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LONG TERM CARE ORGANIZATIONS
Long Term Care (LTC) organizations are in the forefront of healthcare service demands for the next century. The American lifestyle discourages family-based care of the elderly and disabled at home. Likewise, an increasing aged population and the broadened scope of services and chronic diseases managed in long term care facilities serve to increase the demand for quality, cost effective long term care delivery systems. In response to this need, the regulatory environment surrounding long term care is not likely to lessen. It is often stated that long term care is the second most highly regulated industry in the country, exceeded only by the nuclear power industry. Regardless of how regulation intensity is measured, long term care organizations face a host of regulations and regulatory agencies from admission to a "zero-tolerance" approach to compliance.
Long term care organizations must comply with State regulations to be licensed and with CMS Conditions of Participation to receive Medicare or Medicaid reimbursement. Compliance is demonstrated through a myriad of surveys including at minimum an annual survey against State regulations and Conditions of Participation, which result in compliance issues for many organizations.
Although CMS has not granted the Joint Commission Deemed Status for long term care accreditation, more long term care providers are seeking JCAHO accreditation due to market forces and increasing organizational priorities on accreditation.
In addition to a heavy regulatory burden, many long term care organizations are challenged with changing the scope of services offered. Specialty units are being established for short-term skilled care patients, while other organizations are distinguishing themselves as sub-acute providers. These and other changes in-service delivery and patient population bring with them significant challenges and opportunities. Together each of these factors intensify the need for LTC organizations to access support systems that will help them stay abreast of new and changing expectations and put the organization in a mode of continual improvement.
Quality Systems Group recognizes the unique demands upon LTC organizations. Our qualified consultants can be of support by providing assistance with:
- Assessing and developing systems necessary to achieve and maintain State licensure, CMS certification and/or JCAHO accreditation standards through a pre-survey appraisal of the organization or any of its systems,
- Developing staff leadership and management skills through education and role facilitation,
- Enhancing the interdisciplinary resident care management system including assessment, care mapping and discharge planning by formulating alternatives for effective, efficient documentation,
- Evaluating and/or establishing an effective system for performance monitoring and improvement,
- Providing trainer education for an in-house nurse's aide training and certification preparation program,
- Facilitating system enhancement and coordinator training for Infection Control, Safety and Risk Management, Quality Management, Utilization Management, Staff Development, Billing Department and Human Resources Management.,
- Formulating and/or providing ongoing staff development programs,
- Planning the implementation of new services,
- Analyzing the facility and environment for effectiveness and regulatory compliance of Safety and Risk Management systems and,
- Reviewing and/or designing regulatory and accreditation compliant policies and procedures, operational guidelines.
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