Articles

This article was originally featured in Healthcare IT Today. Hospitals are about to take on greater responsibility for patient outcomes—extending well beyond discharge. Beginning January 1, 2026, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will implement the Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM), requiring hospitals to manage care for Medicare patients undergoing the following surgeries: lower extremity joint replacement, surgical hip femur fracture treatment, spinal fusion, coronary artery bypass graft, and major bowel procedures. Each care episode concludes 30 days after the patient is discharged from the hospital. This shift significantly raises the stakes for acute care providers. Avoidable readmissions...read more

This article is sponsored by Real Time Medical Systems and was originally featured in Skilled Nursing News. As value-based care (VBC) continues to redefine reimbursement models and quality standards in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), the Director of Nursing (DON) plays a central role — driving clinical excellence, operational efficiency and financial performance. With hospitals, health plans and VBC programs increasingly viewing SNFs as strategic partners, the DON’s influence is just as vital in broader care discussions as it is within the facility. Lindsey Ford, RN, has seen this leadership first-hand: the SNF DON actively making rounds, engaging with staff and...read more

This article was originally featured in Fierce Healthcare. As the transition to value-based care (VBC) continues to present both opportunities and challenges, post-acute care (PAC) remains a significant cost driver for health plans. Traditionally overseen through administrative channels, it’s increasingly clear that health plans operating in today’s VBC landscape need a more innovative approach to managing post-acute spend – one that leverages a critical, yet often overlooked, clinical partner: the Post-Acute Director of Nursing (DON). DONs represent a largely untapped resource for health plans aiming to improve outcomes and control costs among their most vulnerable member populations. One of the...read more

Originally published in NADONA's The Director Quarterly Journal, Spring 2025 Issue. Over the past few months, we have all become aware of CMS Memo – QSO-25-07-NH – Revised Long-Term Care (LTC) Surveyor Guidance, which includes significant revisions to enhance the quality and oversight of the LTC survey process. With the effective date now pushed to April 28 (QSO-25-14-NH), surveyors continue to learn the revised guidance and prepare for upcoming surveys. In addition to these revisions, many facilities face increasingly complex surveys that span several years of review. CMS has also announced the reinstatement of the Internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation...read more