Happy Halloween from Team ProMed!

Team ProMed wishes you and yours a safe and happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween from Ramona!

ProMed had an adorable trick-or-treater stop by today! Amy Gollan's daughter, Ramona, was the prettiest little Rapunzel we've ever seen.

Team ProMed has some great Halloween fun planned for Monday. A special lunch, a costume contest, pumpkin carving...we can't wait!

ProMed Thanksgiving Closing Notice

We wanted to let you know that Professional Medical will be closed on Thursday, November 24 and Friday, November 25 in honor of Thanksgiving.

Orders placed by noon on Friday, November 18 will be delivered by Wednesday, November 23. Orders placed after noon on Friday, November 18 will be delivered the week of November 28. If you have any questions or concerns at all, please contact our customer care department at 800.648.5190.

All of Team ProMed wishes you and yours a delicious, happy Thanksgiving holiday!

Cataract Surgery: One Operation, Many Benefits?

Researchers at Tenon Hospital in Paris found that people with mild forms of Alzheimer's disease saw an improvement in sleep patterns, cognitive functioning and mood after undergoing vision-correcting cataract surgery.

Of the 38 patients who were studied, 25 percent improved in cognitive status, the ability to perceive, understand and respond appropriately to one's surroundings. Several of the patients also became less depressed.

The researchers aren't sure what led to the positive effects, but hope to find answers through future studies.

To learn more, click here.

AANAC: Job Satisfaction Down, Time Spent on MDS 3.0 Up

A survey of members of the American Association of Nurse Assessment Coordination (AANAC) revealed that more than 80 percent of respondents felt that the MDS 3.0 comprehensive assessment takes more time to complete than the MDS 2.0. Additionally, overall job satisfaction dropped, specifically in the areas of compensation and work/life balance.
The following were identified as the top four challenges for respondents in nurse management positions in long-term care:

• Training and continuing education for staff to keep up with regulatory changes in the field
• Maintaining readiness for state survey visits and follow-up issues in nursing facilities
• Ensuring compliance with other policy issues
• Dealing with the burnout and stress of everyday work

To learn more, click here.

Residents More Prone to Illness, Injury, Death Following Natural Disasters

Investigators at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing have found that long-term care residents who are displaced from their facilities following natural disasters are more likely to experience illness, injury and even death.
The researchers tracked 17 LTC residents who were evacuated following a severe storm. They tested all of the residents on orientation, language, attention and recall on the day of the storm, and then three times a week for two weeks until the residents returned to their original facility. They found that more than half of the residents performed poorly on the tests during the two weeks following evacuation. More than half the residents experienced delirium and two required hospitalization.

To learn more, click here.

Social Security Recipients Slated for 3.6% Raise

For the first time since 2009, Social Security recipients will be seeing an increase - of 3.6% - in their benefits. The increase will go into effect in January.

In addition, about eight million people who receive Supplemental Security Income will also receive the 3.6% increase. In total, the increase will impact about one in five U.S. residents.

A monthly Social Security payment averages out to $1,082, or about $13,000 a year. The increase will raise payments up $39 per month, and $467 per year.

To learn more, click here.

CMS: State Survey Agencies Need to Have an IDR Plan by January 1

CMS has announced that state survey agencies need to have a process in place for handling Independent Informal Dispute Resolutions (IDRs) by January 1. This process must then be offered to nursing homes that receive deficiencies involving civil money penalties (CMPs) and to whom notice has been provided that the CMP will be collected and placed in escrow.

By November 30, states must submit a process for Independent IDRs to the appropriate CMS Regional Office for approval.

To learn more, click here.

ANA: Nurses Shouldn't Avoid Social Media, Just Use It Wisely

The American Nurses Association recommends that nurses not shy away from using social media out of fear of violating patient privacy. Instead, they should follow a set of professional standards.

The ANA suggests that nurses:

• Avoid transmitting individually identifiable patient information
• Take advantage of privacy settings and seek to separate personal and professional information online
• Alert the proper authorities of possible privacy breaches
• Work with their own organization to develop institutional policies related to social media

To learn more, click here.

CMS, FDA Pair Up for Parallel Reviews

CMS and the FDA are hoping that by pairing up, they can encourage the development of innovative new products and shorten the amount of time it takes to bring those products to consumers.

The two agencies will be performing parallel reviews (FDA premarket review submissions for medical devices and CMS national coverage determinations). During the pilot phase, they'll review up to five innovative devices per year. To be eligible, medical devices need to meet one of the following criteria:

1. New technologies for which the sponsor/requester has a pre-investigational device exemption (IDE) or an approved IDE application designation.
2. New technologies that would require an original or supplemental application for premarket approval (PMA) or a petition for de novo review.
3. New technologies that fall within the scope of a Part A or Part B Medicare benefit category and are not subject to a national coverage decision (NCD).

To learn more, click here.

Press Your Finger to Your Smartphone and Say "Ahh"

Researchers at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute have developed a smartphone app that is capable of measuring heart rate, heart rhythm, respiration rate and blood oxygen saturation using the phone's built-in video camera. The app delivers vital signs that are as accurate as standard medical monitors now in clinical use.

The app works by analyzing video clips that are recorded while an individual's fingertip is pressed against the lens of the phone's camera. When the camera's light penetrates the skin, it reflects off of pulsing blood in the finger. The app is then able to correlate subtle shifts in the color of the reflected light with changes in the individual's vital signs.

To learn more, click here.

Chicago Marathon Boasts 341 Runners Age 65 or Older

A lot of headlines came out of the Chicago Marathon this past weekend, including a story about a nine-months-pregnant woman who completed the marathon and then delivered her baby hours later. One story that didn't get as much press was how many older people ran the marathon.

According to the Chicago Marathon's Media Info & Fast Facts, the average age of the 45,000 marathon runners was 37.1. However, there were also 232 runners between the ages of 65 and 69, 84 between 70 and 74, 20 age 75 to 79 and five age 80 or older!

We salute these impressive individuals and congratulate everyone who ran in this year's Chicago Marathon!

In Praise of Prunes

Prunes have quite the reputation of being a superfruit when it comes to digestive irregularity - but did you know they can also help prevent osteoporosis and fractures?

A study out of Florida State University found that prunes have a positive impact on bone health. The researchers followed two groups of postmenopausal women. Both groups took calcium and vitamin D supplements, but only one group also ate 10 prunes per day. At the end of the study, the group that ate prunes had significantly more bone mineral density in their forearm bones and spine. The researchers believe that the prunes decreased bone breakdown.

To learn more, click here.

Black Residents Less Likely to Get Flu Shots

According to researchers at Brown University, black nursing home residents are less likely than white residents to receive or be offered flu vaccines and they're more likely to live in facilities with lower vaccination rates.

The researchers also found that black residents are more likely to refuse flu shots than their white counterparts. These results led the investigators to be concerned that blacks are disproportionately vulnerable to flu outbreaks. They suggest long-term care facilities do more to educate residents on the benefits of the flu vaccine ane work to build trust among healthcare staff.

To learn more, click here.

CMS Releases Guidance on Civil Money Penalty Funds

On September 30, CMS released a memo to state survey agency directors titled "Use of Civil Money Penalty (CMP) Funds by States." Here is the Memorandum Summary:

"Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Approval: States must obtain CMS approval for the use of any CMP funds through either:

• Categorical Approval: The use has been identified by CMS via written policy as an acceptable use that does not require prior approval. See Section D for the initial list of categorically approved used, or;
• Prior Approval: States must receive prior approval from CMS for any CMP use that is not currently on the list of pre-approved categorical uses.

State Options to Enlist Many Entities: States may direct collected CMP funds to a variety of capable organizations so long as funds are used in accordance with statutory intent and the use is approved by the CMS."

To read the complete memo, click here.

Hospitalized Medicare Patients at High Risk of Needing Nursing Home Care

A study out of the University of Texas Medical Branch found that 75 percent of a sampled group of Medicare enrollees was admitted to a long-term care facility within six months of being hospitalized for acute-care treatment, such as a stroke or hip fracture.

The researchers noted that hospitalization is often the "tipping point" in older patients not being able to be as independent as they were before.

To learn more, click here.

Congratulations, Carly Carlton!

Team ProMed congratulates our Director of Innovation and Technology, Carly Carlton, on the birth of her daughter! Olivia was born on Friday, September 30 and weighed in and 8 pounds, 15 oz.

CLASS Act Pushed Back to 2013

A much-debated component of the new healthcare law, the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports Act, or CLASS Act, has been pushed back a year, to 2013.

The CLASS Act is the first federally backed long-term care insurance option for elderly and disabled individuals. It has been championed by provider groups such as LeadingAge, but it has also become a target during deficit reduction negotiations.

The program was originally slated to begin collecting premiums in 2012. That date has now been pushed back to 2013 based on the pace of implementation actions taken so far.

To learn more, click here.