Skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) operate in a changing and challenging environment. The upcoming implementation by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of a Patient Driven Payment Model will shift the reimbursement paradigm for SNFs from a focus on the volume of services provided to a focus on specific, clinically-relevant patient characteristics. Combining this significant change in reimbursement criteria with the challenges of low to non-existent profit margins, high employee churn, federal and state regulatory scrutiny and an active plaintiffs’ class action bar, means that in order to survive in today’s marketplace, SNFs must evolve their practices to maximize their operational efficiency and improve their bottom line.
Continue Reading SPOTLIGHT ON INNOVATION: Improving best practices for infection control at skilled nursing facilities