July 9, 2007

This Week's Top News:

Four Days Left to Recognize Your Nurse Leader
Does your organization have a nurse whose leadership stands out? You have until July 13 to nominate him or her for IFAS' Joan Anne McHugh Award for Leadership in Long-term Care Nursing. This award recognizes nurses who provide excellent clinical care, demonstrate leadership and are committed to the long-term care nursing field. Nurses who work for AAHSA-member organizations and meet other eligibility criteria may be nominated. The winner will receive a $500 personal and $1,000 professional development award and national recognition at AAHSA's 2007 Annual Meeting & Exposition this October. Contact: Alisha Sanders, (202) 508-1211.
Nominate your nurse leader.

Congress Returns for a Few More Weeks
With the July 4th recess over, the Senate will spend the next two weeks on defense authorization and the House will take up routine legislation. As it will be another week before either the full House or Senate takes up major appropriation bills, there is still time for you to contact your legislators on funding issues, and especially the survey revisit user fees. See our sample letters on Contact Congress. Contact: Marsha Greenfield, (202) 508-9488 on these issues.

AAHSA's Long-Term Care Solution Featured in USA Today
On July 5, USA Today featured a letter to the editor from AAHSA Board Chair Peg Mullan that highlighted how our Long-Term Care Solution program could create a publicly-sponsored insurance program that empowers consumers to control and pay for their aging services. Mullan wrote the letter in response to the newspaper's "Your Aging Parents and You" series that focused on how our country is facing our growing aging population. Contact: Lauren Shaham, (202) 508-1219.
Read the letter.
Learn more about the program.

Apply by Aug. 10 for AAHSA Ziegler Graduate Fellowship in Executive Management
How can you receive up to $10,000 to attend the executive education program of your choice? Apply for the AAHSA-Ziegler Graduate Fellowship in Executive Management by Aug. 10. Administrators, CEOs, CFOs and other executive leaders of AAHSA-member organizations are encouraged to apply. To apply, submit an application form, essay, two letters of recommendation, a letter of support from your board chair and proof of your organization's not-for-profit status. Contact: Trish Calamari, (202) 508-9480.
Start your application.

Is "Going Green" Right for Your Organization?
Find out when you participate in our next audio conference on July 25, from 2 to 4 p.m., Eastern Time. You'll learn from the experts how to implement eco-friendly practices that can help you build a healthier community and reduce short- and long-term costs for your facility through favorable bond ratings, reduced insurance rates and clear market differentiation. Secure your spot and register by July 20. Contact: meeting@aahsa.org or 1 (888) 508-9441.
Read more information and register online.
Register by mail or fax.

Learn more about CAST's new look and logo
Members to Share Technology Expertise at National Event
Several AAHSA members will participate in the "aging services and technology" track at the fourth annual Healthcare Unbound Conference & Exhibition in San Francisco on July 16-17. The conference will focus specifically on innovative applications of remote monitoring, home telehealth and pervasive computing technologies for disease management and wellness promotion. If you attend, you can hear from the following providers about their perspectives on the future of aging services and the steps they are currently taking to incorporate technology innovations.

Sandra Elliott, Director of Consumer Technology and Service Development, Meridian Health

Keith Perry, CEO, Sears Methodist Retirement Services

Lisa Gaudet, Director, Remote Care Technology and Genetic Service, NorthEast Health & The Eddy

Cecily Baker, Vice President of Home Care, Beth Abraham Family of Health Services

Margie Bass, Directors of Clinical Services and Telehealth Project Director, Beth Abraham Family of Health Services

Time is running out. Register now to receive $100 discount on your costs. Contact: Rebecca Scritchfield, (202) 508-9416.
Learn more about the conference.

Advancing Excellence Campaign Update:

Advancing Excellence Campaign Update Nursing Homes Can Use Quality Campaign Goals as Benchmarks
The eight goals and numeric objectives for the Advancing Excellence in America's Nursing Homes campaign are great benchmarks nursing homes can use to assess quality. There are goals for pressure ulcers, use of restraints, pain management, target setting, resident/family satisfaction, staff turnover and consistent assignment. Contact: Bruce Rosenthal, (202) 508-9499.
Review the Advancing Excellence campaign goals.
See complete information about the campaign.

CDC Revises Isolation Guidelines
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently revised its Guideline for Isolation Precautions: Preventing Transmission of Infectious Agents in Healthcare Settings 2007. Now, the guidelines apply to ambulatory care, long-term care, home care and infusion services, as well as special environments such as pediatrics, intensive care and burn units. The guidelines also include expanded recommendations for use of standard precautions as well as information regarding the emergence of new pathogens such as SARS, and "evolving known pathogens" like community-associated MRSA. New therapies such as gene therapy and concerns about bioterrorism are also addressed.
See the new guidelines.

GAO Evaluates QIOs Assistance
A new General Accountability Office (GAO) Report, Nursing Homes- Federal Actions Needed to Improve Targeting and Evaluation of Assistance by Quality Improvement Organizations (QIO), examines QIO activities directed toward helping nursing homes address quality problems for the three-year contract period with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) beginning in 2002. The GAO found that while more nursing homes volunteered than were expected, QIOs typically did not target assistance to the low-performing homes that volunteered, reasoning that these homes might be more concerned with improving survey results than committing resources to quality improvement that might involve other care areas. Contact: Karyn Downie, (202) 508-9410.
Read the report.

3,200 Covenant signers! Have you signed yet?
Looking for a little Quality First Inspiration?
Look no further than your fellow AAHSA members. They are implementing AAHSA Quality First to become the provider of choices in their communities. And several of them shared their stories with us to help you do the same. To jumpstart your Quality First initiatives or just read about what other people are doing, visit the Success section of the Quality First Web site. Contact: Bruce Rosenthal, (202) 508-9499.

Read the Latest News about Aging Services
On the Daily Clips page of AAHSA's web site, you can read the latest news about trends in the field, policies affecting your work and how your association and your fellow members are representing aging services in the media. You can also sign up to receive these articles in your e-mail inbox every morning. Have an article you'd like us to feature? Please send it to AAHSA's Sarah Mashburn so we can share it with your fellow members. Contact: Sarah Mashburn, (202) 508-9492.
Visit the daily clips page.
Sign up to receive our daily clips e-mail.

More Information on the NPI
CMS has recently released a new edition MLN Matters article with important information for Medicare providers and suppliers. Topics include common enumeration errors in the National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), dos and don'ts when reporting "Other Provider Identification Numbers" in NPPES, and how to use your NPI when billing Medicare Part A and Part B.

June 14 NPI Data Dissemination Roundtable Transcript Available Now
The transcript for the June 14, 2007 NPI Data Dissemination Roundtable can be found on the CMS website.

AAHSA's Money-Saving Programs: Beyond Savings

Attention Adult Day, PACE and HCBS Providers
Comprehensive survey research is not out of your reach. Holleran, an AAHSA Group Purchasing Partner, can provide your organization with the surveys and processes you need to assess satisfaction levels among your clients and their family members. What your organization's size, we'll work with you to develop a survey process that you receive valid data and high response rates. Contact: Lisa Lehman, (717) 285-3394.
Learn more about Holleran.

September 27, 2007

www.theagingrevolution.org

Opportunities Available on AAHSA's Job Mart

Several career opportunities in aging services are now available and listed on Job Mart. Take a look. Pass along the news. If you have a job to post, consider using AAHSA Job Mart. Contact: Phillip Blackmon, (202) 508-9404.
Use the downloadable form to post a job.

Jobs posted in the past week (June 29 - July 5):

Administrator
Administrator - Surprise, Ariz.

CEO/President/Executive Director
Nursing Home Executive Director - West Orange, N.J.
Executive Director - Chicago, Ill.
Executive Director - Winter Park, Fla.

Marketing/Sales/Business Office
Marketing Assistant - Glen Arm, Md.
Director of Marketing - Denville, N.J.

Nursing/Health Care
Director of Nursing - New Orleans, La.
Vice President of Clinical Services - Louisville, Ky.

Other
Director of Communications - Harrisonburg, Va.
Interior Designer - Central Georgia
Vice President Operations - Eden Prairie, Minn.
Director of Dining Services - Jacksonville, Fla.

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American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging
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