Anyone else here do pre-admission screenings and marketing?

CapeCodMermaid, RN · Mar 26, 2005

I'm the ADNS at my facility...142 beds. I review all admission referrals before we offer a bed. I don't, however, go and actually meet the patient. We don't take everyone who sends a referral. If there are no beds on the dementia unit, we don't like to take a demented patient and put them on the subacute floor. We don't take people with aggressive behaviors either. Since the local hospital isn't always 100% honest, it's a case of trying to read between the lines....hmmmm do you think the Haldol IM q4h PRN is trying to tell us something?

As far as marketing, we have a 1/2 time marketing person, but all the department heads are involved in marketing to some extent.

Silverhawk · Mar 27, 2005

: I have been in this postion since last summer, and I'm not sure that I like it. I am used to assessing the patient, and providing the care. Now I have to get the okay from the business department before I can offer a bed. And I never learned about marketing in nursing school either for that matter. I find myself wanting to go back on the floor, feel that I am losing my skills- but the perks (no weekend, holidays or night shifts) and money is attractive. Does anyone else here have any experience with pre-admissions screenings?

chris

I am looking for your type position. I have a marketing degree, and have been an LPN for one year. I previously did outside sales. My question is: What is involved in your assesment of potential new residents, and how long do you spend on one potential resident before you are done with your share of the work? Any advice would be greatkly appreciated.

NE_Chris · Mar 28, 2005

I am looking for your type position. I have a marketing degree, and have been an LPN for one year. I previously did outside sales. My question is: What is involved in your assesment of potential new residents, and how long do you spend on one potential resident before you are done with your share of the work? Any advice would be greatkly appreciated.

In our admissions department there are 3 people for a total of 182 SNF beds (2 facilities) and 44 Chronic complex LTC (vents, trachs ,etc). There is a full-time person doing the SNF beds (has a bachelor degree in psychology and minor in health care studies), a part-time social worker answering phones, giving tours, and admissions paperwork for one SNF, and me full-time. I do the assessments for the chronic complex LTC since I am the nurse, assist the LTC screener when she gets busy and some marketing. Typically I get a call from a hospital that the patient is going to be ready for discharge, and whether it will be short-term rehabilitation to/or long-term care. I go to the hospital and examine the pts chart, read the discharge summary if it's ready, review lab work, check if any precautions and look for behaviors that might not fit in with our residents. I meet the patient then fax the clinical to the DON (or supervisors), and insurance information to the business office. Once I get the okay from the DON and business office I inform the hospital discharge planner/ social worker we've offered a bed(including how many other patients are in the room) and I call the family to let them know as well and to answer any questions. From there the family will talk with the discharge planner, and I'll get a call from them if the family has accepted the bed or going to another facilty. If you want to get into screening, I would check out what if any chains are in your area, and send a cover letter with a resume to corporate. Especially with summer coming up, the present screeners will be wanting to take vacations and this could be your chance to get in. I know of a facility that just has one screener for a 156 bed LTC facility- but they get fed patients from contracts and their assisted living. When their screener goes on summer vacation the census goes way down because no one takes her place. Good luck, feel free to ask any more questions.

Chris

NE_Chris · Mar 28, 2005

I'm the ADNS at my facility...142 beds. I review all admission referrals before we offer a bed. I don't, however, go and actually meet the patient. We don't take everyone who sends a referral. If there are no beds on the dementia unit, we don't like to take a demented patient and put them on the subacute floor. We don't take people with aggressive behaviors either. Since the local hospital isn't always 100% honest, it's a case of trying to read between the lines....hmmmm do you think the Haldol IM q4h PRN is trying to tell us something?
As far as marketing, we have a 1/2 time marketing person, but all the department heads are involved in marketing to some extent.

The admissions office will get the call that a patient wants to come to one of our facilities, and from there someone will go out to screen. I look for behaviors, psych. evals, any evidence of restraint use, etc. Another concern is infections, even conditions like scabies. It's our policy for the prospective resident to be seen before offering a bed. I am starting to get some of the department heads to help with marketing. Our dietician talked twice to Councils of Aging this past month on nutrition.

Chris

robin_mds_nurse · Mar 28, 2005

My facility has a full-time admission director. When she receives a referral, the business office manager screens insurance, & I reveiw the clinical info. If I question if we can take a patient clinically, I have the DNS review it. Amen to the person that stated the hospital often does not tell you the whole truth! We are a rural facility, and our 2 local hospitals are not the problem. We get referrals from the large metro hospitals that don't always tell you everything.

Talino · Mar 28, 2005

The admissions office will get the call that a patient wants to come to one of our facilities, and from there someone will go out to screen. I look for behaviors, psych. evals, any evidence of restraint use, etc. Another concern is infections, even conditions like scabies. It's our policy for the prospective resident to be seen before offering a bed. I am starting to get some of the department heads to help with marketing. Our dietician talked twice to Councils of Aging this past month on nutrition.
Chris

The best ammo in screening applicants is knowledge in MDS assessments. This is the primary tool used in LTCFs that determines the type of care an applicant requires and the revenue yield. Then follow through with your facility's criteria.

Marketing? It's not advertising!

-Establish rapport and maintain constant communication with the discharge planners or social workers of hospitals within your catchment area.

-Network with Home Care or Visiting Nurses agency.

-Foremost, with information about nursing homes readily available to the public, keep the image of your facility appealing to consumers.

Silverhawk · May 8, 2005

In our admissions department there are 3 people for a total of 182 SNF beds (2 facilities) and 44 Chronic complex LTC (vents, trachs ,etc). There is a full-time person doing the SNF beds (has a bachelor degree in psychology and minor in health care studies), a part-time social worker answering phones, giving tours, and admissions paperwork for one SNF, and me full-time. I do the assessments for the chronic complex LTC since I am the nurse, assist the LTC screener when she gets busy and some marketing. Typically I get a call from a hospital that the patient is going to be ready for discharge, and whether it will be short-term rehabilitation to/or long-term care. I go to the hospital and examine the pts chart, read the discharge summary if it's ready, review lab work, check if any precautions and look for behaviors that might not fit in with our residents. I meet the patient then fax the clinical to the DON (or supervisors), and insurance information to the business office. Once I get the okay from the DON and business office I inform the hospital discharge planner/ social worker we've offered a bed(including how many other patients are in the room) and I call the family to let them know as well and to answer any questions. From there the family will talk with the discharge planner, and I'll get a call from them if the family has accepted the bed or going to another facilty. If you want to get into screening, I would check out what if any chains are in your area, and send a cover letter with a resume to corporate. Especially with summer coming up, the present screeners will be wanting to take vacations and this could be your chance to get in. I know of a facility that just has one screener for a 156 bed LTC facility- but they get fed patients from contracts and their assisted living. When their screener goes on summer vacation the census goes way down because no one takes her place. Good luck, feel free to ask any more questions.

Chris

Thank you for your infomative reply! I'm sure to have questions later. :)

CapeCodMermaid, RN · May 8, 2005

The best ammo in screening applicants is knowledge in MDS assessments. This is the primary tool used in LTCFs that determines the type of care an applicant requires and the revenue yield. Then follow through with your facility's criteria.
Marketing? It's not advertising!
-Establish rapport and maintain constant communication with the discharge planners or social workers of hospitals within your catchment area.
-Network with Home Care or Visiting Nurses agency.
-Foremost, with information about nursing homes readily available to the public, keep the image of your facility appealing to consumers.

Taliano-you must get way more info than we do when screening for a possible admit. They don't do MDS's at the hospital and more times than not we might not even get a PT/OT eval along with the medical info. Our census has been low, as have all the homes in my area, so we are getting pressure from corporate to take people we might not ordinarily take....hmmm, you're a 96 year old woman with a new hip. Do you want to be on the same unit as a 52 year old cocaine addict?

Talino · May 9, 2005

Taliano-you must get way more info than we do when screening for a possible admit. They don't do MDS's at the hospital and more times than not we might not even get a PT/OT eval along with the medical info. Our census has been low, as have all the homes in my area, so we are getting pressure from corporate to take people we might not ordinarily take....hmmm, you're a 96 year old woman with a new hip. Do you want to be on the same unit as a 52 year old cocaine addict?

...just to clarify, I wasn't implying hospitals do MDSs. It is the SNF's best tool in screening applicants. The information required to complete it is contingent upon the SNF's practice.

Low SNF census is rampant since nursing care at home is a more ideal setting and widely promoted. Gov't budget cuts plus the bad images set forth by many facilities who undermine quality of care for the sake of profits, contribute to the nursing home industry's dilemma.