The American Health Care Association (AHCA) has announced new three-year goals as part of its nationwide, multi-year initiative to further improve quality in long term and post-acute care centers. Since the launch of the Initiative in 2012, members have been challenged to meet measurable targets in key areas such as hospitalizations and antipsychotic usage. While significant improvements have been made, more must be done. The next phase of the effort continues to challenge providers to achieve quantitative results in four areas by March 2021. This webinar will provide an overview of progress to date, outline the new goal areas and review strategies and resources to help members achieve the Quality Initiative goals.

Safely reduce long-stay and short- stay hospitalizations by improving 10% (Q1 2017 baseline rates)- or maintain a rate of 10% or less- by March 2021.

Improve long- stay and short- stay satisfaction by 10% (Q1 2017 baseline rates) - or achieve a rate of > 90%- by March 2021.

Safely reduce the off-label use of antipsychotics by 10% (Q1 2017 baseline rates)- or maintain a rate of 8% or less in long- stay residents, and maintain a rate of 1% or less in short- stay residents- by March 2021.

The American Health Care Association (AHCA) has broadened its Quality Initiative* to further improve the quality of care in America’s skilled nursing care centers. The expansion of the Initiative will challenge members to apply the Baldrige Excellence Framework to meet measurable targets in eight critical areas by March 2018. These areas are aligned with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)’ Quality Assurance/Performance Improvement (QAPI) program and federal mandates, such as Five-Star and the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation (IMPACT) Act.

Improve functional outcomes (self- care and mobility) by 15% (Q1 2017 baseline rates) by March 2021.

This webinar will provide an overview of progress to date, outline the new goal areas and review strategies and resources to help IOs, those with 10 or fewer centers, achieve the Quality Initiative goals.

This webinar will provide an overview of progress to date, outline the new goal areas and review strategies and resources to help members achieve the Quality Initiative goals.

AHCA invites CNAs to join this session as we explore ways to respond to state survey teams about the care and support provided to residents with dementia who live in your center.

F 309 & Antipsychotics?! Compliance?! QAPI?! : Your Integrated Pathway to Dementia Care- 6 part Series

The American Health Care Association (AHCA) has announced new three-year goals as part of its nationwide, multi-year initiative to further improve quality in long term and post-acute care centers. Since the launch of the Initiative in 2012, members have been challenged to meet measurable targets in key areas such as hospitalizations and antipsychotic usage. While significant improvements have been made, more must be done. The next phase of the effort continues to challenge providers to achieve quantitative results in four areas by March 2021. This webinar will provide an overview of progress to date, outline the new goal areas and review strategies and resources to help members achieve the Quality Initiative goals.

The Quality Initiative is a national effort that builds upon the existing work of the long term and post-acute care profession by setting specific, measurable targets to further improve quality of care in America’s skilled nursing centers and assisted living communities. NCAL members are encouraged to reach defined, concrete goals by 2021, in four core areas.

90% or more residents and/ or family members are satisfied with their experience.

Safely reduce hospital readmissions within 30 days of hospital discharges to a rate of 20% or less.

Safely reduce the off-label use of antipsychotics to a rate of 15% or less.

Reduce turnover among direct care staff to a rate of 50% of less.

The AHCA Quality Initiative is a national, multi-year effort to further improve quality of care in America’s long term and post-acute care centers. Since the launch of the Initiative in 2012, members have been challenged to meet measurable targets in key areas such as hospitalizations and antipsychotics usage. While significant improvements have been made, more must be done. The next phase of the effort continues to challenge providers to achieve quantitative results in four areas by March 2021. These areas are top priorities for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) as well as Managed Care Organizations (MCOs), and are aligned with federal mandates that link financial outcomes to quality performance.

Safely reduce long-stay and short- stay hospitalizations by improving 10% (Q1 2017 baseline rates)- or maintain a rate of 10% or less- by March 2021.

Improve long- stay and short- stay satisfaction by 10% (Q1 2017 baseline rates) - or achieve a rate of > 90%- by March 2021.

Safely reduce the off-label use of antipsychotics by 10% (Q1 2017 baseline rates)- or maintain a rate of 8% or less in long- stay residents, and maintain a rate of 1% or less in short- stay residents- by March 2021.

The American Health Care Association (AHCA) has broadened its Quality Initiative* to further improve the quality of care in America’s skilled nursing care centers. The expansion of the Initiative will challenge members to apply the Baldrige Excellence Framework to meet measurable targets in eight critical areas by March 2018. These areas are aligned with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)’ Quality Assurance/Performance Improvement (QAPI) program and federal mandates, such as Five-Star and the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation (IMPACT) Act.

Quality Initiative Series

This webinar will provide information on how to insure your facility meets the requirements for the functional measure currently included in the skilled nursing facility Quality Reporting Program.

Discover best practices in dementia care that could be replicated to improve quality of care and quality of life. These practices emphasize an approach focused on the comfort of the person with dementia.

Having consistent, high quality, engaged staff is essential to produce the clinical outcomes needed to succeed in value-based health care and coordinated care delivery systems. As regulators, consumers, business partners, and other stakeholders place great emphasis on staffing levels, person-centered care, and preventing avoidable adverse events, stable and engaged staff are the necessary preconditions for business success. This series is designed for active learning and practical application, with short presentations, video clips, case studies, and discovery assignments. This program was developed by Barbara Frank, Ruta Kadonoff, Urvi Shah-Patel and Wendell Anderson whose insight will provide users with many helpful tips and ideas to strengthen their staff stability.

After the OIG Report that shed light on several areas of care that put residents at risk, providers immediately got to work developing systems and responses that would help to minimize these unintended healthcare outcomes. Part 3 of the Quality Initiative Series focuses on clinical care, nutrition and team strategies that can make an immediate difference in the lives of residents. Additionally, The Association's Clinical Practice Committee designed a framework that outlines guiding elements such as individualized care approaches, effective transitions of care, QAPI concepts, safety, risk management, team-based care, and diagnostic quality that will support your efforts in fulfilling the Requirements of Participation. Discover what the Hillcrest team has done to succeed in this valuable program on reducing unintended healthcare outcomes. Join Dr. David Gifford, Dr. Anna Fisher, Joe DiMinico and Roxanne Dai in Part 3 of our series.

Part 2 Discharge to Community: Creating Seamless Transitions

This informative program, hosted by Dr. David Gifford, will help you discover the strategies and tactics necessary to reduce rehospitalizations. ​Please join us on July 27th at 3pm EST for this, the first, of our eight part series.

Discover how one Rhode Island team worked tirelessly to improve Palliative Care for their residents and families.

This webinar will provide an overview of progress to date, outline the new goal areas for the next three years and review strategies and resources to help members on their journey to continued improvement in performance on the Quality Initiative goals.

Antipsychotics Consumer Fact Sheet

Clinical Practice Committee: A Guide to Reducing Antipsychotic Drugs

The Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014 (H.R. 4302; Pub.L. 113-93) included several important provisions for the skilled nursing center industry. Of key importance is a re-hospitalization program. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) will withhold two percent of Medicare fee-for-services payments to skilled nursing centers. In turn, skilled nursing centers will be able to receive these withheld funds by meeting CMS and industry agreed to facility-specific re-hospitalization rates

Part I: Overview of AHCA/NCAL Clinical Considerations of Antipsychotic Management Toolkit

Antipsychotic Management Toolkit- Two Part Series

Improve functional outcomes (self- care and mobility) by 15% (Q1 2017 baseline rates) by March 2021.

This session will validate your current QA&A efforts and support your transition to QAPI with practical tips and useful pointers.

In this session, discover ways to engage front-line workers in your nursing center's efforts to provide the highest quality of care for residents with dementia.

Join us for this short and energizing session that offers insights into engaging families.

This session will provide insight and practical strategies to engage your external physicians so that everyone is rowing in the same direction.

F 309 & Antipsychotics?! Compliance?! QAPI?!: Your Integrated Pathway to Dementia Care. Part One: The Good, the Bad and the QAPI

In this webinar, the presenters will describe practical strategies and application to behavioral management, which can be guided by use of the AHCA Clinical Considerations of Antipsychotic Management Toolkit.