Risk-Based Surveys Are Here: Is Your Leadership Team Ready?
Insights from Lisa Thomson, BA, LNHA, HSE, FACHCA, CIMT – Chief Operating Officer, Pathway Health After working with skilled nursing providers and leadership teams across the country, one thing has become very clear to me: strong survey performance is rarely the result of what a facility does in the few weeks before survey. It is...
Five-Star Changes: The Bar Has Moved—Has Your Organization?
Insights from Scott Heichel, RN, RAC-MT, RAC-CTA, DNS-CT, IPCO, QCP, ICC, AAPACN Master Teacher – Director of Reimbursement and Education, Pathway Health Throughout my years of working with skilled nursing providers across the country, I have seen Five-Star ratings become far more than a number displayed on Care Compare. They influence how consumers and...
Strengthening the Future of Post-Acute Care Nursing: A Conversation with Dr. Barbara Bowers on Geri-Res
Insights from Colleen Toebe, MSN, CWCN, RAC-MTA, RAC-MT, DNS MT, Vice President of Clinical Services Skilled nursing facilities and assisted living communities continue to navigate one of the most important workforce challenges in health care: how to recruit, prepare and retain nurses who are confident, competent and committed to geriatric care. In a recent conversation...
From Data to Direction: What SNF Leaders Need to Know About VBP, QRP, NHSN and PBJ
Insights from Colleen Toebe, MSN, CWCN, RAC-MTA, RAC-MT, DNS MT – Vice President of Clinical Services Skilled nursing facility leaders are managing more reports than ever before, and each one tells part of the facility’s quality, staffing, clinical, operational and financial story. VBP, QRP, NHSN and PBJ should not be viewed as separate reporting tasks...
Understanding the LEGACY Leadership Model
Insights from Chris Ross, Founding Member – Legacy Healthcare Consulting Post-acute and long-term care leaders are navigating unprecedented pressure, from staffing instability and regulatory scrutiny to reimbursement constraints and rising expectations. While many of these challenges feel external and uncontrollable, one truth consistently emerges: sustainable success is rooted in leadership. Strong...
Survey Readiness Is Shifting: What SNF Leaders Need to Know About the Top National Citations
Insights from Colleen Toebe, MSN, CWCN, RAC-MTA, RAC-MT, DNS MT – Vice President of Clinical Services Skilled nursing facility leaders are navigating a survey environment that continues to intensify, and the most recent national citation trends tell an important story. While Infection Prevention and Control remains the leading national citation, followed by Accident Hazards/Supervision/Devices and...
Don’t Let Your MDS Seat Sit Empty: Why SNF Leaders Must Grow Their Own
Insights from Scott Heichel, RN, RAC-MT, RAC-CTA, DNS-CT, IPCO, QCP, ICC, Director of Reimbursement and Education In today’s skilled nursing facility environment, I believe the MDS Coordinator is one of the most important roles in the building. This position is far more than a paperwork or assessment function. Your MDS Coordinator helps drive the accuracy...
Section GG: Where Functional Accuracy, Quality Outcomes, and Reimbursement Meet
Insights from Scott Heichel, RN, RAC-MT, RAC-CTA, DNS-CT, IPCO, QCP, ICC – Director of Reimbursement and Education, Pathway Health Section GG is much more than another section of the MDS. It tells the resident’s functional story — how the individual performs with self-care and mobility, what progress is being made, and...
Survey Readiness Is a Team Sport: Preparing Your Nursing Home or Assisted Living Community Before Surveyors Arrive
Insights from Colleen Toebe, MSN, CWCN, RAC-MTA, RAC-MT, DNS MT – Vice President of Clinical Services Whether you lead a skilled nursing facility or an assisted living community, survey readiness should never begin when surveyors walk through the door. The strongest organizations I visit across the country have one thing in common: they treat readiness...
Getting Paid for the Care You Provide: Why MDS Accuracy Is a Leadership Priority
Insights from Scott Heichel, RN, RAC-MT, RAC-CTA, DNS-CT, IPCO, QCP, ICC – Director of Reimbursement and Education, Pathway Health In today’s post-acute care environment, the Minimum Data Set is more than a required assessment. It is a reflection of resident acuity, care delivery, compliance performance, and reimbursement integrity. When the MDS does not accurately capture...
