nursing home

Triggered by a wave of private investment in nursing homes by players like The Carlyle Group, federal legislators have begun to take a closer look at how such investments affect the care such homes... Read more...

Though America's elderly population is mushrooming, nursing home roles are falling. The number of U.S. residents aged 75 and older living in homes fell to 7.5 percent in 2006, compared with 8.1... Read more...

The nursing home industry has always operated on a narrow margin. However, as private investors buy out nursing home chains, they're hoping to change the picture, in part by cutting nursing rosters... Read more...

Here's another argument for the adoption of eprescribing. Prescription abbreviations generated... Read more...

Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley (R) is backing the creation of a national "watch list" of nursing homes that don't meet federal health and safety standards. Grassley believes the list should be accessible... Read more...

The Carlyle Group is taking national skilled nursing and assisted living facility operator Manor Care private in a $6.3 billion deal that pays stockholders $67 per share. The chain operates 278 skilled nursing facilities and 65 assisted living centers across the United States. The equity firm is paying out roughly $4.9 billion in cash, and will also assume $1.4 billion in debt.

The Manor Care deal follows the …

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> Nursing home drug and services supplier Omnicare has filed lawsuits against 16 health insurers and pharmacy benefit managers. Omnicare's goal is to collect $61 million it says it is owed. Article

> Like peers elsewhere, the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center's 17 hospitals have gone smoke-free both inside and outside of the facilities. …

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Just yesterday we reported on a study that found as many as 5 percent of all hospital and nursing home patients are infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) at any given time--significantly more widespread than previously thought.

Now the Wall Street Journal is outlining some of the steps hospitals are taking to cut down on the rate …

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It's grim knowledge, but necessary. A new study suggests as many as 5 percent of all hospital and nursing home patients are infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) at any given time. If accurate, this stat would indicate MRSA is eight to 11 times more common than previously determined by other research. The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology sent surveys to more than 11,000 members, asking them to pick a day between Oct. 1 …

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CMS may be instituting a $690 million boost in Medicare nursing home payments for 2008. Nursing facilities would get a 3.3 percent increase in payments under the new adjustments to the skilled nursing facility prospective payment system. Right now, payments are based on a "market basket" of services calculated in 1997, but the new initiative would adjust the rates to reflect 2004 costs. The change would result in an increase for room, board, medical care and other nursing home expenses. …

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