Safety incentive programs have great intentions but can be a legal risk if employees feel silenced. Safety incentive programs can be dodgy business, especially if employees feel compelled to keep quiet about incidents in order to preserve the clean record of their unit—or their manager. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued clarifications on its Workplace Safety Incentive Programs and Post-Incident Drug Testing interpretations, first issued in May 2018. … [Read more...] about Would Your Safety Incentive Program Violate OSHA Standards?
Regulatory
CMS Finalizes PDGM to Revamp Home Healthcare Payments
Home health is the latest LTPAC sector to get a major face lift in coding, billing and payment models. Skilled nursing isn’t the only sector dealing with major changes in how they code, bill and receive payment. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) passing its final version of the Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM), is set to revamp the coding groups and payments for the home health sector. … [Read more...] about CMS Finalizes PDGM to Revamp Home Healthcare Payments
IRS Finalizes Forms for 2018 ACA Compliance
Updating yearly data now can smooth the 1095 reporting at tax time, experts say. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has released the final tax forms for reporting the 2018 health insurance coverage details required to document employer compliance with health mandates of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). But tick, tock—employers only have until Feb. 28, 2019 to gather and submit all compliance documentation. … [Read more...] about IRS Finalizes Forms for 2018 ACA Compliance
The Holiday Season is the Perfect Time to Refresh Staff Training in Fire Safety
Before your staff hangs the paper turkeys and holiday streamers, make sure their fire safety training is up to speed. As the holiday season approaches, ‘tis the season for making sure all employees are aware of safety guidelines for holiday decorations and why they can pose hazards to staff, residents and visitors. … [Read more...] about The Holiday Season is the Perfect Time to Refresh Staff Training in Fire Safety
Staff: The First Defense in an Active Shooter Event
Are your employees trained for the unthinkable? “Shooter on the premises!” If you think it can’t happen at your care organization, think again. … [Read more...] about Staff: The First Defense in an Active Shooter Event
New Regs for Assisted Living?
The growing interest in assisted living oversight could change training and job descriptions Assisted living providers that utilize Medicaid funds could soon be asked to provide significantly more documentation on employee/resident welfare, incident reporting and the delivery of services. A surge in reporting requirements would require new training programs at the very least and could significantly change the job tasks of assisted living administrators. A report produced by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) outlined recommendations for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to develop federal oversight for critical incidents in the assisted living sector, which has existed generally outside the realm of CMS regulation. While states are required to monitor and report “deficiencies affecting beneficiary health and welfare for the most common program used to provide assisted living services,” the … [Read more...] about New Regs for Assisted Living?
Termination Tips
Take the heat out of firings with policies, communication and dignity Even with ideal hiring processes in place, sometimes HR directors face the situation of a potential employee termination. Dismissing an employee is never easy, but well-communicated procedures and consistent, complete documentation can help prevent surprises and minimize the stress and anxiety of a difficult situation. Be Proactive Dismissing an employee for performance or behavioral reasons is rarely a sudden event. It usually begins with a pattern of behaviors or repeated offenses—such as frequent absences or no-shows, conflicts with other employees or a consistent inability to handle job responsibilities. While it may be tempting to wait and hope the person improves, it is best to begin a conversation with the employee as early as possible, since a proactive conversation can alert HR to the need for more training or counseling, problems at home or special challenges that might be easily remedied. Prompt … [Read more...] about Termination Tips
