ADVANCE Perspective: LTC : Technology

Reliable Nursing Home Information Lacking

Heather Simons — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:52:00 GMT

Reliable information on the quality of nursing homes is hard to come by these days, according to an article in the Los Angeles Times.

Currently, a Web site called Nursing Home Compare, which was created by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in 1998, provides information on nursing homes, from characteristics of residents to staffing and quality. But the Web site has been criticized since its inception over a decade ago.

Legislation included in a health care reform bill could revamp the site, making it more accurate and comprehensive:

That legislation, the Nursing Home Transparency and Improvement Act, would require the site to provide more precise data on staffing ratios and facility ownership, and improve and accelerate the complaint process. It would also require the Department of Health and Human Services to scrutinize the site to ensure the information provided is clear to consumers.

The bill has long been awaited by advocates of nursing home reform.

To read the full article, including shortcomings and assets of the government-run Web site, click here.

AAHSA to Study Telehealth Blood Pressure Monitoring

Maureen Salera — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 17:42:00 GMT

The American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging has been awarded a contract from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality to investigate the impact of telehealth monitoring for blood pressure management among older adults, according to a news release from AAHSA.

The study is centered on establishing telehealth kiosks at rural nutrition centers that serve low income seniors. Seniors with hypertension will be encouraged to use these kiosks to monitor their blood pressure when they visit these centers for meals. The data will then be sent to a central server where it will be monitored by nurse-researchers who collaborate with participants' primary care physicians.

This project is a collaboration among AAHSA's Institute for the Future of Aging Services, Center for Aging Services Technologies, AHRQ, Wright State University College of Nursing, the Nursing Institute of West Central Ohio, Title III and private nutrition centers in the state of Ohio and HealthAnywhere, a technology company.

What Impact Does the Economic Stimulus Have on Your Organization?

Liz Rosto — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:22:00 GMT

While more than one-third of home health care and nursing home organizations said they expect the government's economic stimulus package to increase use of information technology, another 52% said the stimulus package will have little or no impact on their businesses, according to a recent survey by IVANS Inc.

Nearly 70% of home health care and nursing home organizations said that electronic health records (EHRs) will have a positive impact on their businesses, and 56% of respondents have begun or plan to implement EHRs within the next year. Other key technology priorities for long-term care facilities include implementation of wireless networks, solutions to provide electronic documentation at point of care and business continuity planning, the survey shows.

However, more than 70% of respondents said they have no plans to participate in a Health Information Exchange (HIE). Experience with failed efforts in the past, lack of an immediate driver to move forward, and no standards were all noted as barriers to implementation of HIEs.

IVANS' survey is part of a series of initiatives to address the technology issues surrounding health care reform and how providers are responding.

How are you responding? What technology initiatives is your organization undertaking?

Fall-prevention shoes

Maureen McAndrews — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 17:41:00 GMT

By using the same technology that helps astronauts regain balance after zero-gravity flights, scientists have discovered an insole that could prevent elderly people from falling, according to an article on CNN.com.

The "iShoe," developed by Erez Lieberman, a graduate student who was an intern at NASA, is an insole that contains balance sensors to help signal fall warning signs. While it's not an alarm, the iShoe's six sensors will send out a signal if the person wearing it actually falls. It's comparable to a data recorder that a doctor or balance specialist can use to assess dangerous pressure patterns.

Lieberman and Katharine Forth, a visiting scientist at NASA who also works on the iShoe, say the iShoe insole can be slipped inside any shoe and would cost about $100.

But don't expect to see the iShoe at a retailer just yet. It's still being tested, and Lieberman and Forth are still perfecting the software that identifies the faulty pressure patterns.

Social Networking

Liz Rosto — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:59:00 GMT

For those of us who are 10 years or more out of college, we are just getting used to terms like "blogs," "Web 2.0," "MySpace" and "Facebook." But once you start "social networking," it can be addictive and contagious.

I joined Facebook about two years ago, not really having any clue about what it was or its potential. For months, I had nothing posted on my page except some contact info. I think I only had two friends (one of whom was a cousin!). But in the last six months, my Facebook activity has really taken off. I'm up to 82 friends and counting. I've reconnected with high school classmates and college roommates I haven't seen or talked to in years.

And now, Facebook is also being used by businesses and professional associations (including AAHSA), which is why we at ADVANCE for Long-Term Care Management launched a page last week. It's a great place for professionals in the industry to network with each other, so if you're already on Facebook, become a fan of our page.

Is your keyboard making you sick?

Maureen McAndrews — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 21:21:00 GMT

Norovirus, often called the "stomach flu," often shows its face this time of year. Most people realize it's highly contagious but, for the first time, U.S. health officials report it can be spread from contact on computer keyboards and computer mice.

With several people sharing computers in long-term care facilities, and the push towards electronic charting, there's a heightened risk of spreading these types of germs. The best defense against the spread of this virus is still handwashing and disinfecting shared equipment.

It may be a good practice to keep some antibacterial wipe dispensers around keyboards and computer equipment in your facility. Come to think of it, I think I'll clean my keyboard right now.

NIA Offers Training Guide to Help Navigate Online Health Information

Maureen McAndrews — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 19:37:00 GMT

To help older adults search for and find credible health information online, the National Institute on Aging (NIA) has developed a free training curriculum for people who teach and work with older adults.

The Toolkit for Trainers, which is now available on http://nihseniorhealth.gov/, can be an addition to computer training programs at public libraries, senior centers, community colleges and other learning centers. Instructors can use the curriculum to teach older adults how to find accurate and timely online health information on their own. To make sure the training curriculum meets the learning needs of older adults, NIA developers based its design on cognitive aging and vision research and field tested the materials with older adults and instructors in computer classes, according to a press release from the NIH.

The curriculum features health and wellness information from NIHSeniorHealth and MedlinePlus. Users can access NIHSeniorHealth for short, easy-to-read segments of information in various formats, including large-print type sizes, open-captioned videos and an audio version. MedlinePlus is NLM's more detailed site for consumer health information.

Trainers who download the toolkit will receive lesson plans, student handouts, Web searching exercises and illustrated glossaries. An introductory video provides a quick overview of the curriculum and a glimpse of Internet classes in action. The toolkit also provides tips on how to set up a senior-friendly computer classroom.