reduction (GDR) process to obtain optimal quality outcomes and maintain compliance.
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The Iowa Society of Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine (IPALTC), a coalition of long-term care physicians and providers, is offering a free webinar on Feb. 21 to highlight best practices related to prescribing psychoactive medications in long-term care facilities. Additionally, the presenters will illustrate how to manage the gradual dose reduction (GDR) process to obtain optimal quality outcomes and maintain compliance.
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The application deadline for AHCA/NCAL National Quality Awards is quickly approaching. All applications and application fees must be submitted in the Quality Award portal by 7:00 p.m. CST tomorrow, Jan. 27, 2022. Late applications and payments will not be accepted.
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The January 2022 quarterly refresh for the Home Health (HH) Quality Reporting Program (QRP) is now available on Care Compare. For this refresh, HH Outcome and Assessment Information Set (OASIS) measure scores are based on three quarters of OASIS assessment data, due to the temporary exception to the HH QRP data submission requirements in response to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency.
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The Iowa Society of Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine (IPALTC) is hosting a free webinar for medical directors, administrators, directors of nursing and any other interested parties on Feb. 21, from 4:00-5:00 p.m. Dr. Ryan Carnahan, a professor at the University of Iowa, and Dr. Paul Muhlhausen, a Des Moines-based geriatrician, will discuss antipsychotic prescribing best practices, illustrate how to manage the gradual dose reduction process and provide valuable insights for leaders to partner together to improve their facility’s outcomes.
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The Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP) at the University of Iowa has received funding to partner with nursing homes to develop and provide training. The funding aims to improve outcomes for the nursing home workforce, residents, family members and community supporters who have been impacted by COVID-19. If you have ideas for training topics, contact the project's outreach coordinator, Jill Colbert, at jill-colbert@uiowa.edu.
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Registration is now open for AHCA/NCAL's Quality Summit in Kissimmee, Florida on May 16-18. The Quality Summit programming is designed for quality practitioners at all levels. Sessions will showcase the innovative practices of providers across the country, peer-to-peer idea exchanges, new solutions from sponsor partners and informative keynote speakers.
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The application deadline for AHCA/NCAL National Quality Awards is quickly approaching. All applications and application fees must be submitted in the Quality Award portal by 7:00 p.m. CST on Jan. 27, 2022. Late applications and payments will not be accepted.
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The Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Provider Preview Reports from CMS have been updated and are now available. These reports contain provider performance scores for quality measures, which will be published on Care Compare and the Provider Data Catalog (PDC) during the April 2022 refresh of the websites. Providers have until Feb. 14, 2022 to review their performance data. Corrections to the underlying data will not be permitted during this time. However, providers can request a CMS review of their data during the preview period if they believe the quality measure scores that are displayed within their preview reports are inaccurate.
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CMS posted QSO memo 22-08-NH last week indicating that it will begin posting staffing turnover and weekend staffing levels for each nursing home on the Medicare.gov Care Compare website in January, and it will add the measures to the staffing domain of the Five Star Rating System beginning in July 2022.
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The Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals (DIA) announced recently that it is seeking nominations for the 2022 Governor’s Award for Quality Care in Health Care Facilities. Nominations are open to all health care facilities licensed under Iowa Code Chapter 135C, which includes nursing facilities, residential care facilities and intermediate care facilities, including those facilities specializing in the care of persons with mental illness or intellectual disabilities. Residents and family members may nominate an Iowa-licensed long-term care facility for the award. Facilities may not nominate themselves for this recognition. To be considered for a 2022 Governor’s Award, nominations must be postmarked by March 1.
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The Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals (DIA) announced recently that it is seeking nominations for the 2022 Governor’s Award for Quality Care in Health Care Facilities. Nominations are open to all health care facilities licensed under Iowa Code Chapter 135C, which includes nursing facilities, residential care facilities and intermediate care facilities, including those facilities specializing in the care of persons with mental illness or intellectual disabilities. Residents and family members may nominate an Iowa-licensed long-term care facility for the award. Facilities may not nominate themselves for this recognition. To be considered for a 2022 Governor’s Award, nominations must be postmarked by March 1.
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AHCA/NCAL is hosting a free virtual workshop on Jan. 12 for any member who wishes to prepare their Bronze National Quality Award application for submission by the deadline of Jan. 27, 2022. This one-day event is intended to support an organization that has considered an application submission but may not have attended a workshop or begun drafting their application.
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AHCA/NCAL is hosting a free virtual workshop on Jan. 12 for any member who wishes to prepare their Bronze National Quality Award application for submission by the deadline of Jan. 27, 2022. This one-day event is intended to support an organization that has considered an application submission but may not have attended a workshop or begun drafting their application.
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AHCA/NCAL is hosting a free virtual workshop on Jan. 12 for any member who wishes to prepare their Bronze National Quality Award application for submission by the deadline of Jan. 27, 2022. This one-day event is intended to support an organization that has considered an application submission but may not have attended a workshop or begun drafting their application.
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CMS is offering pocket guides to assist providers in assessing and coding self-care and mobility, falls and pressure ulcers/injuries. The pocket guides provide a quick reference for important terms and definitions that promote coding accuracy. These training assets are intended for direct care workers in skilled nursing facilities.
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IHCA encourages applicants who plan to apply for an AHCA/NCAL 2022 National Quality Award to submit an intent to apply (ITA) by logging into the Quality Award Portal before the deadline tomorrow, Nov. 11. While not mandatory, applicants who submit an ITA will automatically save money on their overall application fee.
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IHCA encourages applicants who plan to apply for an AHCA/NCAL 2022 National Quality Award to submit an intent to apply (ITA) by logging into the Quality Award Portal before the deadline on Nov. 11, 2021. While not mandatory, applicants who submit an ITA will automatically save money on their overall application fee.
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IHCA encourages applicants who plan to apply for an AHCA/NCAL 2022 National Quality Award to submit an intent to apply (ITA) by logging into the Quality Award Portal before the deadline on Nov. 11, 2021. While not mandatory, applicants who submit an ITA will automatically save money on their overall application fee.
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IHCA encourages applicants who plan to apply for an AHCA/NCAL 2022 National Quality Award to submit an intent to apply (ITA) by logging into the Quality Award Portal before the deadline on Nov. 11, 2021. While not mandatory, applicants who submit an ITA will automatically save money on their overall application fee.
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IHCA members can become Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement (QAPI) Certified Professionals (QCP) through a partnership between AHCA and the American Association of Post-Acute Care Nursing (AAPACN). This five-course program trains leaders and teams to provide high-value care and services while positioning your business for continuous growth and sustained performance improvement.
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IHCA member Accura Healthcare of Stanton has received the Governor’s Award for Quality Care in Health Care Facilities for 2021. This award recognizes Iowa health care facilities that offer unique or innovative activities to enhance the quality of care or quality of life for their residents. Facilities are nominated for the award by residents and family members.
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The 2022 National Quality Award intent to apply (ITA) is now open. IHCA encourages applicants who plan to apply for a Quality Award to submit an ITA by logging into the Quality Award Portal before the deadline on Nov. 11, 2021. While not mandatory, applicants who submit an ITA will automatically save money on their overall application fee.
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Join IHCA next Wednesday for its Bronze Award Workshop on Sept. 1. This in-person workshop includes a full day of training and consultation on how to complete the AHCA/NCAL Bronze Quality Award application. Participants will leave the workshop with their applications complete as long as they bring all of the necessary information to the class. This workshop is approved for 6.0 CEUs for nurses, administrators and assisted living managers.
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IHCA members can become Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement (QAPI) Certified Professionals (QCP) through a partnership between AHCA and the American Association of Post-Acute Care Nursing (AAPACN). This five-course program trains leaders and teams to provide high-value care and services while positioning your business for continuous growth and sustained performance improvement.
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Skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) are reminded to review their data submissions for the SNF Quality Reporting Program (QRP) before the upcoming deadline of Sunday, Aug. 15, 2021 at 11:59 p.m.
To maintain compliance with the QRP, facilities must have submitted at least 80% of the required Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessments.
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IHCA/ICAL is excited to announce that the 2022 AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program year is now open and application packets are available. IHCA/ICAL encourages members to begin planning their award applications this month. With application information now available, IHCA has prepared workshops for all three award levels to assist members in their quality journey.
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The Iowa chapter of the American Parkinson Disease Association is offering a free nine-week support and education group for any individuals who have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease within the last five years. The weekly meetings will be hosted online via Zoom and begin on Aug. 19. Members are encouraged to spread the word to anyone who might benefit from this program.
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IHCA/ICAL is excited to announce that the 2022 AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program year is now open and application packets are available. IHCA/ICAL encourages members to begin planning their award applications this month. With application information now available, IHCA has prepared workshops for all three award levels to assist members in their quality journey.
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Several new staff members have been added to the Iowa Health Care Quality Partners (IHCQP) team to assist the provider network and its members. IHCQP is a business entity organized and owned by a network of IHCA, ICAL and ICHC members for the purpose of improving quality, reducing overhead and pursuing business ventures, including reimbursement and value-based contracts with managed care organizations (MCOs).
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IHCA members can become Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement (QAPI) Certified Professionals (QCP) through a partnership between AHCA and the American Association of Post-Acute Care Nursing (AAPACN). This five-course program trains leaders and teams to provide high-value care and services while positioning your business for continuous growth and sustained performance improvement.
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Are you wondering if applying to the National Quality Award Program in 2022 is right for your long-term care facility? Join some of the best long-term care facilities in the nation every Thursday, from July 8 to July 29, at 1:00 p.m. CST, as they share their journeys from Bronze to Gold and take your questions during AHCA/NCAL's WebEx series, "Afternoon Coffee with Gold Recipients."
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AHCA/NCAL recently announced the recipients of the 2021 Silver – Achievement in Quality Award. Spurgeon Manor in Dallas Center was recognized by AHCA/NCAL with this award. Out of the 64 total award recipients in 28 states, 50 were skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), 13 were assisted living (AL) facilities and one had combined AL/SNF programs.
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Are you wondering if applying to the National Quality Award Program in 2022 is right for your long-term care facility? Join some of the best long-term care facilities in the nation every Thursday, July 8-29 at 1:00 p.m. CST, as they share their journeys from Bronze to Gold and take your questions during AHCA/NCAL's WebEx series, "Afternoon Coffee with Gold Recipients."
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IHCA has added to its website a major injury determination form created by the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals (DIA) as a resource for skilled nursing facility members. The form can be found on the IHCA website as a regulatory resource under Member Resources.
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CMS is offering an upcoming webinar on its efforts to enhance quality measures. The webinar will be aired on July 13 at noon and July 14 at 2:00 p.m. Space will be limited, so register in advance and only register if you plan to attend.
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Last week, AHCA/NCAL announced the recipients of the 2021 Bronze Commitment to Quality Award. The four Iowa long-term care facilities that received this prestigious award include Garden View in Carroll, Gardens Assisted Living in Jefferson, Manorcare Health Services in Dubuque and Spurgeon Manor in Dallas Center.
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Applications for IHCA's 2021-2022 Leadership Academy are due this Friday, May 21. This intensive training program, sponsored by Healthcare of Iowa, Inc., offers 28.0 CEUs for nurses, administrators, assisted living managers and home care agency directors who have two or more years of experience in the profession.
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As states open up annual surveys, AHCA is providing a two-part webinar series on food and nutrition surveys that will identify top citations in food and nutrition services, including recent F880 infection control tags. The webinar begins tomorrow, May 13, at 1:00 p.m. and will identify top skilled nursing facility citations in food and nutrition annual surveys, discuss F880 citations affecting food services and provide best practice systems to ensure deficiency free inspections.
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Time is running out to apply for IHCA's 2021-2022 Leadership Academy, as applications are due May 21. This intensive training program, sponsored by Healthcare of Iowa, Inc., involves individualized quality improvement projects and assignments to be conducted by participants over a 9-12-month period in their respective organizations.
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The May 17 submission deadline for Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Quality Reporting Programs (QRPs) is approaching. Minimum Data Set (MDS) data for Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, 2020, is due with this submission deadline.
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With the recent posting of the Five-Star Ratings, an increased number of Iowa facilities were noted to have reported no Payroll-Based Journal (PBJ) data for the last quarter of 2020 (October - December 2020), resulting in a default star rating. Members are reminded to submit their PBJ staffing data by the deadlines in order to take credit for their hard work in maintaining staffing levels in the Five-Star reporting system. The next PBJ reporting deadline is May 15 for Jan. 1 – March 31, 2021.
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Applications for IHCA's Leadership Academy are due on May 21. IHCA encourages nurses, administrators, assisted living managers and home care agency directors who have 2+ years of experience in the profession to apply for this intensive training program that is designed to elevate knowledge, build skills and promote targeted competencies for leaders who work in long-term care settings. The class is limited to 25 participants to allow for social distancing, and the program begins on June 8-9.
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Applications for IHCA's Leadership Academy are due on May 21. IHCA encourages nurses, administrators, assisted living managers and home care agency directors who have 2+ years of experience in the profession to apply for this intensive training program that is designed to elevate knowledge, build skills and promote targeted competencies for leaders who work in long-term care settings. The class is limited to 25 participants to allow for social distancing, and the program begins on June 8-9.
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Livanta LLC, the Medicare Beneficiary and Family Centered Care - Quality Improvement Organization (BFCC-QIO) for Iowa, has notified IHCA that despite its numerous outreach efforts, many providers remain noncompliant with the requirement to have a signed Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Livanta. In the coming weeks, Livanta will be required to transmit a list of providers that remain noncompliant to CMS.
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ICHC members are encouraged to participate in the Home Care Benchmarking Study by supplying home health agency data through an online survey. Agencies that take this year's online survey before the end of February will qualify for extra discounts on the study as an early bird survey participant. The survey is now open and closes on March 31.
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AHCA recently announced that the National Quality Forum (NQF) has re-endorsed all three skilled nursing care center (SNCC) CoreQ measures that were up for required measure maintenance. Re-endorsement of these three SNCC measures shows that NQF continues to see the measures as valid and reliable. The NCAL assisted living measures will be up for re-endorsement in 2022.
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The Governor’s Award for Quality Care in Health Care Facilities recognizes quality health care services being provided to facility residents by Iowa long-term care facilities and residential care facilities. A resident or a family member of a resident may nominate a facility for the award, and facilities may not nominate themselves. Nomination forms are due on March 1, 2021.
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Top-Line reports are LTC Trend Tracker publications that include metrics and graphics outlining a skilled nursing center's progress on Five Star performance, the AHCA/NCAL Quality Initiative, their journey through the Quality Awards program and other necessary data to help skilled nursing centers achieve their desired goals. The most recent version of this valuable report is now available for all IHCA skilled nursing facility members, as well as ICAL assisted living members who submit data to LTC Trend Tracker.
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On Feb. 1, Livanta, a Medicare Beneficiary and Family Centered Care Quality Improvement Organization (BFCC-QIO), announced that all hard copy notification letters for appeals cases will be transmitted to health care providers and health plans by fax. This process change is underway now and the new process will be fully transitioned in the coming weeks.
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All AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award applications and application fees must be submitted in the Quality Award portal by 7:00 p.m. CST tomorrow, Jan. 28. Late applications and payments will not be accepted.
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In June 2020, CMS issued QSO 20-34-NH that temporarily froze nursing facility Five-Star staffing and quality measure ratings due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This month CMS released an updated edition of the Five-Star Technical Users’ Guide, which announced that beginning with the January 2021 refresh of the ratings, the health inspection ranking will now incorporate all surveys conducted after March 3, 2020, including any and all focused infection control surveys conducted in nursing facilities.
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The Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response and Healthcare Emergency Preparedness Information Gateway (ASPR TRACIE) has created an emergency preparedness digest that includes categorized links to all of the resources it developed during calendar year 2020. Resource categories include COVID-19, active shooter/mass violence, alternate care sites, at-risk populations, behavioral health, emergency management, telehealth and more.
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AHCA/NCAL's January Technology Innovation issue of Provider Magazine covers three timely technology-related topics relevant to long-term care providers: telehealth, cyber security and electronic medical records (EMRs).
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Facilities that are already registered to participate in the 16-week National Nursing Home COVID-19 Action Network for Best Practices on Coronavirus Control (Project ECHO), please submit your feedback by completing a short survey by Wednesday, Jan. 27. If your facility has not registered for Project ECHO, Kim Bergen Jackson of Oaknoll in Iowa City has been facilitating an Iowa-based ECHO Hub and is offering to add two more cohort groups of 30 facilities each, limited to Iowa providers only. The new series will launch by Feb. 12.
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The application deadline for AHCA/NCAL National Quality Awards is quickly approaching. All applications and application fees must be submitted in the Quality Award portal by 7:00 p.m. CST on Thursday, Jan. 28, 2021. Late applications and payments will not be accepted.
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IHCA and Martin Brothers have partnered to create SafeCheck 360, an app where providers can conveniently store and access audits, checklists, screenings, root cause analysis and correction actions online. SafeCheck 360 also provides daily, weekly and monthly alerts to keep important tasks on top of mind. IHCA encourages members to take advantage of this valuable app, and content and push notifications will begin on Feb. 3.
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CMS is offering a free training course for skilled nursing facilities and home health agencies that provides an overview of the assessment and coding of pressure ulcers and injuries. This 90-minute course is web-based and available on-demand.
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The application deadline for AHCA/NCAL National Quality Awards is quickly approaching. All applications and application fees must be submitted in the Quality Award portal by 7:00 p.m. CST on Jan. 28, 2021. Late applications and payments will not be accepted.
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The application deadline for AHCA/NCAL National Quality Awards is quickly approaching. All applications and application fees must be submitted in the Quality Award portal by 7:00 p.m. CST on Jan. 28, 2021. Late applications and payments will not be accepted.
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The application deadline for AHCA/NCAL National Quality Awards is quickly approaching. All applications and application fees must be submitted in the Quality Award portal by 7:00 p.m. CST on Jan. 28, 2021. Late applications and payments will not be accepted.
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Creating a relaxing and peaceful environment in your facility is important when making residents feel at home and at ease. As an IHCA member, you can receive special pricing on music, on-hold messaging and scent services, thanks to ECSI partner Mood Media.
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Nursing facilities have until Dec. 18 to register for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Project ECHO National Nursing Home COVID-19 Action Network. Additionally, Project ECHO COVID-19 Global Learning Conversations is offering a webinar on antibody treatments tomorrow, Dec. 10, at 1:30 - 3:00 p.m. CST.
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IHCA has collaborated with Martin Brothers Distributing to provide SafeCheck 360, which conveniently stores facility audits, checklists, screenings, root cause analysis and corrective actions online in real time, allowing access at the click of a button. Martin Brothers hosted an informational webinar covering this new platform today and will host another webinar tomorrow, Dec. 3, at 1:30 p.m.
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IHCA has collaborated with Martin Brothers Distributing to provide SafeCheck 360, which conveniently stores facility audits, checklists, screenings, root cause analysis and corrective actions online in real time, allowing access at the click of a button. Martin Brothers will host webinars covering this new platform on Dec. 2-3.
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Due to the recruitment of additional networking hubs, Project ECHO has extended its registration deadline to Nov. 30, 2020. Iowa facilities now have the opportunity to partner with the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) for ECHO participation. IHCA encourages members to participate in this unique opportunity for infection control training and networking. Reimbursement for staff time participating in the project is available.
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IHCA just received word that the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) has been approved as an Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) ECHO participation hub. This news is very welcomed as Telligen has announced that their organization will not be able to serve as an ECHO hub.
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IHCA has collaborated with Martin Brothers Distributing to provide SafeCheck 360, which conveniently stores facility audits, checklists, screenings, root cause analysis and corrective actions online in real time, allowing access at the click of a button. Martin Brothers will host webinars covering this new platform on Dec. 2-3.
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The Intent to Apply deadline for the 2021 AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award program is tomorrow, Nov. 12 at 7:00 p.m. CST. While not mandatory, applicants who submit an Intent to Apply will save money on their application fee. Additionally, survey requirements have been added to the Quality Award website under "Application and Resources" for each award level. The application deadline is Jan. 28.
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AHCA and IHCA encourage all nursing facility members to participate in the National Nursing Home COVID-19 Action Network for Best Practices on Coronavirus Control, a 16-week virtual training and mentoring program that is part of Project ECHO. Training centers in Iowa include Telligen and Oaknoll Community in Iowa City. These training centers are looking to launch by mid-November.
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IHCA's Leadership Academy, sponsored by Healthcare of Iowa, Inc., is an intensive training program designed to elevate knowledge, build skills and promote targeted competencies for leaders who work in long-term care and assisted living settings. To apply for this program, submit your current resume, statement of interest and letter of support from your organizational leadership to maryjane@iowahealthcare.org by Dec. 18, 2020. IHCA's Leadership Academy will begin on Jan. 20, 2021.
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IHCA has received information from two entities recently designated as official Agency for Health Research and Quality (AHRQ) ECHO learning hubs in Iowa. Both Telligen and Oaknoll in Iowa City will be coordinating cohort learning groups in Iowa. Providers are urged to sign up for the AHRQ ECHO program by Nov. 10. Facilities that participate may qualify for reimbursement to offset the cost of staff time for participating.
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CMS has released video tutorials to assist skilled nursing facilities with standardized data assessment guidance and strategies for cognitive assessments. Additionally, an updated version of CMS' Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) COVID-19 Quality Reporting Program (QRP) Tip Sheet that was originally posted on Sept. 8, 2020, is now available.
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The National Nursing Home COVID-19 Action Network, a partnership between the Agency for Health Research and Quality (AHRQ), the University of New Mexico’s ECHO Institute and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), is offering a series of pre-launch webinars. The next webinar is tomorrow, Oct. 29, at 11:30 a.m. and will cover cohorting, cleaning and disinfection.
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The 2021 AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award applications are now available. IHCA and ICAL encourages members to apply for this prestigious award by submitting an Intent to Apply (ITA) before the Nov. 12 deadline. The application deadline is Jan. 28. Recipients in their third year of renewal in 2021 will have one more year (2022) to remain active and apply at the next award level. There is no action needed on the part of the recipient to receive the extension. To begin your first application, check out IHCA's free Bronze Award Application webinar.
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The Iowa Society of Post-Acute and Long-Term Care (IPALTC) has provided a complimentary webinar for all IHCA members on the use of Iowa Physician Orders for Scope of Treatment (IPOST) in long-term care facilities. IHCA members are encouraged to promote the webinar to their medical directors and other medical practitioners who serve their long-term care facility.
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The National Nursing Home COVID-19 Action Network is offering a series of pre-launch webinars to explore some of the key themes that will later be featured more deeply over the 16-week sessions. The pre-launch webinars will take place this Friday, Oct. 23 and next Thursday, Oct. 29.
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IHCA members now have access to six resource videos on the topic of COVID-19 and residents living with dementia, created by the California Partnership to Improve Dementia Care. Topics covered include activity ideas, coping and stress management, reducing emotional distress and wandering and optimizing dementia care.
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In an effort to increase nursing facility quality, CMS is encouraging nursing facilities to collaborate with their Quality Innovation Network-Quality Improvement Organization (QIN-QIO). Telligen serves as Iowa's QIN-QIO and is offering cost-free expert assistance to strengthen care processes. Facilities have until the end of October to join Telligen's quality improvement and technical support network.
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The AHCA NCAL National Quality Award Program has announced an automatic one-year extension for recipients in their third year of renewal. This means that recipients in their third year of renewal in 2021 will have one more year (2022) to remain active and apply at the next award level. There is no action needed on the part of the recipient to receive the extension.
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The AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award portal is now open and accepting Intent to Apply submissions for the 2021 program year. Visit the Quality Award website to download applications and materials for your respective award level and to learn how your facility should begin preparing. The Intent to Apply deadline is Nov. 12, 2020, and applications and fees are due Jan. 28, 2021.
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Root Cause Analysis (RCA) training is being offered on Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. RCA is a skill every person working in a nursing home is expected to possess. Per guidance §483.75(a)(2)-(3), and (h)-(i), the Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement (QAPI) plan must describe the process for identifying and correcting quality deficiencies. RCA is the first step in understanding the reasons for a problem.
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IHCA is offering new exciting online education opportunities, including tomorrow's webinar on Bronze Award applications. Also, don't forget to register for IHCA's on-demand 2020 Digital Convention, launching on Sept. 28.
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Join IHCA tomorrow, Sept. 17, for a free Bronze Award Application Webinar that will help members compose their first AHCA/NCAL 2021 Quality Award application. After participating in the webinar, attendees should have an understanding on how to access AHCA/NCAL’s video series and successfully write their Quality Award application using the step-by-step method provided by the video instructions.
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IHCA is offering new exciting online education opportunities, including the new ICAL Assisted Living Medication Manager Curriculum that launched yesterday and next Thursday's webinar on Bronze Award applications. Also, don't forget to register for IHCA's on-demand 2020 Digital Convention, launching on Sept. 28.
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Creating a relaxing and peaceful environment in your facility is important when making residents feel at home and at ease. As an IHCA member, you can receive special pricing on music, on-hold messaging and scent services, thanks to ECSI partner Mood Media.
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Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Provider Preview Reports have been updated and are now available. The data contained within the Preview Reports is based on quality data submitted by SNFs between Q1 2019 – Q4 2019 (Jan. 1, 2019 - Dec. 31, 2019 for assessment-based measures) and Q4 2017 and Q3 2019 (Oct. 1, 2017 - Sept. 30, 2019 for claims-based measures). The data reflects what will be published on Nursing Home Compare during the October 2020 refresh of the website.
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The latest "Your Resident Profile" publications for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) are now available on LTC Trend Tracker. "Your Resident Profile" provides the information that SNFs need to begin the resident profile portions of components one and two of the annual facility assessment, required under the CMS Requirements of Participation.
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IHCA is offering a wealth of online education opportunities through a wide range of courses, including the new ICAL Assisted Living Medication Manager Curriculum that launches next Tuesday, Sept. 8. Also, don't forget to register for IHCA's on-demand 2020 Digital Convention, launching on Sept. 28.
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IHCA is offering a wealth of online education opportunities through a wide range of courses covering reimbursement, Bronze Quality Awards, assisted living medication management and more. Also, don't forget that IHCA's on-demand 2020 Digital Convention and Trade Show launches on Sept. 28.
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Have you checked your Five-Star rating recently? How does your facility rate? If your rating isn’t where you want it, IHCA's Managing Your Stars webinar tomorrow, Aug. 20, will help you improve your rating by providing you with a better understanding of the Five-Star rating system.
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The latest third quarter Top-Line report for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) is now available on LTC Trend Tracker. The report includes metrics and graphics outlining your facility's progress on Five Star performance, the AHCA/NCAL Quality Initiative, the journey through the Quality Awards program, and other necessary data to help SNFs achieve their desired goals.
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AHCA/NCAL 2021 National Quality Award Program application packets are now available online. The Quality Award portal opens Sept. 17, 2020. At that time, applicants can begin to submit their payment for the intent to apply and begin to write or submit their applications in the portal. IHCA encourages its members to apply for this prestigious award.
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IHCA is offering a wealth of online education opportunities through a wide range of courses covering the Five-Star rating system, reimbursement, Bronze Quality Awards, assisted living medication management and more. Also, don't forget that IHCA's on-demand 2020 Digital Convention and Trade Show launches on Sept. 28.
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Last week, the AHCA/NCAL Quality Award Program notified the recipients of the 2020 Silver and Bronze Quality Awards. With 35 Bronze Award winners and one Silver Award winner, Iowa tied for sixth in the nation in total number of awards and fourth in Bronze Quality Award winners.
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CMS’s Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Provider Preview Reports have been updated and are now available. The data reflects what will be published on Nursing Home Compare during the October 2020 refresh of the website. Providers have until Aug. 30, 2020 to review their performance data. Corrections to the underlying data will not be permitted during this time. However, providers can request CMS review of their data during the preview period if they believe the quality measure scores that are displayed within their Preview Reports are inaccurate.
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IHCA is offering a wealth of online education opportunities through a wide range of courses covering reimbursement, assisted living regulations, social services, the Five-Star rating system and more.
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Join IHCA on Aug. 12 and 26 for the two-part Webinar Training Series for Long-Term Care (LTC) Health Care Professionals, sponsored by AssuredPartners. Part one will cover fall investigations and interventions, and part two will cover pain management fundamentals.
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IHCA is offering a wealth of online education opportunities in August through a wide range of courses covering reimbursement, fall investigations and interventions, assisted living regulations, social services, the Five-Star rating system and more.
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AHCA/NCAL is moving forward with its 2021 Quality Award Program and IHCA and ICAL members are encouraged to participate. Members who have never participated in this program before are encouraged to apply for a Bronze Award. IHCA is offering a Bronze Award Application Webinar on Sept. 17 that will help members compose their first application. IHCA is also providing resources for Gold and Silver Award applicants.
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IHCA's live stream version of its Dementia Care Training Program begins next Tuesday, Aug. 4. This three-part digital training series meets the State of Iowa’s criteria for 6.0 hours on dementia-specific programming for the following disciplines: CNAs, health care assistants, activity professionals, social services, physical therapists, nurses, department heads, nursing facility administrators and assisted living managers.
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The CMS Home Health Quality Reporting Program (QRP) COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) tip sheet is now available. This tip sheet is designed to assist home health providers in understanding the status of the Home Health QRP during the COVID-19 PHE.
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IHCA is offering a wealth of online education opportunities in August through a wide range of courses covering dementia care, reimbursement, fall investigations and interventions, assisted living regulations, social services, the Five-Star rating system and more.
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The National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) has identified a few hundred nursing facilities that are submitting confirmed and suspected COVID-19 data incorrectly. Facilities that are receiving citations should immediately view the NHSN COVID-19 data quality webinar to review the commonly identified errors in submission data and follow the data quality slides to ensure that their information is being submitted correctly.
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The updated ICHC individual agency quarterly quality reports are now available on the IHCA website. ICHC members have access to custom reports that track agency quality metrics. Each quarter, ICHC will track the data of each individual ICHC home health (HH) agency, compare agency data to the average Iowa and national metrics and make a custom report for each organization.
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IHCA is offering a wealth of online education opportunities in August through a wide range of courses covering dementia care, reimbursement, fall investigations and interventions, assisted living regulations, social services, the Five-Star rating system and more.
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During this time of social distancing and lack of in-person education events, IHCA members still have access to a variety of online education through AHCA/NCAL, including the new Infection Preventionist Specialized Training Version 2.
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IHCA is offering a live stream version of its Dementia Care Training Program beginning Aug. 4, allowing participants to attend online from their computer as if they were in the room with the instructor. This three-part digital training series meets the State of Iowa’s criteria for 6.0 hours on dementia-specific programming for the following disciplines: CNAs, health care assistants, activity professionals, social services, physical therapists, nurses, department heads, nursing facility administrators and assisted living managers.
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Join IHCA on Aug. 12 and 26 for the two-part Webinar Training Series for Long-Term Care (LTC) Health Care Professionals, sponsored by AssuredPartners. Part one will cover fall investigations and interventions, and part two will cover pain management fundamentals.
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IHCA's digital district education events, sponsored by Independent Insurance Services and Assured Partners, kicked off yesterday with the Northwest district's event. However, it's not too late for Northeast, Southwest and Southeast district members to register for their digital district education events happening tomorrow, Friday and next Tuesday.
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Home health and hospice providers resumed quality data reporting on July 1, 2020. For three calendar quarters – Oct. 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020 – CMS provided an exception for home health and hospice providers from submitting quality data due to the current public health emergency (PHE.) As of July 1, providers need to comply with all reporting requirements in order to avoid the 2% payment update penalty.
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AHCA/NCAL will notify all applicants of Bronze and Silver Quality Awards of their results on Aug. 5, 2020. AHCA/NCAL is asking applicants to ensure their contact information is correct in the Quality Award Portal before Aug. 5. All notifications will be sent to the facility's primary contact.
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IHCA is offering a live stream version of its Dementia Care Training Program, beginning Aug. 4. This three-part digital training series meets the State of Iowa's criteria for 6.0 hours on dementia-specific programming for the following disciplines: CNAs, health care assistants, activity professionals, social services, physical therapists, nurses, department heads, nursing facility administrators and assisted living managers.
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Join IHCA on Aug. 12 and 26 for the two-part Webinar Training Series for Long-Term Care (LTC) Health Care Professionals, sponsored by AssuredPartners. Part one will cover fall investigations and interventions, and part two will cover pain management fundamentals.
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IHCA is offering digital district education events on July 7, 9, 10 and 14, covering "compassion fatigue," sponsored by Independent Insurance Services and Assured Partners. Following the one-hour training, participants will have the opportunity to engage with their peers regarding the challenges of COVID-19 during the digital district town hall. This digital training offers 1.0 CEU for CNAs and direct caregivers, nurses, activity professionals, social services, department heads, home health care staff, administrators and assisted living managers.
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Here is the most important information long-term care providers need to know this week related to COVID-19, including reopening, personal protective equipment (PPE) and testing updates, the regulatory relief waiver extension, a documentation tip on staff screening and more.
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IHCA is offering a live stream version of its Dementia Care Training Program, beginning Aug. 4. This three-part digital training series meets the State of Iowa’s criteria for 6.0 hours on dementia-specific programming for the following disciplines: CNAs, health care assistants, activity professionals, social services, physical therapists, nurses, department heads, nursing facility administrators and assisted living managers.
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Here is the most important information long-term care providers need to know this week related to COVID-19, including legal liability immunity guidance, personal protective equipment (PPE) and reopening update, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Medication Allocation application tutorials and more.
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The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged care facilities to make modifications to their day-to-day care and services, and has had a significant impact on the psycho-social wellbeing of residents and staff. IHCA's three-part COVID-19 Pandemic Digital Training Series, beginning on July 15, will offer guidance on adapting care and services to achieve compliance with regulatory directives, while maintaining quality of life for all concerned.
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ICAL is excited to announce a new opportunity for assisted living members to safely communicate with one another and keep connected - with our very own private, members-only online community for assisted living administrators. Assisted living members should have received two welcome messages yesterday about this community from Christine Wilson of AHCA/NCAL. If you did not receive both of these messages, email Christine at cwilson@ahca.org and let her know.
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AHCA/NCAL is moving forward with this year's AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award program. Now more than ever, it is critical for members to continue striving for and achieving performance excellence. AHCA/NCAL has provided updates for members regarding notification dates and the 2021 award program cycle.
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AHCA is launching a new online educational program titled, "High Intensity Physical Rehabilitation in Medically Complex Populations." This program is offered through ahcancalED and is designed for physical and occupational therapy (PT/OT) rehabilitation professionals.
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IHCA recognizes that maintaining resilience during a crisis can be challenging and is offering digital district education events on July 7, 9, 10 and 14, covering "compassion fatigue," sponsored by Independent Insurance Services and Assured Partners. The event includes a one-hour training session that offers 1.0 CEU, as well as a one-hour District Town Hall, allowing participants to engage with their peers regarding the challenges of COVID-19.
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IHCA is offering a live stream version of its Dementia Care Training Program beginning Aug. 4, allowing participants to attend online from their computer as if they were in the room with the instructor. This three-part digital training series meets the State of Iowa's criteria for 6.0 hours on dementia-specific programming for the following disciplines: CNAs, health care assistants, activity professionals, social services, physical therapists, nurses, department heads, nursing facility administrators and assisted living managers.
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Here is the most important information long-term care providers need to know this week related to COVID-19, including IHCA and ICAL reopening toolkits, personal protective equipment (PPE) standards expectations, National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) reporting citations, CARES Act Medicaid provider relief and portal and more.
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The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged care facilities to make modifications to their day-to-day care and services, and has had a significant impact on the psycho-social wellbeing of residents and staff. IHCA's three-part COVID-19 Pandemic Digital Training Series, beginning on July 15, will offer guidance on adapting care and services to achieve compliance with regulatory directives, while maintaining quality of life for all concerned.
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IHCA and ICAL members have access to a wealth of online education through AHCA/NCAL. A new webinar is now available that offers insight from four AHCA members who share their experiences with COVID-19 telehealth waivers. This webinar is free to members and is viewable on-demand. Other online education include courses on functional outcomes and improvement, infection prevention, ICD-10 and more.
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IHCA recognizes that maintaining resilience during a crisis can be challenging and is offering digital district education events on July 7, 9, 10 and 14, covering "compassion fatigue," sponsored by Independent Insurance Services and Assured Partners. The event includes a one-hour training session that offers 1.0 CEU, as well as a one-hour District Town Hall, allowing participants to engage with their peers regarding the challenges of COVID-19.
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IHCA is offering a live stream version of its Dementia Care Training Program beginning Aug. 4, allowing participants to attend online from their computer as if they were in the room with the instructor. This three-part digital training series meets the State of Iowa's criteria for 6.0 hours on dementia-specific programming for the following disciplines: CNAs, health care assistants, activity professionals, social services, physical therapists, nurses, department heads, nursing facility administrators and assisted living managers.
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Here is the most important information long-term care providers need to know this week related to COVID-19, including the IHCA Foundation COVID-19 Fund Crisis Relief Fund, reopening guidance, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), CMS scam calls and more.
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The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged care facilities to make modifications to their day-to-day care and services, and has had a significant impact on the psycho-social wellbeing of residents and staff. IHCA's three-part COVID-19 Pandemic Digital Training Series will offer guidance on adapting care and services to achieve compliance with regulatory directives, while maintaining quality of life for all concerned.
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IHCA is offering a live stream version of its Dementia Care Training Program beginning Aug. 4, allowing participants to attend online from their computer as if they were in the room with the instructor. This three-part digital training series meets the State of Iowa’s criteria for 6.0 hours on dementia-specific programming for the following disciplines: CNAs, health care assistants, activity professionals, social services, physical therapists, nurses, department heads, nursing facility administrators and assisted living managers.
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Here is the most important information long-term care providers need to know this week related to COVID-19, including enhanced CMS enforcement actions, Department of Inspections and Appeals (DIA) surveys, testing guidance, reopening plan update, outdoor visitation and more.
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The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged care facilities to make modifications to their day-to-day care and services, and has had a significant impact on the psycho-social wellbeing of residents and staff. IHCA's three-part COVID-19 Pandemic Digital Training Series will offer guidance on adapting care and services to achieve compliance with regulatory directives, while maintaining quality of life for all concerned.
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Creating a relaxing and peaceful environment in your facility is important when making residents feel at home and at ease. As an IHCA member, you can receive special pricing on music, on-hold messaging and scent services, thanks to ECSI partner Mood Media.
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Here is the most important information long-term care providers need to know this week related to COVID-19, including the joint testing proposal presented to state officials, reporting baseline testing data, the extension of the CARES Act Provider Relief Fund attestation window and more.
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The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged care facilities to make modifications to their day-to-day care and services, and has had a significant impact on the psycho-social wellbeing of residents and staff. IHCA's three-part COVID-19 Pandemic Digital Training Series will offer guidance on adapting care and services to achieve compliance with regulatory directives, while maintaining quality of life for all concerned.
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Long-term care researchers from Brown University are collaborating with Insight Therapeutics to begin the second year of a large-scale, quality improvement study to evaluate the impact of the annual influenza vaccine choice on residents' hospitalization risk. Participating facilities will be allocated to receive one of two Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-recommended flu vaccines for adults at no cost. Participating facilities also will receive a free supply of the vaccine for staff.
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Now, more than ever, is the time to recognize the extraordinary staff and volunteers in long-term care who have shown courage in the midst of COVID-19. Nomination forms are now available for a variety of AHCA/NCAL awards. Nominations are due July 10.
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Here is the most important information long-term care providers need to know this week related to COVID-19, including CMS preliminary facility reopening guidance, new testing information, National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) registration issues, Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) retainer payments, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) personal protective equipment (PPE) deliveries and more.
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The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged care facilities to make modifications to their day-to-day care and services, and has had a significant impact on the psycho-social wellbeing of residents and staff. IHCA's three-part COVID-19 Pandemic Digital Training Series will offer guidance on adapting care and services to achieve compliance with regulatory directives, while maintaining quality of life for all concerned.
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AHCA/NCAL has launched a new Functional Outcomes Improvement course that provides specialized online training offered through ahcancalED for all staff who have a role in improving patient functional outcomes quality and services.
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Now, more than ever, is the time to recognize the extraordinary staff and volunteers in long-term care who have shown courage in the midst of COVID-19. Nomination forms are now available for a variety of AHCA/NCAL awards. Nominations are due July 10.
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Here is the most important information long-term care providers need to know this week related to COVID-19, including Strike Team testing, case reporting, the home health blanket waiver, extension of attestation window, Civil Money Penalties (CMP) communication technology funds and more.
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Now, more than ever, is the time to recognize the extraordinary staff and volunteers in long-term care who have shown courage in the midst of COVID-19. Nomination forms are now available for a variety of AHCA/NCAL awards. Nominations are due July 10.
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Join IHCA next Wednesday for a webinar on infection prevention and control, part one of IHCA's Long-Term Care (LTC) Health Care Professionals Webinar Training Series sponsored by Assured Partners. The second training in the series will cover how to avoid unplanned re-hospitalizations on June 10.
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As the number of COVID-19 cases in Iowa continues to grow, so does the amount of information long-term care providers need to know in order to prepare and respond. Below is a summary of new information and resources from the past week to help you keep up to date.
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IHCA members have access to a wealth of online education through AHCA/NCAL. Online courses feature live and pre-recorded events, toolkits and resources, covering a wide range of timely topics. CEUs are also available, depending on the course.
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Receive two classes for one price by registering for IHCA's Long-Term Care (LTC) Health Care Professionals Webinar Training Series sponsored by Assured Partners. The series includes one training on infection prevention and control on May 13, and a training on how to avoid unplanned re-hospitalizations on June 10.
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Well-trained CNAs are needed now more than ever. IHCA offers the Online CNA Program in partnership with Academic Platforms, AHCA’s preferred provider. This blended online CNA training program features online classes coupled with in-person, clinical labs. Students can continue working while taking the class, as they have the ability to access the class online and do the clinical lab portion while in the facility.
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During this time of social distancing and lack of in-person education events, IHCA members have access to a wealth of online education through AHCA/NCAL. Online courses feature live and pre-recorded events, toolkits and resources, covering a wide range of timely topics. CEUs are also available, depending on the course.
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During this time of social distancing and lack of in-person education events, IHCA members still have access to a wealth of online education through AHCA/NCAL. Online courses feature live and pre-recorded events, toolkits and resources, covering a wide range of timely topics. CEUs are also available, depending on the course.
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IHCA and ICAL members receive 15% off the purchase of any HealthCare Interactive CARES online training program by using promo code AHCA15 at checkout. CARES is an ECSI group purchasing partner and is the only online dementia training to be recognized by CMS. In addition, CARES online training is recommended by AHCA/NCAL to help reduce the off-label use of antipsychotics.
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The IHCA Leadership Academy, originally scheduled for June, has been postponed until September. The final meeting of the 2019-2020 class and first meeting for the 2020-2021 class will take place in early September. IHCA will keep members updated on this as more details emerge.
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IHCA members are invited to a webinar next Tuesday, March 31, hosted by Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals (DIA) and Telligen QI Connect, on the effects of COVID-19 on Iowa long-term care (LTC) facilities.
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IHCA is seeking applicants for its 2020-2021 Leadership Academy, sponsored by Healthcare of Iowa. With the academy's focus on reducing staff turnover, increasing quality care, Five-Star ratings and dementia care, those who participate in the class learn the core competencies needed to make a real change in their organization.
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The Iowa Council of Nurse Leaders (ICNL) is giving away five free registrations to nurse leaders to attend IHCA’s Leadership Academy. To be eligible to receive a free registration, you must have at least two years of experience in the profession, be employed as a nurse leader in an IHCA, ICAL or ICHC member organization and submit a completed entry form to the IHCA office by April 1.
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Creating a relaxing and peaceful environment in your facility is important when making residents and their families feel at home and at ease. As an IHCA member, you can receive special pricing on music, on-hold messaging and scent services, thanks to ECSI partner Mood Media.
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ICHC is excited to announce a new opportunity for home health (HH) members to safely communicate with one another and keep connected - with our very own private, members-only online community for HH administrators.
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The latest first quarter Top-Line report for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) is now available on LTC Trend Tracker. The reports include metrics and graphics outlining progress on Five Star performance, the AHCA/NCAL Quality Initiative, the journey through the Quality Awards program, and other necessary data to help SNFs achieve their desired goals. As a member benefit, IHCA members have free access to Top-Line reports 24/7.
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IHCA is offering Silver Award and Gold Award Application Introductory Workshops to provide prospective applicant organizations with the initial information and knowledge needed to decide when and how to begin developing a Silver or Gold application for the AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award program. The workshops will take place April 24.
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IHCA is seeking applicants for its 2020-2021 Leadership Academy, sponsored by Healthcare of Iowa. Former academy participants have experienced a decrease in staff turnover and increase in staff retention by using the skills learned in class. To enroll in this year-long course, submit your application by April 30.
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The Iowa Council of Nurse Leaders (ICNL) is giving away five free registrations to nurse leaders to attend IHCA's Leadership Academy. To be eligible to receive a free registration, you must have at least two years of experience in the profession, be employed as a nurse leader in an IHCA, ICAL or ICHC member organization and submit a completed entry form to the IHCA office by April 1, 2020.
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IHCA is offering Silver Award and Gold Award Application Introductory Workshops to provide prospective applicant organizations with the initial information and knowledge needed to decide when and how to begin developing a Silver or Gold application for the AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award program. The workshops will take place April 24.
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IHCA is seeking applicants for its 2020-2021 Leadership Academy, sponsored by Healthcare of Iowa. Former academy participants have experienced a decrease in staff turnover and increase in staff retention by using the skills learned in class. To enroll in this year-long course, submit your application by April 30.
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The Iowa Council of Nurse Leaders (ICNL) is giving away five free registrations to nurse leaders to attend IHCA's Leadership Academy. To be eligible to receive a free registration, you must have at least two years of experience in the profession, be employed as a nurse leader in an IHCA, ICAL or ICHC member organization and submit a completed entry form to the IHCA office by April 1, 2020.
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IHCA is offering Silver Award and Gold Award Application Introductory Workshops to provide prospective applicant organizations with the initial information and knowledge needed to decide when and how to begin developing a Silver or Gold application for the AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award program. The workshops will take place April 24.
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Nominations for the 2020 Governor's Award for Quality Care in Health Care Facilities must be postmarked by this Sunday, March 1. Eligible facilities include nursing facilities, residential care facilities and intermediate care facilities. Residents and family members may nominate an Iowa-licensed long-term care facility for the award. Facilities may not nominate themselves for this recognition.
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CMS is hosting a free Medicare Learning Network (MLN) event next Tuesday, March 3 from 12:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. CST. The event, titled “Dementia Care: CMS Toolkits Call,” will discuss the new CMS toolkits for nursing facilities, provide updates on the National Partnership to Improve Dementia Care in Nursing Homes, as well as a question and answer session.
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IHCA is seeking applicants for its 2020-2021 Leadership Academy, sponsored by Healthcare of Iowa. Last year's Leadership Academy class, as a whole, saw an increase in deficiency free surveys, a decrease in immediate jeopardy citations and a decrease in long-stay antipsychotic rates in their organizations. As a class, participants also experienced a decrease in staff turnover in their organizations during the course.
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The Iowa Council of Nurse Leaders (ICNL) is giving away five free registrations to nurse leaders to attend IHCA's Leadership Academy. To be eligible to receive a free registration, you must have at least two years of experience in the profession, be employed as a nurse leader in an IHCA, ICAL or ICHC member organization and submit a completed entry form to the IHCA office by April 1, 2020.
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IHCA is seeking applicants for its 2020-2021 Leadership Academy, sponsored by Healthcare of Iowa. With the academy's focus on staff turnover, quality care, Five-Star ratings and dementia care, those who participate in the class learn the core competencies needed to make a real change in their organization.
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The Iowa Council of Nurse Leaders (ICNL) is giving away five free registrations to nurse leaders to attend IHCA’s Leadership Academy. To be eligible to receive a free registration, you must have at least two years of experience in the profession, be employed as a nurse leader in an IHCA, ICAL or ICHC member organization and submit a completed entry form to the IHCA office by April 1, 2020.
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ICHC members can now view their custom February Home Health Quality report on iowahealthcare.org. Each quarter, ICHC tracks the data of each individual home health agency (HHA) member and compares agency data to the average Iowa and national metrics to make a custom report for each organization.
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The latest Top-Line reports for assisted living (AL) communities and skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) are now available on LTC Trend Tracker. The reports include metrics and graphics outlining progress on Five Star performance, AL Quality Measures, the AHCA/NCAL Quality Initiative, their journey through the Quality Awards program, and other necessary data to help long-term care organizations achieve their desired goals.
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Incident reduction is the ultimate goal of a risk management program, and HealthCap, an ECSI partner, offers a resource in a simple format that provides important reminders for assisted living and nursing facility staff members. The one-page infographic, “Interventions for Incident Reduction,” features 12 important areas of care and offers practical advice designed to help staff reduce the likelihood of adverse incidents.
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Nominations are now being accepted for the 2020 Governor’s Award for Quality Care in Health Care Facilities. Eligible facilities include nursing facilities, residential care facilities and intermediate care facilities. Residents and family members may nominate an Iowa-licensed long-term care facility for the award. Facilities may not nominate themselves for this recognition. To be considered for a 2020 Governor's Award, nominations must be postmarked by March 1, 2020.
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IHCA is seeking licensed nursing home administrators, assisted living directors, home care agency directors or directors of nursing who have at least two years of experience in the profession to participate in its 2020-2021 Leadership Academy. The year-long course involves individualized quality improvement projects and assignments, an orientation webinar, five in-person meetings and five networking conference calls. Applications are due April 30.
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CMS has released an Internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (iQIES) issues log to notify providers on what processing issues exist and the status of resolution. ICHC home health members should continue to report any issues they encounter to the help desk at iqies@cms.hhs.gov, which now includes a new support escalation process, so they can be tracked and added to the issues log.
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With the January release of Nursing Home Compare, new quality measure (QM) and Payroll-Based Journal (PBJ) staffing data have also been released. Additionally, facilities can see what their public Five-Star rating will be through the CASPER-QIES system, and IHCA members can benchmark their ratings in LTC Trend Tracker for free.
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IHCA members wanting to improve Minimum Data Set (MDS) Quality Measures (QM) Five-Star scores should utilize the QM tip sheets on Telligen’s website.
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AHCA/NCAL has released the preliminary application numbers for its 2020 National Quality Award program. Iowa submitted 53 Bronze award applications, placing fifth nationally; 13 Silver award applications, tying for sixth place nationally; and four Gold award applications, tying for seventh place nationally. IHCA/ICAL thanks its members for their involvement in this program and for their commitment to quality.
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IHCA members should review and share with their medical directors the new 2020 Recommended Adult Immunization Schedule, as several administration recommendations have been revised, including those for the influenza, hepatitis A, hepatitis B and pneumococcal conjugate vaccines.
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The National Partnership for Improving Dementia Care offers many tools and resources for use in nursing facilities. Among those resources, the CMS toolkit titled, “Hand in Hand,” is now available online for providers to use when training staff, as well as in a downloadable format for printed use. IHCA urges members that have high antipsychotic rates to use tools for direct care staff training.
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ICHC members have been experiencing issues with the transition to the Internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (iQIES.) CMS stated that it does not intend to penalize providers for not meeting requirements when there are technology issues out of the provider’s control. Members should be able to provide evidence that they attempted iQIES and OASIS submission timely.
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An influenza pandemic checklist is now available to IHCA members to assist in assessing preparedness for an influenza pandemic. The tool was created by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HSS) Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Technical Resources, Assistance and Information Exchange (ASPR TRACIE).
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Ascend is providing a new webinar series geared specifically toward different aspects of the Preadmission Screening and Resident Review (PASRR) process for a variety of roles. IHCA members are encouraged to take advantage of these informative events. The next webinar is next Tuesday, Feb. 4 at 2:00 p.m. and covers how to initiate a Level I PASRR screening.
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Encourage your nursing facility’s medical director to attend this year’s AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care (PALTC) Medicine’s 2020 Annual Conference on Thursday, April 2 - Sunday, April 5 in Chicago. Education is geared specifically toward medical providers working in the long-term care (LTC) arena and aims to help practitioners understand the clinical, regulatory and reimbursement challenges we face today.
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Applications and payment for the 2020 AHCA/NCAL National Quality Awards are due tomorrow, Thursday, Jan. 23 at 7:00 p.m. CST. The Bronze Award application submission process now requires that applicants either create their application using the template found in the Quality Award Portal, or copy and paste application responses from a Microsoft Word document into the template in the portal. Late submissions will not be accepted.
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Nurses at IHCA member facilities in Polk County are invited to a free one-day Mouth Care Matters class on Jan. 30 or Feb. 4, sponsored by the LifeLong Smiles Coalition. The class will train charge nurses on how to teach direct care workers better oral care techniques. This class offers 7.2 CEUs for RNs and LPNs. IHCA is a member of the coalition, which focuses on improving the oral health of seniors in Iowa.
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Applications and payment for 2020 AHCA/NCAL National Quality Awards are due next Thursday, Jan. 23 at 7:00 p.m. CST. The Bronze Award application submission process now requires that applicants either create their application using the template found in the Quality Award Portal, or copy and paste application responses from a Microsoft Word document into the template in the portal. IHCA/ICAL highly encourages members to complete all applications several days before the deadline in case technical difficulties arise, as late submissions will not be accepted.
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Ascend is providing a new webinar series geared specifically toward different aspects of the Preadmission Screening and Resident Review (PASRR) process for a variety of roles. IHCA members are encouraged to take advantage of these informative events. The next webinar is next Tuesday, Jan. 21 at 2:00 p.m.
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Approximately 395 Iowa long-term care providers have been recognized by AHCA/NCAL on Dec. 16 for the quality of care they provide.
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Applications and payment for 2020 AHCA/NCAL National Quality Awards are due Jan. 23 at 7:00 p.m. CST. Late submissions will not be accepted. IHCA and ICAL encourage its members to apply for an award in order to improve quality and showcase your organization’s commitment to care.
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Take advantage of these free resources to provide dementia training for your staff. IHCA/ICAL and AHCA/NCAL have partnered with HealthCare Interactive (HCI) to provide a free one-hour module of CARES® Dementia Basics™, a person-centered care online dementia program.
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Providers can now download the latest Provider Preview Reports and the Quality of Patient Care Star Rating Preview Reports from CASPER. These reports preview data that will be displayed in the Home Health Compare website beginning around April 23, 2020. ICHC encourages members to save a copy of their preview reports for later reference.
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Applications and payment for 2020 AHCA/NCAL National Quality Awards are due by Jan. 23, 2020 at 7:00 p.m. CST. Late submissions will not be accepted. IHCA and ICAL encourage its members to apply for an award in order to improve quality and showcase your organization’s commitment to care.
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Ascend is providing a new webinar series geared specifically toward different aspects of the Preadmission Screening and Resident Review (PASRR) process for a variety of roles. IHCA members are encouraged to take advantage of these informative events. The next webinar is next Tuesday, Jan. 7 at 2:00 p.m.
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Today, Dec. 23, is the last day for home health agencies (HHAs) to access the upgraded Internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (iQIES) in order to submit Outcome and Assessment Information Set (OASIS) data by Jan. 1, 2020. Failure to do so will impact an HAA's ability to comply with the quality reporting requirements and the need for claims matching after Jan. 1. Claims that cannot be matched to assessments will be returned to the HHA, delaying Medicare payment. ICHC encourages all member HHAs to complete the registration and access iQIES as soon as possible to prevent delays to OASIS submission and claims processing.
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Last week 401 Iowa long-term care providers were recognized by AHCA/NCAL for the quality of care they provide, including 335 skilled nursing facilities and 66 assisted living communities. These organizations achieved one or more national goals for quality improvement.
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The latest Top-Line report for ICAL assisted living (AL) communities is now available on LTC Trend Tracker. This report now includes state-specific AL survey data. Additionally, the report includes metrics and graphics outlining a facility’s progress of individual organizations on AL Quality Measures, the Quality Initiative for AL and other necessary data to help ALs achieve their desired goals. Distributed each quarter, the report also highlights member resources that may help providers.
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Ascend is providing a new webinar series geared specifically toward different aspects of the Preadmission Screening and Resident Review (PASRR) process for a variety of roles. IHCA members are encouraged to take advantage of these informative events. The next webinar is tomorrow, Dec. 17 at 2:00 p.m., and covers the best practices of individualized psychotropic medication management.
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Home health agencies (HHAs) will need to access the upgraded Internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (iQIES) by next Monday, Dec. 23 in order to submit Outcome and Assessment Information Set (OASIS) data by Jan. 1, 2020. Failure to do so will impact an HAA's ability to comply with the quality reporting requirements and the need for claims matching after Jan. 1. Claims that cannot be matched to assessments will be returned to the HHA, delaying Medicare payment. ICHC encourages all member HHAs to complete the registration and access iQIES as soon as possible to prevent delays to OASIS submission and claims processing.
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Applications and payment for 2020 AHCA/NCAL National Quality Awards are due by Jan. 23, 2020 at 7:00 CST. Late submissions will not be accepted. IHCA and ICAL encourage its members to apply for an award in order to improve quality and showcase your organization’s commitment to care.
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Congratulations to our members who received deficiency-free or insufficiency-free surveys from Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals.
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ICHC and NAHC have compiled updates on the home health (HH) Quality Reporting Program (QRP), including Outcome and Assessment Information Set (OASIS) considerations for Medicare Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM) patients, measure specifications for the HH Within-Stay Potentially Preventable Hospitalization measure and more.
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Home health agencies (HHAs) will need to access the upgraded Internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (iQIES) to submit assessment data beginning January 1. CMS will return claims that cannot be matched to assessments, delaying your Medicare payments if your assessment data has not been submitted. ICHC members should create an account in the Healthcare Quality Information System (HCQIS) Access, Roles and Profile Management (HARP) by Dec. 23.
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Ascend is providing a new webinar series geared specifically toward different aspects of the Preadmission Screening and Resident Review (PASRR) process for a variety of roles. IHCA members are encouraged to take advantage of these informative events. The next webinar is tomorrow, Dec. 3 at 2:00 p.m.
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ICHC has been notified that select home health agencies (HHAs) will receive a survey requesting information on the use of the CMS performance measures in home health (HH) quality improvement (QI) programs. ICHC members are encouraged to participate in the survey if contacted. The information provided will inform CMS on appropriate measure development and how measure performance data influences QI programs within HHAs.
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Whether you are considering gathering feedback from your short-stay rehab patients or your long-stay residents and their families, contact Brighton Consulting Group (BCG) Research to discuss your survey and recognition needs. BCG Research, an ECSI partner, is also an approved vendor for CoreQ Customer Satisfaction Measures, an effort that collects standardized skilled nursing facility and assisted living customer satisfaction data.
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The National Quality Forum (NQF) recently posted the list of Measures Under Consideration (MUCs) for future use in the home health (HH) quality reporting program (QRP). The list is released annually, and stakeholder comments are due today, Monday, Nov. 25.
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ICHC members should onboard to the Internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (iQIES) by establishing a Healthcare Quality Information System Access, Roles and Profile System (HARP) account and selecting an iQIES role. Failure to do so by Dec. 23, 2019 will impact ability to submit assessment data needed for claims matching purposes after Jan. 1, 2020. Claims that cannot be matched to assessments will be returned to the home health agency (HHA), delaying Medicare payment.
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On Nov. 8, CMS awarded a five-year contract to Telligen to serve as a Quality Innovation Network-Quality Improvement Organization (QIN-QIO) for Iowa. QIN-QIOs can provide targeted assistance to IHCA members in need of customized quality improvement.
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Incident reduction is the ultimate goal of a risk management program and HealthCap, an ECSI partner, offers a resource in a simple format that provides important reminders for assisted living and nursing facility staff members.
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Creating a relaxing and peaceful environment in your facility is important when making residents and their families feel at home and at ease. As an IHCA member, you can receive special pricing on music, on-hold messaging and scent services, thanks to ECSI partner Mood Media.
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Congratulations to our members who received deficiency-free or insufficiency-free surveys from Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals.
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The National Quality Award Intent to Apply (ITA) deadline is this Thursday, Nov. 21 at 7:00 p.m. CST. Due to technical difficulties with the Quality Award Portal, AHCA/NCAL extended the original deadline of Nov. 7 to Nov 21. The ITA payment is not mandatory, however applicants who submit an ITA payment will save money on their overall application. No paperwork is needed to submit the ITA.
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IHCA and ICAL encourages members to participate in the 2020 AHCA/NCAL Quality Initiative Recognition Program. All necessary data submissions for this program must be submitted by this Thursday, Nov. 21 through LTC Trend Tracker.
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The latest Top-Line report for ICAL assisted living (AL) communities is now available on LTC Trend Tracker. The report includes metrics and graphics outlining a facility’s progress of individual organizations on AL Quality Measures, the Quality Initiative for AL and other necessary data to help ALs achieve their desired goals. Distributed each quarter, the report also highlights member resources that may help providers.
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Ascend is providing a new webinar series geared specifically toward different aspects of the Preadmission Screening and Resident Review (PASRR) process for a variety of roles. IHCA members are encouraged to take advantage of these informative events. The first webinar is tomorrow, Nov. 19 at 2:00 p.m.
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Congratulations to our members who received deficiency-free or insufficiency-free surveys from Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals.
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Due to technical difficulties with the Quality Award Portal, AHCA/NCAL is extending the National Quality Award Intent to Apply (ITA) deadline to Thursday, Nov. 21. Submissions must be received before 7 p.m. CST on Nov. 21. The ITA payment is not mandatory, however applicants who submit an ITA payment will save money on their overall application. No paperwork is needed to submit the ITA.
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ICHC members have access to custom reports that track agency quality metrics. Each quarter, ICHC tracks the data of each individual ICHC member home health (HH) agency, compares agency data to the average Iowa and national metrics and makes a custom report for each organization. November reports are now available on iowahealthcare.org.
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IHCA and ICAL encourages members to participate in the 2020 AHCA/NCAL Quality Initiative Recognition Program. All necessary data submissions for this program must be submitted by next Thursday, Nov. 21, 2019 through LTC Trend Tracker.
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Congratulations to our members who received deficiency-free or insufficiency-free surveys from the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals.
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IHCA and and ICAL encourages all members to submit an Intent to Apply (ITA) payment for the 2020 application cycle by this Thursday, Nov. 7, 2019 at 7:00 p.m.
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IHCA and ICAL encourages members to participate in the 2020 AHCA/NCAL Quality Initiative Recognition Program. All necessary data submissions for this program must be submitted by Nov. 21, 2019 through LTC Trend Tracker.
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The resource and tool repository for the National Partnership to Improve Dementia Care has been relocated. IHCA encourages members to use this website for staff training resources and quality improvement activities related to dementia care. The website contains handouts, tools, assessments, practice guidelines, trainings, webinars, articles and links to other resourceful websites when needing resources for staff training and quality improvement activities related to dementia care.
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Last Wednesday, Oct. 23, CMS added an alert icon on Nursing Home Compare to centers that have been cited for one of three abuse and neglect F-tags (F600, F602 or F603). IHCA members have access to resources to assist in this change, including talking points and template letters for families, referral sources and payors.
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The 2020 AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award cycle is the final year for Bronze and Silver recipients from 2017 to apply for the next award level before being designated as a "past recipient," a status that requires the center to reapply at the Bronze level if it decides to participate in the program again. IHCA and ICAL encourages all members to submit an Intent to Apply (ITA) payment for the 2020 application cycle by next Thursday, Nov. 7, 2019 at 7:00 p.m.
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Join us on Nov. 26 for a full day of training and consultation on how to complete the AHCA/NCAL Bronze Quality Award application. Bring all necessary information to class and leave the workshop with your application complete!
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Take advantage of these free resources to provide dementia training for your staff. IHCA/ICAL and AHCA/NCAL have partnered with HealthCare Interactive (HCI) to provide a free one-hour module of CARES® Dementia Basics™, a person-centered care online dementia program.
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The 2020 AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award cycle is the final year for Bronze and Silver recipients from 2017 to apply for the next award level before being designated as a "past recipient," a status that requires the center to reapply at the Bronze level if it decides to participate in the program again. IHCA and ICAL encourages all members to submit an Intent to Apply (ITA) payment for the 2020 application cycle by Nov. 7, 2019 at 7:00 p.m.
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Congratulations to our members who received deficiency-free or insufficiency-free surveys from the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals.
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Exceeding customer expectations in quality care begins with feedback. Our ECSI group purchasing partner, BCG Research, is an approved vendor for the CoreQ Customer Satisfaction Measures, that administers resident and family annual long-stay surveys for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) and assisted living (AL) communities. These brief surveys provide consistent measurement across long-term care, allowing facilities to compare their results with peer facilities using LTC Trend Tracker, and helping drive quality care improvements.
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Starting on Oct. 23, 2019, Nursing Home Compare (NHC) will flag skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) that have been cited for abuse, neglect and exploitation. It is estimated that approximately 750 facilities out of the 15,500 facilities across the country will be impacted. IHCA members have access to an emergency LTC Trend Tracker Top-Line report that will help you determine whether your facility will be impacted by this change.
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CMS will make several significant changes to the Five-Star Quality Rating System that will affect the health inspection and quality measure (QM) domains for IHCA members. Changes will go into effect on Oct. 23, 2019 and will impact QMs related to pain, QM thresholds and the Nursing Home Compare (NHC) update schedule.
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The 2020 AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award cycle is the final year for Bronze and Silver recipients from 2017 to apply for the next award level before being designated as a “past recipient,” a status that requires the center to reapply at the Bronze level if it decides to participate in the program again. IHCA and ICAL encourages all members to submit an Intent to Apply (ITA) payment for the 2020 application cycle by Nov. 7, 2019 at 7:00 p.m.
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IHCA and ICAL encourages members to participate in the 2020 AHCA/NCAL Quality Initiative Recognition Program. The Quality Initiative Recognition Program will honor AHCA/NCAL member skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) and assisted living (AL) communities that have achieved one or more of the AHCA/NCAL Quality Initiative goals.
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Congratulations to our members who received deficiency-free or insufficiency-free surveys from the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals.
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Last month Iowa announced the notice of intent to award for the Nursing Facility (NF) Civil Money Penalty (CMP) Quality Improvement Initiative Grants for this year. Two programs that were reviewed and supported by the IHCA Quality Committee, AGE-u-cate Training Institute's Dementia Live and Compassionate Touch, were approved for these grants.
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Updated quarterly quality reports for ICHC members are now available, including data from July 2019. Each quarter, ICHC will track the data of each individual ICHC home health (HH) agency, compare agency data to the average Iowa and national metrics and make a custom report for each organization. This report is part of ICHC's HH Quality Campaign.
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Gero Nurse Prep is now on sale through Nov. 30. Save $100 off the regular registration fee by using promo code RNHERO (all caps). AHCA/NCAL Gero Nurse Prep is an ECSI group purchasing partner and provides incredible value at this AHCA/NCAL member $590 sale price. That’s less than $20 per contact hour for nursing education that makes a measurable difference on many clinical fronts and can give assisted living communities a competitive advantage.
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The Intent to Apply (ITA) for the 2020 National Quality Award program cycle is now available in the Quality Award Portal. While not mandatory, applicants who submit an ITA will save money on their overall application fee and receive extra educational resources. No paperwork or application is needed to submit the ITA.
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Congratulations to our members who received deficiency-free or insufficiency-free surveys from the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals.
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Updated quarterly quality reports for ICHC members are now available, including data from July 2019. Each quarter, ICHC will track the data of each individual ICHC home health (HH) agency, compare agency data to the average Iowa and national metrics and make a custom report for each organization. This report is part of ICHC’s HH Quality Campaign.
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The Intent to Apply (ITA) for the 2020 National Quality Award program cycle opened last week in the Quality Award Portal. While not mandatory, applicants who submit an ITA will save money on their overall application fee and receive extra educational resources. No paperwork or application is needed to submit the ITA.
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IHCA and ICAL encourages members to participate in the 2020 AHCA/NCAL Quality Initiative Recognition Program. The Quality Initiative Recognition Program will honor AHCA/NCAL member skilled nursing facilities and assisted living communities that have achieved one or more of the AHCA/NCAL Quality Initiative goals.
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Creating a relaxing and peaceful environment in your facility is important when making residents and their families feel at home and at ease. As an IHCA member, you can receive special pricing on music, on-hold messaging and scent services, thanks to ECSI partner Mood Media.
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Here is help to keep your program in compliance with OSHA employee safety requirements.
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IHCA encourages members in taking the next step to continue their quality journey by submitting an Intent to Apply (ITA) for the 2020 National Quality Award program in the Quality Award Portal. While not mandatory, applicants who submit an ITA will save money on their overall application fee and receive extra educational resources. No paperwork or application is needed to submit the ITA.
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IHCA and ICAL encourages members to participate in the 2020 AHCA/NCAL Quality Initiative Recognition Program. The Quality Initiative Recognition Program will honor AHCA/NCAL member skilled nursing facilities and assisted living communities that have achieved one or more of the AHCA/NCAL Quality Initiative goals.
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ICHC members now have access to custom reports that track agency quality metrics. Each quarter, ICHC will track the data of each individual ICHC home health (HH) agency, compare agency data to the average Iowa and national metrics and make a custom report for each organization. This report is part ICHC’s HH Quality Campaign. Each ICHC member organization will be automatically enrolled in this campaign and will receive quarterly reports.
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The 2020 AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program cycle is underway! Application packets are now available online.
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ICHC asks that home health (HH) care registered nurses complete an online survey as part of a study to understand the perception of HH care nurses toward persons living with dementia.
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The latest Top-Line report for IHCA nursing facilities and skilled nursing facilities (NF and SNFs) is now available on LTC Trend Tracker. This 2019 third quarter release is a Patient-Driven Payment Model (PDPM) focused report that will help members understand how their past Medicare coding patterns will look under this new training model.
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IHCA Vice President of Quality Improvement and Clinical Affairs Mary Jane Carothers offers a solution for IHCA, ICAL and ICHC members facing the challenge of providing adequate and proactive advanced care planning information for patients and families.
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ICHC asks that home health (HH) care registered nurses complete an online survey as part of a study to understand the perception of HH care nurses toward persons living with dementia.
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Take advantage of these free resources to provide dementia training for your staff. IHCA/ICAL and AHCA/NCAL have partnered with HealthCare Interactive (HCI) to provide a free one-hour module of CARES® Dementia Basics™, a person-centered care online dementia program.
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Looking for something to show referral partners? Being a Bronze, Silver or Gold National Quality Award winner would make your organization stand out from the competition. Showcase your organization's commitment to quality by applying for the 2020 AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program!
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What percentage of people would recommend your home health (HH) agency to friends or family? Use your quarterly ICHC quality report to learn your agency's patient satisfaction rate and how it compares to other Iowa agencies, as well as the national average.
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Congratulations to our members who received deficiency-free or insufficiency-free surveys from the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals.
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A column written by IHCA President and CEO Brent Willett appeared in the Waterloo-Cedar Falls (IA) Courier yesterday. The piece is in response to concerns recently expressed by Senator Charles Grassley regarding nursing home care regulations, and lists three steps that "will help ensure that frail and elderly Iowans continue receiving the highest quality care by the nursing home community."
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ICHC members now have access to custom reports that track agency quality metrics. Each quarter, ICHC will track the data of each individual ICHC home health agency, compare agency data to the average Iowa and national metrics and make a custom report for each organization. This report is part ICHC’s Home Health Quality Campaign. Each ICHC member organization will be automatically enrolled in this campaign and will receive quarterly reports.
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The 2020 AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program cycle is underway! Application packets are now available online.
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Join us this Thursday, Aug. 22, for a full day of training and consultation on how to complete the AHCA/NCAL Bronze Quality Award application. Participants will leave the workshop with their applications complete as long as they bring all the necessary information to the class.
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IHCA received information from John Whitman of The TRECS Institute about a potential grant opportunity related to telemedicine care in nursing facilities. In order to participate, preliminary paperwork is due tomorrow, Aug. 20.
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Skilled nursing facility (SNF) provider preview reports have been updated and are now available for IHCA members to view.
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Congratulations to our members who received deficiency-free or insufficiency-free surveys from the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals.
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The 2020 AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program cycle is underway! Application packets are now available online.
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IHCA has received information from John Whitman of The TRECS Institute about a potential grant opportunity related to telemedicine care in nursing facilities. There is also a webinar available with additional information on this topic.
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CMS is notifying facilities that are out of compliance with the quality reporting requirements for the Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Quality Reporting Program (QRP), which will affect facilities’ FY 2020 Annual Payment Update (APU) and result in a 2% reduction in Medicare payments for an entire year. IHCA advises providers to frequently check the Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (QIES) for QRP submission reports.
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The latest Top-Line report for IHCA nursing facilities and skilled nursing facilities (NF and SNFs) is now available on LTC Trend Tracker. The report includes metrics and graphics outlining a facility’s progress on Five Star performance, the AHCA/NCAL Quality Initiative, their journey through the Quality Awards program and other necessary data to help NFs and SNFs achieve their desired goals.
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The CMS Partnership to Improve Dementia Care recently announced that tools developed for providers are now hosted on its new website. Click on the links below to view resources.
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ICHC members now have access to custom reports that track agency quality metrics. Each quarter, ICHC will track the data of each individual ICHC home health agency, compare agency data to the average Iowa and national metrics and make a custom report for each organization. This report is part ICHC’s Home Health Quality Campaign. Each ICHC member organization will be automatically enrolled in this campaign and will receive quarterly reports.
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IHCA and ICAL encourages members to become the best in quality and participate in the 2020 AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program cycle. Applications and criteria are now available.
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In the 2020 Home Health Prospective Payment System (HHPPS) rate update proposed rule, CMS proposed a number changes to the Home Health Quality Reporting Program (HHQRP) for 2022. Due to the proposed new measures and new assessment items, ICHC members will see a revised Outcome and Assessment Information Set (OASIS) assessment for 2021 that is very different than the OASIS data set agencies currently collect.
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ICHC members now have access to custom reports that track agency quality metrics. Each quarter, ICHC will track the data of each individual ICHC home health agency, compare agency data to the average Iowa and national metrics and make a custom report for each organization. This report is part ICHC’s Home Health Quality Campaign. Each ICHC member organization will be automatically enrolled in this campaign and will receive quarterly reports.
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Become the best in quality and get ready for the 2020 AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program cycle. Applications and criteria will be available this Thursday.
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IHCA and ICAL members are invited to participate in a call regarding dementia care on Sept. 10.
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CMS is notifying facilities that are out of compliance with the quality reporting requirements for the Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Quality Reporting Program (QRP), which will affect facilities’ FY 2020 Annual Payment Update (APU). IHCA advises providers to frequently check the Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (QIES) for QRP submission reports.
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Civil Money Penalty Quality Improvement Initiative (CMPQII) grants are now available for 2019. For IHCA members interested in applying, an informational conference call will be held on Aug. 2, and grant proposals are due on Aug. 30.
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Congratulations to our members who received deficiency-free or insufficiency-free surveys from the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals.
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Become the best in quality and get ready for the 2020 AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program cycle! It’s just around the corner – applications and criteria will be available Aug. 1, 2019.
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As of this Wednesday, July 17, National Nursing Home Quality Improvement (NNHQI) campaign participants will no longer be able to access their website account or view goal data entered. It is strongly recommended that providers download any goal data that they have entered on the campaign website by Wednesday.
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IHCA has been in contact with the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) regarding flu vaccine availability.
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The 2020 AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program cycle is just around the corner – applications and the criteria series will be available August 1, 2019. IHCA encourages its members to apply for this prestigious award program.
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Last week six Iowa long-term care and post-acute care facilities were recognized by the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) with the 2019 Silver – Commitment to Quality Award.
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Creating a relaxing and peaceful environment in your facility is important when making residents and their families feel at home and at ease. As an IHCA member, you can receive special pricing on music, on-hold messaging and scent services, thanks to ECSI partner Mood Media.
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This spring marked the 19th year that IHCA member Rose Vista Nursing Home in Woodbine, Iowa hosted a prom for their residents and students from the local high school.
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In this edition of LTC 360, IHCA President and CEO Brent Willett discusses the exciting news of Iowa receiving the most Bronze - Commitment to...
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Congratulations to our members who received deficiency-free or insufficiency-free surveys from the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals.
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Twenty Iowa long-term care (LTC) professionals graduated from the IHCA Leadership Academy last week in West Des Moines.
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IHCA announced last week that Iowa ranked first in the nation for receiving the most awards for long-term care (LTC) quality in a nationwide awards competition. Forty-five Iowa long-term care facilities were recognized by AHCA/NCAL with the 2019 Bronze – Commitment to Quality Award, which encompassed 590 long-term and post-acute care providers in 48 states.
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LTC Trend Tracker now has a new and improved report that gives users a dynamic look inside the data that the tool has to offer. The new SNF Quality Measures Report includes data from Discharge to Community, Quality Metrics, Five-Star and more.
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Ascend is providing a webinar series this summer geared specifically toward different aspects of the Preadmission Screening and Resident Review (PASRR) process for a variety of roles.
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The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is switching to TriWest, a third-party contractor payor, for all their skilled home care services nationwide this Thursday (June 6). TriWest has provided resources to assist with this transition.
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IHCA/ICAL and AHCA/NCAL have partnered with HealthCare Interactive (HCI) to provide a free one-hour module of CARES® Dementia Basics™, a person-centered care online dementia program. Additionally, ICAL has created a resource guide for assisted living (AL) dementia training.
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Elopements with large fines have been identified by IHCA and ICAL Survey Committees in the last few months. Warmer weather usually increases resident and tenant urges to leave secured areas of facilities.
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Fall prevention and investigation resources are now available, provided by Constellation and the Oregon Patient Safety Commission.
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Starting in June, Iowa Center for Home Care (ICHC) will launch a new quality campaign to help providers differentiate their home health agency by further enhancing care quality.
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Congratulations to our members who received deficiency-free or insufficiency-free surveys from the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals.
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The new Five-Star Rating data is now available for review through the CMS QIES System. IHCA’s analysis found that 38% of members saw a drop in their star rating. While this is alarming and difficult for many individual members, Iowa facilities still outperform the national average. Iowa continues to have 52.2% of all facilities rated as either four-star or five-star, compared to the national rate of 42.7%.
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Congratulations to our members who received deficiency-free or insufficiency-free surveys from the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals.
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The 100 Great Iowa Nurses of 2019 have been announced, including seven nurses working in long-term care IHCA member facilities. The 15th annual 100 Great Iowa Nurses Celebration honoring these individuals will be held on May 5, 2019.
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Congratulations to our members who received deficiency-free or insufficiency-free surveys from the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals.
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A rapidly spreading, drug-resistant disease has been detected in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) across the U.S., with New York, Illinois and New Jersey each seeing more than 100 cases.
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New research by AHCA/NCAL was released in March show improved performance outcomes for nursing facilities with at least one RN who is American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) board-certified in gerontological nursing.
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Several recent updates to all three components of the Five-Star Rating System will cause your star rating to change. Participate in an AHCA webinar on Monday, April 8 to learn more about these important updates.
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A set of easy-to-use dementia care cue cards are available for senior living care staff to help them engage with residents experiencing different dementia behaviors
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Long-term care facilities and their staff are eligible for free flu vaccines by participating in a quality improvement study evaluating the annual influenza vaccine choice and its impact on hospitalization risk.
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Congratulations to our members who have received a deficiency-free or insufficiency-free survey from the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals.
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CMS is making multiple changes to the Five Star Quality Rating System. One of the changes involves the staffing trigger for one-star rating moving from seven days in a quarter to four days in a quarter.
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Congratulations to our members who have received a deficiency-free or insufficiency-free survey from the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals.
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Mary Jane Carothers, VP, Quality Improvement & Clinical Affairs at IHCA, has provided guidance on the seriousness of falls and resources on how to identify fall risks.
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Let IHCA know if your facility has recently received a perfect survey from the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals.
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CMS recently updated facility Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Quality Reporting Program (QRP) data on Nursing Home Compare.
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Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH), along with State Hygienic Laboratory (SHL), Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals (DIA), and local public health partners, have investigated over a dozen norovirus outbreaks this winter.
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Preliminary AHCA/NCAL 2019 National Quality Award program application numbers by state have been announced.
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ICAL, NCAL and ACHA provide assisted living (AL) members important resources, guides and information specifically geared for clinical staff in AL communities.
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IHCA congratulates three IHCA members for receiving a perfect survey from the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals.
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The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living are offering tools and resources for assisted living providers for calculating costs, recruiting and retaining employees and learning more about compliance issues.
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IHCA congratulates Spurgeon Manor in Dallas Center for receiving a perfect survey for a residential care facility from the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals.
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To help support nursing home safety, a new resource, Change Package to Prevent All Cause Harm in Nursing Homes, is now available from CMS and the Quality Innovation Network National Coordinating Center.
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LTC Trend Tracker is a valuable tool that skilled nursing facilities can utilize for quality improvement, peer comparisons and supporting metric data for Quality Award applications.
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The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced the availability of the first of three toolkits, called Nursing Home Staff Competency Assessment.
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Comments are due December 5 on the proposed list of potential future quality measures posted by the CMS.
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BCG Research offers an analysis of 3rd quarter patient satisfaction survey results.
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The data can demonstrate how a SNF’s performance on SNF QRP quality measures compares to those of other SNFs and to the national average.
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BCG Research offers an analysis of 3rd quarter patient satisfaction survey results.
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Let our preferred vendor help you get the most out of your customer satisfaction survey! See their new bundled options.
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Join the 177 IHCA members participating in the AHCA/NCAL Quality Award Program. Now is the time to submit your organization's Intent to Apply for the 2019 program. Learn more here...
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Find out how LTC Trend Tracker can help independent providers harness the untapped power of the data they collect.
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While these fact sheets are geared toward nursing facilities, other long term services and supports providers will find them helpful.
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NCAL's overview of how health care compliance programs are relevant for assisted living communities is now available in the ahcancalED webinar archives...for FREE!
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Assisted living providers can see what they've been missing by viewing these free videos on the LTC Trend Tracker tool.
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Here's a great new tool for care providers to help manage residents'/patients' oral health care.
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Legionnaires’ disease kills one in four of those who get it from a healthcare facility. Be sure your organization is following recommendations to identify cases and potential sources of infection.
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CMS plans to remove the “Drug Education on All Medications Provided to Patient/Caregiver” from the HHQoPC Star Ratings and add the “Improvement in Management of Oral Medications” measure.
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This website has thought of nearly everything. Start here for updating your disaster preparedness resources.
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Don't overlook the great resources available at ahcancalED that is part of your AHCA/NCAL membership. You'll find a wide range of documents, webinars, recorded calls, etc., on each Quality Initiative and much more!
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DIA is among the state survey agencies distributing an infection prevention and control resource list including CDI prevention tools compiled with support from CDC and CMS. Providers will want to review and use these tools.
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The study makes clear that home health is a critical part of reducing hospital readmissions.
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Documents used in the new survey process are now available for providers to review and use in preparing for survey.
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For the next three years, the Quality Initiative for Assisted Living aims to continue enhancing communities’ organizational success and resident outcomes. Learn about resources available to help your program succeed!
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The OIG report found that home health agency-supplied patient lists were missing Medicare beneficiaries, allowing them to be excluded from surveyor reviews.
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Building on the progress of the profession over the last six years, the Quality Initiative will challenge member providers to achieve ambitious targets in key areas by March 2021.
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Building on the progress of the profession over the last six years, the Quality Initiative will challenge member providers to achieve ambitious targets in key areas by March 2021.
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Building on the progress of the profession over the last six years, the Quality Initiative will challenge member providers to achieve ambitious targets in key areas by March 2021.
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This toolkit can help providers reduce unnecessary prescribing for the three infections where antibiotics are most frequently prescribed in nursing homes
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In the updated methodology, CMS will use the most recent two survey cycles in calculating the survey rating.
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Since November 2017, more than one-third of surveys conducted nationwide have included a citation for F-880 Infection Prevention & Control.
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Keep high quality dementia care a priority with these 10 articles that cover the Alzheimer’s Association 2018 Dementia Care Practice Recommendations
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You'll find great resources on a new website to help long term and post-acute care providers administer CoreQ.
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Make sure your influenza tracking documentation meets the new CMS requirements.
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