Legislation To Improve Ltc?

Came to view this thread after reading your other thread . Anyways, as MDS coordinators we know that facility reimbursement is tied directly to the RUG scores. If your facility is like mine, coorporate pushes very hard to get the highest score possible. Seems like we should somehow be able to incorporate staffing ratios with RUG scores (the downside tho, is that the time it takes to care for an alzheimers resident is greatly undervalued in the RUG system). Just a thought

I like #2. I think there should be more regulated and better ratios for staff et patients. It is hard to get good care when there is not enough care. Or how about staffing that matches the needs of the patients. It is hard when you have several acute patients and the same staffing ratios as the floors that are stable. (I work on a rehab unit). Patients that are on rehab have higher accuity. When this is brought up at work, staff from the other floors say, "Well, you do not have as many patients." My response is, "Yes, but my patients are not stable like yours are." I think there should be better staffing and that would improve LTC et rehab. I think that is the general consensus on our site.

Leslie

A facility in my area doesn't staff by acuity but they do charge by acuity! It's privately owned.

When the resident's acuity goes up so does their fee.

We just received a transfer from that facility because his acuity level was increased to total care and the family didn't want to pay the increase.

Amen on that !!!!!!!!!!!!!