ADVOCACY

Monday, September 19, 2011 – 8:00am – 10:00am

AD-1 Introduction to the New AHCA/NCAL Advocacy Website and Social Media

Session Description: In this technolgy session, you will learn how to use the new AHCA/NCAL Advocacy website and the latest social media outlets like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube to advance an advocacy agenda. 

Monday, September 19, 2011 – 10:30am – 11:30am

AD-2 Creating an Advocacy Center in a LTC Facility (this session will be repeated on Tuesday)

Speakers: Ted LeNeave, President & CEO, American Health Care, LLC, Roanoke, VA; Scott Allen, Administrator, Cypress Health Care / Palm Garden of Tampa, Member, AHCA/NCAL PAC Committee, Tampa, FL; Frank Romano, President, Essex Health Care, Member, AHCA/NCAL PAC Committee,  Rowley, MA

Session Description: Create an Advocacy Center in your facility to encourage residents, staff, family and friends to support and promote AHCA/NCAL’s legislative agenda.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 – 8:00am -10:00am

AD-3 AHCA/NCAL Legislative Update

Session Leaders: Jeff Myers, Senior Vice President, Policy and Government Relations; Stacie Aman, Senior Director, Political Affairs; Matthew Smyth, Director, Grassroots Programs, AHCA/NCAL, Washington, DC

Session Description: This session is designed to update association members on legislative initiatives, both passed and proposed. It will also report on grassroots and PAC activities, both new and ongoing.  This session will contain a question and answer session which will give audience members a chance to engage in a dialogue with legislative staff.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 – 10:30am – 11:30am

AD-4 Creating an Advocacy Center in a LTC Facility (this session is a repeat from Monday)

Speakers: Scott Allen, Administrator, Cypress Health Care / Palm Garden of Tampa, Member, AHCA/NCAL PAC Committee, Tampa, FL; Frank Romano, President, Essex Health Care, Member, AHCA/NCAL PAC Committee,  Rowley, MA; Brad Dalton, Vice President of Communications and Public Relations, American HealthCare, LLC, Roanoke, VA

Session Description: Create an Advocacy Center in your facility to encourage residents, staff, family and friends to support and promote AHCA/NCAL’s legislative agenda.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011 – 8:00am – 9:00am

AD-5 Advancing AHCA/NCAL Goals with Target Members of Congress (session is by invitation only)

Speakers: Stacie Aman, Director, AHCA/NCAL PAC; Matthew Smyth, Director, Grassroots Programs, AHCA/NCAL, Washington, DC

Session Description: Gain knowledge of AHCA/NCAL’s outreach efforts to Members of Congress.

ASSISTED LIVING

Monday, September 19, 2011 – 8:00am – 10:00am

AL-1 Maximizing the Impact of Environmental Staff

Speakers:  Susan Gilster, PhD, Executive Director; Jennifer Dalessandro, Assistant Administrator, Alois Alzheimer Center, Cincinnati, OH

Session Description: The success of an organization is dependent upon all employees – on every shift and in every department.  To think otherwise is to doom the organization to mediocrity and prevent them from achieving their highest level of performance.  Every person is important and should be contributing to the accomplishment of the mission and goals.  This session will discuss the impact and roles of environmental staff in long term care and share a means of integrating them into the organization, breaking down silos and facilitating true teamwork.  Cost effective, sustainable programs will be shared.  

Monday, September 19, 2011 – 10:30am – 11:30am

AL-2 Learning to Laugh When You Feel Like Crying

Speaker: Allen Klein, Professional Speaker/Author, Award Winning Presentations, San Francisco, CA

Session Description: This presentation demonstrates why loss is a necessary part of life and the five steps for going from loss to laughter: Losing, Learning, Letting Go, Living, and Laughing. 

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 – 8:00am – 10:00am

AL-3 Medicare Part B and Assisted Living

Speakers: Howie Groff, President, Tealwood Care Centers, Bloomington, MN; Chris Mason, President & CEO, Senior Housing Management, LLC, Lake Oswego, OR; Martha Schram, CEO, Aegis Therapies, Delafield, WI; Dean Feick, MS, NHA, Vice President, Assisted and Independent Living Services, Genesis Rehab Services, Kennett Square, PA

Session Description: Join leaders in assisted living and Medicare Part B therapy services to learn about how these two worlds are working together to better serve residents in assisted living. Presenters will offer practical applications for Part B therapy in assisted living and will provide ample opportunity for interactive discussion with attendees.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 – 10:30am – 11:30am           

AL-4 Managing Employee Stress

Speakers: Angela Hanson, Wellness Director,  Tealwood Care Centers, Hudson, WI; Pastor David Holm, Director  of Spiritual Services, The Waters Senior Living, Eden Prairie, MN

Session Description: Every administrator knows that our workforce is our greatest asset.  Developing and implementing an employee wellness program assists all levels of staff managing everyday stressors and in turn, helps our employees provide better care to our residents and our family members.  Learn from our exercise physiologist and Pastor on how to better serve your staffs needs in everyday life.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 – 3:00pm – 4:00pm

AL-5 NCAL National Update

Speakers: Dave Kyllo, Executive Director; Karl Polzer, Senior Director, Assisted Living Policy, NCAL, Washington, DC

Session Description: This session will provide an update on the key legislative and regulatory issues impacting assisted living.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011 – 8:00am – 9:00am

AL-6 Driving Census through Effective Sales Management

Speaker: Patricia Cokingtin, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Americare, Leawood, KS

Session Description: Participants will see how Americare looked outside of the healthcare industry to identify and implement a sound sales management program that has completely revolutionized the way the company manages and deploys their sales and marketing resources.  For three years, the company has seen a steady increase in growth on its assisted living side and has been able to identify more effective sales strategies in its SNF. 

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

Monday, September 19, 2011 – 8:00am – 10:00am

B-1 Administrator and Physician: A Partnership That Must Happen

Speaker: Keith Krein, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Kindred Healthcare, Louisville, KY

Session Description: A successful relationship with your physicians is critical to maintaining census and generating desired clinical outcomes. Understanding is the first step in building relationships and impacting both strategic business opportunities and clinical practice at your facility. This session will present an overview of the physician landscape in long term care.  Although there are geographic differences that provide more or less opportunities for relationship-building, it is critical for administrators to act strategically and take the lead on understanding physician concerns and how this will impact the quality of care and referral patterns in the marketplace.

Monday, September 19, 2011 – 10:30am – 11:30am

B-2 Customer Service: Impact on Census and Revenue

Speaker: Peggy King, Vice President, Marketing, Pacific Division, Skilled Healthcare, LLC, Sherman Oaks, CA

Session Description:  This presentation encompasses all aspects of customer service including first impressions, body language, answering the telephone, overhead paging, valuing staff, and proper attire. This session will inspire with laugher, comedy, and real examples of everyday life in a skilled nursing and Assisted Living environment. 

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 – 8:00am – 10:00am

B-3 When Worlds Collide: Introducing Disaster Incident Command to LTC

Speakers: Jocelyn Montgomery, Director, Clinical Affairs, California Association of Health Facilities, Sacramento, CA; Lee Ann Griffin, Director, Quality and Regulatory Services, Florida Health Care Association, Tallahassee, FL

Session Description: Emergency planning can provoke a “head in the sand” reaction or a desperate grab for last year’s manual.  This session introduces the Incident Command System, a well-known, widely accepted emergency management model, and showcases how it’s been adapted for the long term care community.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 – 10:30am – 11:30am

B-4 Harmonizing Clinical Care and Technology

Session Description:  The ongoing harmonization of technology and clinical care offers the opportunity for improved quality of life and care for our residents. There are numerous drivers to this transitional change, and long term and post-acute care (LTPAC) providers will be affected by this accelerating harmonization of clinical technology. At this session, the Golden Living panel will discuss and take questions on what providers can do to plan for the transitional change in care models and what they will see as results of their planning.  

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 – 3:00pm – 4:00pm

B-5 What's your ENERGY STAR© Score?  EPA's New Energy Benchmark for Senior Care

Speakers: Clark Reed, Director, Healthcare Facilities Division, ENERGY STAR ©, United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Washington, DC; Erin Richmond, Senior Associate, ICF International, Fairfax, VA

Session Description:   In 2009, four senior care associations teamed up with the U.S. EPA to issue the first ever national energy survey of senior care communities to better understand energy use and formulate conservation strategies.  Using survey data, EPA developed an energy efficiency benchmark that allows senior care communities to compare energy performance to similar facilities nationwide, reduce energy consumption and costs, and receive EPA recognition for  environmental leadership.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011 – 8:00am – 9:00am

B-6 Employer Health Insurance Requirements: How Will Your Business Be Affected?

Speakers: Frank B. McArdle, Ph.D., Aon Hewitt, Washington, DC; Karl Polzer, Senior Director, Assisted Living Policy, NCAL, Washington, DC

Session Description: The Affordable Care Act includes employer health insurance requirement provisions.  This session will focus on these health insurance provisions and general health insurance coverage requirements.  What are providers doing?  What can you do to provide adequate and reasonable coverage?

CLINICAL PRACTICE

Monday, September 19, 2011 – 8:00am – 10:00am

CP -1 MDS 3.0 Quality Measures

Speakers: Darlene Thompson, RN, CRRN, NE-BC, Vice President, Clinical Information Systems and Training, Kindred Healthcare, Louisville, KY; David Gifford, MD, Senior Vice President, Quality and Regulatory Affairs, AHCA, Washington, DC

Session Description: Quality measures obtained from MDS 3.0 assessment coding are what drives public reporting, survey, marketing, and liability.  These measures also play a key part in Advancing Excellence, QAPI, and other quality efforts.  This session will discuss the components and characteristics of both the approved and provisional quality measures.  Strategies will be provided so facilities can prepare in advance for these changes.   

Monday, September 19, 2011 – 10:30am – 11:30am

CP-2 Innovative Roles for APNs in Nursing Homes

Speaker: Debra Bakerjian, PhD, RN, FNP, Assistant Adjunct Professor, Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing, University of California, Davis, CA

Session Description: The purpose of this session is to help nursing home leaders to better understand the variety of roles that nurse practitioners fulfill within the nursing home.  Discussion will include nurse practitioner and physicians in collaborative practice, nurse practitioners in innovative employment and consulting roles, and nurse practitioner roles in improving patient safety and quality of care.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 – 8:00am – 10:00am

CP-3 Three Important Clinical Issues to Keep an Eye On

Speakers: Frank Grosso, Vice President, Pharmacy Services, Genesis Health Care, Kennett Square, PA; Barbara Gage, PhD, Senior Scientist, RTI, Washington, DC;  Paula Sanders, Principal, Post and Schell, Philadelphia, PA

Session Description: How prepared are you to deal with short-cycle dispensing, the CARE Tool, and Never Events – all components of health care reform?  Gain the most current information on these three hot clinical issues facing our industry today. 

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 – 10:30am – 11:30am

CP-4 – Depression Assessment: What’s Your Number?

Speaker: Joel E. Streim, MD, Professor of Psychiatry, Geriatric Psychiatry Section, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

Session Description:  Completing the PHQ-9 is required. Do you know how to properly conduct the interview and analyze the results? Learn current research-based approaches to use when planning care – especially for residents who express self-harm.

Wednesday, September 21, 8:00am – 9:00am

CP-5 From CAAs to Care Planning

Speakers: Gail Rader, CEO, Care Perspectives, Phillipsburg, NJ

Session Description: Care plans are dynamic documents that need to be improved.  Learn how Care Area Assessment (CAA) drives the organization and analysis of data resulting in realistic, evidence-based individual care plans.

CULTURE CHANGE

Monday, September 19, 2011 – 8:00am – 10:00am

CC-1 Culture Change in Action: Psychosocial Interventions for People with Dementia

Speakers: Harvey L. Sterns, PhD, Director, Institute for Life-Span Development & Gerontology, Professor of Psychology, University of Akron, Akron, OH; Ronni Sterns, PhD, President and CEO, Creative Action, LLC, Akron, OH; Edward McMahon, PhD, Golden Living Centers, Fort Smith, AR

Session Description: Long term care is embracing the "new culture" of dementia care to enhance the quality of life for residents and staff. This approach emphasizes the socio-emotional environment as experienced by residents interacting with one another and with staff. Structured, ability-based group activities that elicit creative, interactive expression have been shown to improve residents' well-being and increase staff's positive attitudes about residents. A variety of imaginative, psychosocial interventions and how to implement these in long-term care settings will be demonstrated. Evidence-based research outcomes of studies funded by the National Institutes of Health National Institute on Aging will be presented.

Monday, September 19, 2011 – 10:30am – 11:30am

CC-2 Advanced Rapport and Communication Skills

Speaker: Carl Gould, President, Gould Organization, Riverdale, NJ

Session Description: This interactive session will teach the audience how to establish rapport and a meaningful connection with anyone and everyone they meet within 30 seconds or less. The ability to influence another person; be it a resident, co-worker, manager or director is one of the most single-most effective skills any professional can develop.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 – 8:00am – 10:00am

CC-3 Measuring Person-Centered Care: Origins and Emerging Developments

Speakers: Mary Tellis-Nayak, Vice President, Quality Initiatives, My InnerView, Chicago, IL; Michael Lopere, PhD, Research Associate, Brown University, Director of Quality Research and Evaluation, Planetree, Derby, CT

Session Description: The need to determine and define the standards for achieving and sustaining person-centered excellence across the continuum of care settings are well known. To meet this need Planetree, MyInnerView, Brown University, and the IDEAS Institute have partnered to establish criteria and measures for identifying the achievement of person-centered excellence in long-term care. Supported by the Commonwealth Fund, this team synthesized the qualitative and quantitative measurement literature and instruments of person-centered care, and interviewed long-term care administrators about their experiences and needs with regard to collecting and utilizing data to support person-centeredness. An integrated set of criteria for specifying the achievement of person-centeredness in long-term care settings was established, and a measurement instrument and custom survey questions for evaluating progress toward person-centered care were developed. Plans for testing of the measurement instrument will be discussed.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 – 10:30am – 11:30am

CC-4 The 360 on MDS 3.0 - How to Make it An Engine for High Performance 

Speaker: Barbara Frank, Co-Founder, B&F Consulting, Warren, RI; Cathie Brady, Co-Founder, B&F Consulting, Canterbury, CT

Session Description: The MDS 3.0 presents an opportunity to engage front-line staff in assessment, care planning and quality improvement in a way that maximizes the reimbursement you receive for the care you provide. By using the MDS 3.0 in this way as a tool for high performance, providers will be able to provide better clinical care and be more ready for QIS surveys. This highly interactive session will be eye-opening and concrete, providing tools participants can immediately put to use to engage staff in interdisciplinary and interdepartmental problem-solving to achieve high quality individualized care. The organizational practices presented in this session are useful for any organizational improvement initiative.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011 – 8:00am – 9:00am

CC-5 Consistent Assignment – How do I Start? 

Speaker: Tammy Rolfe, LANEs Field Director, Advancing Excellence in Nursing Homes, Washington, DC

Session Description: Evidence and research suggest that implementation of consistent assignment can help improve resident and family satisfaction, staff satisfaction and improve and sustain clinical quality measures.  Creating relationship is the basis for consistent assignment.   Many nursing homes don’t quite know how to get started with consistent assignment, which can be a big change from traditional staffing patterns.  This session will provide attendees with a simple step by step approach on how to implement consistent assignment and how to use the free quality improvement tools from the Advancing Excellence Campaign resources to fully operationalize and monitor the quality of their culture change efforts.  Attendees will leave this session with confidence to implement consistent assignment.

DATA MANAGEMENT

Monday, September 19, 2011 – 8:00am – 10:00am

D-1 Applied Business Intelligence for Operators

Speakers: Steven Littlehale, Executive Vice President, HealthCare and Chief Clinical Officer, PointRight, Lexington, MA; William W. Hartung, CPA, Vice President, Research, AHCA, Washington, DC;

Session Description: Have you ever said: “I didn’t see it coming” or felt that you were “drowning in data”. Are you the person who uses data to validate your actions or define your future strategies?  Whatever the case, this session is for you! Advances in Health Information Technology in Post Acute generate massive amounts of data on a daily basis.  Buried in all that data resides crucial information that you can use to measure and improve care, improve survey outcomes, shore up financial performance, reduce turnover and decrease high risk areas such as rehospitalization. This presentation will provide practical strategies for implementing Business Intelligence (BI) into the everyday workplace and demonstrate how fact-based decision-making turns data into action.

Monday, September 19, 2011 – 10:30am – 11:30am

D-2 Data Sets

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 – 8:00am – 10:00am

D-3 Using QIS Data for Performance Improvement

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 – 10:30am – 11:30am

D-4   Using Data to Improve Transitional Care between Acute Care Facilities and Skilled Nursing Facilities

FINANCE

Monday, September 19, 2011 – 8:00am – 10:00am

F-1 Medicaid – The Drawing Board

Speakers:  Joe Lubarsky, CPA, Eljay, LLC, Louisville, KY; Janice Zalen, Senior Director Special Programs, AHCA, Washington, DC; Darryl Nixon, Director of Reimbursement, California Association of Health Facilities, Sacramento, CA; Stan Rosenstein, Stan Rosenstein Consulting, Principal Advisor, Health Management Associates, Sacramento, CA

Session Description: This panel discussion will cover Medicaid in transition, i.e., new or enhanced models of payment and service delivery under the Affordable Care Act such as care coordination, payer (Medicare and Medicaid) integration, managed care.  Panelists will clarify the authority and work of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation and consider the impact of new models on both providers and beneficiaries.

Monday, September 19, 2011 – 10:30am – 11:30am

F-2 What Is an ACO? A Bundle? A Medical Home?  How Does Post-Acute Care Fit into the New Models? 

Speakers: Jill Mendlen, CEO, LightBridge Hospice, San Diego, CA; Nancy E. Rehkamp, Principal, Health Care, LarsonAllen LLP, Minneapolis, MN  

Session Description: The future involves innovative post-acute and long term care payment reform and care models – and involves partnering with hospital and other post-acute providers.  This session will help post acute providers understand these concepts - and most importantly help them to react to changes and implement vital strategies.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 – 8:00am – 10:00am

F-3 Medicare Post RUG IV

Speakers: Doug Burr, VP of Finance, Reimbursement & Government Relations, Cypress Administrative Services, LLC, Roswell, GA; Patricia Newberry, Vice President, Clinical Reimbursement, UHS-Pruitt Corporation, Duluth, GA; Peter Gruhn, Director, Research; Elise Smith, Vice President, Reimbursement; William Hartung, CPA, Vice President, Research, AHCA, Washington, DC

Session Description: How have facilities and beneficiaries faired under RUG IV?  What further adjustments might CMS contemplate?   This session will cover the latest information on topics ranging from observation stays, the 3-day stay, Part D issues, the provision of rehabilitation therapy under RUG IV, non-therapy ancillaries and the impact on acuity outcomes and re-hospitalization rates. It will also look at what CMS is planning for SNF Value-based Purchasing. 

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 – 10:30am – 11:30am

F-4 Alphabet Audit Soup and the Feds: How can I be prepared?

Speaker: Robert W. Lane, NHA, FACHCA, Managing Consultant | BKD, LLP, Oklahoma City, OK

Wednesday, September 21, 2011 – 8:00am – 9:00am

F-6 Rehabilitation Therapy: Are You Providing Adequate Therapy?

Speakers: Tracy Adams, Vice President, United Rehab; Patricia Newberry, Vice President, Clinical Reimbursement, UHS-Pruitt Corporation, Duluth, GA

Session Description: This session will focus on rehabilitation therapy and the changes under Part A and Part B.   It will discuss what it means to provide adequate therapy and how you can improve your programs to generate the outcomes your customers expect and the reimbursement you deserve.

LEADERSHIP

Monday, September 19, 2011 – 8:00am – 10:00am

L-1 Quality Improvement through Staff Stability and Engagement: What You do Matters

Speakers: David Farrell, Director of Organizational Development, SNF Management, West Hollywood, CA; Barbara Frank, Co-Founder, B&F Consulting, Warren, RI; Cathie Brady, Co-Founder, B&F Consulting, Canterbury, CT

Session Description: People matter most. This session presents a new approach to leadership that offers proven, practical strategies participants can immediately implement to achieve sustained stability, engage the staff, improve care, and achieve high performance. Leaders’ own actions play a significant role in creating the staff morale and stability needed for organizational success.  Staff stability and engagement is the foundation for clinical quality, individualized care, and resident, family and staff satisfaction.  Through case studies, exercises, presentation and discussion, participants learn and exchange key strategies to create a stable, caring, successful work environment.

Monday, September 19, 2011 – 10:30am – 11:30am

L-2 Does Your Leadership Style Show You Care?

Speaker: Mary Tellis-Nayak, Vice President, Quality Initiatives, My InnerView, Chicago, IL

Session Description: Research shows that LTC employees want caring management. Does your leadership style speak that you care? Two ways that managers can demonstrate their care and concern for their staff are the ways in which they communicate and supervise their employees. The presentation will look at ways that leaders use communications to build trust, breakdown “we vs. they” behaviors and help organizations focus on common goals. This presentation will focus on those characteristics which are need so that the team feels that management cares.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 – 8:00am – 10:00am

L-3 Yes is the Answer…What is the Question? A Fresh Direction in Creating Customer Satisfaction

Speaker: Bill Lutz, President, Optimum Solutions and Strategies, Columbus, OH

Session Description: This session will present a specific line by line approach that produces opportunity or result management. It will also discuss several typical day to day scenarios, and transition from traditional “problem solving” to replace the outcome with opportunity or result management. The focus of this seminar is to identify the correct path necessary in achieving person centered care and always being able to say yes to our customers!

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 – 10:30am – 11:30am

L-4 Cruisin’ through Life at 35 MPH

Speaker: Brian Blasko, MA, Speaker, Author, Brian Blasko, LLC, Youngstown, OH

Session Description: Life is a journey and our lives and careers are like vehicles and we are the engines that keep them running smoothly. Come gain some fuel for your internal tank! Learn new strategies for successful leadership, team building and personal development. All the techniques have been test-driven and proven road worthy. Do not let life's little road blocks keep you from achieving desired results. Learn how to push your petal to the metal!

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 – 3:00pm – 4:00pm

L-5 Managing Your Humor Resources: The Difference between Seriousness and Excellence

Speaker: Ronald Culberson, MSW, CSP, Director, FUNsulting, Herndon, VA

Session Description: Many healthcare leaders believe that in order to be successful, they must always be serious. However, leadership is not about being serious. It’s about motivating and inspiring others, and it requires a variety of approaches including excellence and humor. Excellence is the combination of the right processes that lead others towards the goals of the organization. Fun and humor helps balance the unique challenges of the multidisciplinary healthcare environment, the overabundance of regulations and the ultimate goal of balancing business and service. In this program, healthcare leaders will see how excellent processes combined with humor enhances their ability to provide effective professional and personal leadership. Through a FUN, funny and educational experience, participants will see how combining these two qualities will “lead” them to success.

NOT FOR PROFIT

Monday, September 19, 2011 – 8:00am – 10:00am

N-1 Integration of New Home and Community Based Services: Health Care Reform Opportunities

Speakers: Howard Gleckman, Resident Fellow, The Urban Institute, Author, Caring for Our Parents, Washington, DC; Martha Roherty, Executive Director of the National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities, Washington, DC

Session Description: NFPs will learn about integrating home and community based services into their operations. Specific opportunities outlined in health care reform will be reviewed, and participants will be directed on how to pursue these opportunities.

Monday, September 19, 2011 – 10:30am – 11:30am

N-2 Financing Opportunities for NFP Providers

Speaker: Nicholas M. Gesue, Senior VP and Director of Operations, Lancaster Pollard Mortgage Corporation, Columbus, OH

Session Description: Gain insight from housing funding experts on financing opportunities for NFP long term care providers.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 – 8:00am – 10:00am

N-3 Transforming Your NFP through Culture Change

Speaker: Marla DeVries, Eden Trainer, Mission Health Services, Sandy, UT 

Session Description: Learn how NFPs can implement culture change and the positive effect of creating a “home-centered” environment on elder care and marketing the facility.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 – 10:30am – 11:30am

N-4 Succession Planning for the Leadership/Boards: Getting the Right People on the Bus

Speaker: Cathie Leimbach, Consulting Partner, Agon Leadership, Vermilion, OH

Session Description: Gain insight and skills to have the right leadership in your organization to implement its mission and vision and, if leadership dynamics are not working, know how to make necessary organizational changes. 

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 – 3:00pm – 4:00pm

N-5 The Legal Implications of Not Matching Your Mission and Vision to the New IRS Guidelines

Speaker: Bob Holz, Partner, Davis, Brown and Holz, Des Moines, IA

Session Description: Gain skills to make sure that your organization’s mission and vision meet new IRS guidelines (990 Form).

QUALITY

Monday, September 19, 2011 – 8:00am -10:00am

Q-1 Quality 101: What Every Long Term Care Manager Should Know About Quality

Session Leader: Bernie Dana, Associate Professor of Business, Evangel University, Springfield, MO

Session Description: Making a commitment to quality is fairly easy and a natural instinct of those who provide care and services to others. However, most leaders and supervisors in long term care have not had the opportunity to learn the basic philosophies, management methods, and tools that are essential to quality improvement. Bernie Dana uses a combination of lecture and interactive exercises to help participants to know how to apply the principles of quality to long term care operations. Participants will come away from this program prepared to pursue quality improvement projects more effectively.

Monday, September 19, 2011 – 10:30am – 11:30am

Q-2 QAPI: Meeting Health Care Reform Requirements

Speakers: Stacey A. Rose, Vice President, Quality Management, Sava Senior Care Consulting, LLC, Atlanta, GA; Mary Ousley, President, Ousley and Associates, Richmond, KY

Session Description: This session reviews the requirements of section 6102 of the Affordable Care Act and compares traditional QA&A to a QAPI model. Health Care Reform requires that facilities implement an effective QAPI program that includes systematic continuous quality improvement. Implementation of an effective QAPI model will also be reviewed with attendees.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 – 8:00am -10:00am

Q-3 CMS Quality Measures: Facility-based Practices

Speakers: Rita Vann, RN,  Vice President, Clinical Services, Brookdale Senior Living,, Brentwood, TN; Christi Card, RN, LNHA, CHC, Chief Clinical Officer, UHS-Pruitt Corporation, Norcross, GA

Session Description:  A wave of new performance measures have moved into the LTC field. The new measures require changes in how information is collected from across the organization and used for process improvements.  The emphasis of this session is how to build and refine your systems to adapt and thrive in this new environment. Examples and case studies will be presented to show the practical application for single facility’s as well as for larger organizations. 

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 – 10:30am – 11:30am

Q-4 Using the Baldrige Health Care Criteria to Engage Your Workforce and Achieve Excellence

Speaker: Demi Haffenreffer, RN, President, Haffenreffer & Associates, Portland, OR

Session Description: The engagement of your workforce in the provision of person-directed care is your greatest asset. The Baldrige Health Care Criteria is the standard for quality and excellence. The criteria related to “Workforce Focus” examines how your organization engages, manages, and develops your workforce to utilize its full potential in alignment with your organization’s mission and vision.  This session will provide tools to help establish a workforce environment that dynamically engages employees to improve the quality of services provided.  We will examine how to engage, manage and develop a workforce as well as how to build an effective and supportive workforce environment.  Participants, through exercises, will analyze their current status in these areas and implement future action plans.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 – 3:00pm – 4:00pm

Q-5 Advancing Excellence and Winning Strategies from the Field: Improve Your Performance

Speaker: Carol Benner, National Director, Advancing Excellence in Nursing Homes Campaign, Washington, DC

Session Description: Almost half of all nursing homes in the nation are active participants in the Advancing Excellence in America’s Nursing Homes Campaign.  The Campaign provides nursing homes with user-friendly quality improvement tools focused on eight specific goals that include both clinical and organizational work practices. Key components of the program include selection of a meaningful issue, target setting, intervention and monitoring. The data show that nursing homes participating in the Campaign improve faster than non-participants. This session will describe the Advancing Excellence quality improvement tools and discuss how several states have used and embraced them to improve care. Several case studies will be presented to show how Quality Improvement really can decrease pressure ulcers, decrease staff turnover and increase use of consistent assignment. Emphasis is on methods and results.

QUALITY AWARDS

Monday, September 19, 2011 – 8:00am - 10:00am

QA-1 The Silver Quality Award “How To” Session

Speakers: Lance Reynolds, Alzheimer's Services of the East Bay, Berkeley, CA; Kevin Warren, Chief Operating Officer, TMF Health Quality Institute, Austin, TX; Barbara Baylis, Senior Vice President of Clinical Operations, Kindred Healthcare, Louisville, KY

Session Description: Potential Quality Award applicants will learn about the three-level structure of the Quality Awards Program, assess whether they are ready to apply at the next level and better understand the criteria and application requirements.

Monday, September 19, 2011 – 10:30am – 11:30am

QA-2 The Bronze Quality Award “How To” Session

Speakers: Courtney Krier, AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program Manager; Tim Case, AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program Administrator, AHCA, Washington, DC

Session Description: Potential Quality Award applicants will learn about the three-level structure of the Quality Awards Program, assess whether they are ready to apply at the next level and better understand the criteria and application requirements.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 – 8:00am – 10:00am

QA-3 The Gold Quality Award “How To” Session

Speakers: Edward McMahon, PhD, National Director for Alzheimer’s Care and Quality of Life, Golden Living Centers, Fort Smith, AR; Deborah Urbank, Administrator, Elderwood Healthcare at Lakewood, Hamburg, NY

Session Description: Potential Quality Award applicants will learn about the three-level structure of the Quality Awards Program, assess whether they are ready to apply at the next level and better understand the criteria and application requirements.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 – 10:30am -11:30am

QA-4 Creating Great Results

Speakers: Chris Schmidt, President/CEO, Schmidt Wallace Healthcare, Montgomery, AL; John “Chick” Stepahin, PhD, Quality and Organizational Development Consultant, Longview, TX

Session Description: Potential Quality Award applicants will learn about the results sections of the Bronze, Silver and Gold Quality Award applications, understand how to select, manage for and report results and be able to describe linkage opportunities for results across an entire application.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 – 3:00pm – 4:00pm

QA-5 The Examiner Experience

Speakers: Tim Case, AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program Administrator, AHCA, Washington, DC; Rick Patterson, Sr. Director, Business Development, NYSHFA / NYSCAL, Albany, NY; Doug Beardsley, Vice President of Member Services, Care Providers of Minnesota, Bloomington, MN

Session Description: Potential Examiners will learn about the requirements for becoming a Senior or Master Examiner, the time commitment involved and the benefits of being a Senior or Master Examiner.

RISK MANAGEMENT

Monday, September 19, 2011 – 8:00am – 10:00am

R-1 MICs, MACs and RACs: Emerging Issues and Appeal Strategies 

Speakers: Andrew B. Wachler, Wachler & Associates, P.C., Royal Oak, MI; Mark Reagan, Chair, AHCA Legal Committee, Hooper Lundy Bookman, San Francisco, CA

Session Description: This session will provide information about the latest developments related to Medicaid Integrity Contractors (MICs), Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) and Recovery Audit Contractors (RACs) and the impact of audits on long term care providers.

Monday, September 19, 2011 – 10:30am – 11:30am

R-2 Using QIS Tools for Risk Management 

Speaker: Linda Williams, Senior Risk Manager, GuideOne Insurance, West DesMoines, IA; Karen Merck, Briggs Corporation, West Des Moines, IA

Session Description: This presentation is designed to assist administrators and nurses in long term care settings use a simple framework for determining when a risk management policy and/or procedure is needed, from both a regulatory and litigation perspective. This program will describe the current QIS tools that are available and free, including how to use and incorporate them into an effective Risk Management program. It will also relate the benefits available when QIS tools are used for resident and family satisfaction surveys and what employees need to do to make their Risk Management Program a success.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 – 8:00am – 10:00am

R-3 Major Changes to the Fraud and Abuse Landscape

Speakers: Ari J. Markenson, Esq., Benesch Friedlander Coplan & Aronoff LLP, White Plains NY

Session Description: This lecture-style seminar focuses on providing attendees with updated and current information on many of the major changes to the federal fraud and abuse laws. These changes include mandatory reporting of identified overpayments, changes to the federal anti-kickback statute and false claims acts, mandatory compliance plans, mandatory disclosure and transparency requirements, suspension of payments where the are credible allegations of fraud and new exclusion authorities.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 – 10:30am – 11:30am

R-4 Health Care Reform and the Elder Justice Act

Speakers: Carol Loepere, AHCA General Counsel, Reed Smith, Washington, DC; Harvey Tettlebaum, Esq., Partner, Husch, Blackwell, Sanders, Jefferson City, MO; Christopher Puri, Attorney, Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP, Nashville, TN

Session Description: The Elder Justice Act (EJA) establishes an elder justice program designed to enhance the coordination of elder justice across the federal government. This presentation will provide an overview of the grants and other programs authorized under the EJA, the status of federal funding, and the current programs underway. The program will also analyze the reporting requirements and compare them to other state and federal reporting requirements. The program will assist the attendee to identify how to establish policies and procedures to comply with the new reporting requirements, and strategies for working with state agencies and law enforcement on these issues.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 – 3:00pm – 4:00pm

R-5 One Too Many Roads: The Past and Future of Civil Money Appeals Under Health Reform

Speakers: Alan C. Horowitz, Assistant Regional Counsel, Office of the General Counsel, U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Philadelphia, PA; Jeannie A. Adams, Attorney Director, Hancock, Daniel, Johnson, & Nagle, P.C., Richmond, VA

Session Description: The program will focus on issues concerning the new independent Informal Dispute Resolution (IDR) appeals process that goes into effect January 2012. This program will provide a glimpse toward the future landscape of civil money appeals and IDR through illustrative examples of major survey infractions and the difficult operational choices that follow. At the end of the hour, attendees will understand what a survey infraction may cost a facility in civil money penalties, attorney’s fees, public relations, and other consequences (such as termination, 5 star rating, special focus facility, status, DPNA) and understand how the choices they make can minimize that cost. 

SURVEY

Monday, September 19, 2011 – 8:00am – 10:00am

S-1 F441 Infection Control: An Outbreak of Citations

Speakers: Karen K Hoffmann, RN MS CIC, Associate Director, NC Statewide Program for Infection Control and Epidemiology (SPICE), Clinical Instructor, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC

Session Description: There are a high number of F441 tags nationally, due to CMS emphasis on “Never Events”, hospital-acquired infections, and re-hospitalizations. Effective partnerships among health care providers are vital for the protection of patients and the facility. 

Monday, September 19, 2011 – 10:30am – 11:30am

S-2 Survey Issues Roundtable

Moderators: Members of the AHCA Survey and Regulatory Committee

Session Description: This session allows for attendees to meet with other nursing home leaders in the country and discuss concerns and issues and solution that are experienced in their nursing homes. 

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 – 8:00am – 10:00am

S-3 Health Care Reform and Survey Update

Speakers: Joan Redden, VP Clinical Risk Management, Skilled Healthcare Group, Foothill Ranch, CA; Lyn Bentley, Director Regulatory Services and Survey, AHCA, Washington, DC

Session Description: Health care reform has several sections directly impacting regulatory compliance.  CMS regularly issues updates, policy memos, surveyor guidance, and new regulations.  This session will provide an update on those issues.  

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 – 10:30am – 11:30am

S-4 F322, F332 and F333 Medication Tags: Push the Cart but Mind the Speed Bumps

Speakers: Linda Jennings, Director of Clinical Services, Tennessee Health Care Association, Nashville, TN

Sessions Description:  With government emphasis on medication issues and the elderly, it is likely that we will see increased emphasis by CMS on these medication tags.  This session will help you evaluate and minimize your risk.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 – 3:00pm – 4:00pm

S-5 We Don’t Know What We Don’t Know: MDS 3.0 and Regulatory Risk

Speakers: Steven Littlehale, Executive Vice President, Chief Clinical Officer, PointRight Inc., Lexington, MA; Marie C. Infante, General Counsel, Senior Vice President, Chief Compliance Officer, Golden Living, Washington, DC

Session Description: MDS 3.0 gives the provider and the surveyors more information about each patient.  This increased information provides increased opportunities for Quality of Life, Quality of Care, and Psychosocial deficiencies.

WORKFORCE

Monday, September 19, 2011 – 8:00am – 10:00am

W-1 Leveraging Partnerships for Staffing, Training, and Retention

Speakers: Sharon Brothers, MSW, President & CEO, Aquire Training Solutions, Oregon City, OR; Pamela Ruona, MHR, Director of Policy and Programs, Oregon Health Care Association, Portland, OR; Ellen Riley, RN, Program Director, Southwestern Oregon Community College, Coos Bay, OR

Session Description: Despite today’s employee availability, we know that the future will bring a significant workforce shortage, due to the changing demographics in this country.  This presentation will present early findings from a Federal HRSA Grant designed to create partnerships between community colleges, training organizations and senior care facilities to address issues of workforce availability, preparation and turnover.  Learn how online training can leverage instructional capacity, and how facilities can become actively involved in partnerships with local community colleges to meet their workforce needs.  The findings will also discuss methods used to reduce employee turnover. 

Monday, September 19, 2011 – 10:30am – 11:30am

W-2 CNA Career Pathways: Retaining and Developing a Stellar Workforce

Speakers: Debbie Freedman, RN, BSN, MS, Regional Director of Quality Education, Kindred Healthcare, Andover, MA; Laurie Roberto, Area Executive Director, Kindred Healthcare, Lynnfield, MA; Mary Jo Feeney, Vice President, Technology and Service Development, WorkSource Partners, Inc., Brookline, MA

Session Description: This program will provide insight on how Kindred Healthcare was able to develop a successful Career Pathway for CNAs that provides multiple levels of educational support, career coaching, and opportunities for advancement. 

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 – 8:00am – 10:00am

W-3 Staffing Models for Patient Needs

Speakers: Keith Krein, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Kindred Healthcare, Louisville, KY; Steve Biondi, Vice President, Corporate Quality Officer, Extendicare Health Services, Milwaukee, WI; Irene Fleshner, Senior Vice President Strategic Nursing Initiatives, Genesis HealthCare, Kennett Square, PA

Session Description: This session will help membership better understand how to meet the staffing needs in increasingly diverse and medically-complex populations.  Experts will share information on various staffing models for specific patient needs; as well as best practices for determining how/when providers should consider bringing in specialized staff to ensure that our patients have good quality of care and services.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 – 10:30am – 11:30am

W-4 Administrator Roundtable Discussion

Moderators: Donald Wilson, CNHA, Executive Director, The Village at Northrise; Bob Lanza, Executive Director, Genesis Healthcare, Kennett Square, PA; Angela Moore, RN, Sharon Lane Health Services, Shawnee, KS; Lisa Evans, Administrator, Lynwood-ManorCare, Lynnwood, WA; Peggy Connorton, Manager, LTC Trend Tracker, AHCA, Washington, DC

Session Description: This session was designed to give Administrators – and especially new Administrators – a chance to network with peers from across the county about common operational issues and concerns.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 – 3:00pm – 4:00pm

W-5 The National Labor Relations Board, It’s Pro Union Strategy and the Impact on LTC

Speakers: Thomas Walsh, Partner, Jackson Lewis, LLP, White Plains, NY; Bradley W. Kampas, Managing Partner, Jackson Lewis, LLP, San Francisco, CA

Session Description: This session will discuss the substantial increase in union activity that has occurred over the last year.  In 2009, the entire nation faced drastic changes to labor laws and the unionization process. Labor and unionization legislative packages, such as the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), threatened to have a significant impact on long term care providers. Due to a strong movement against the legislation, and a variety of other factors, the unions were not successful in pushing their plan through Congress. However, union organizers and federal agencies have developed new avenues to advance their agenda, and providers are prepared to oppose any far-reaching actions that will amend current federal labor standards.

NON-TRACK SESSIONS

Sunday, September 18, 2011 – 2:00pm – 5:00pm – 3 CEUs

Regulatory MEGA SESSION featuring the AHCA Regulatory Update and Preventable Hospitalization

AHCA Regulatory Update - 2:00pm - 3:30pm

Session Leaders: Dianne De La Mare, Vice President of Regulatory Affairs; Sandra Fitzler, Senior Director, Clinical Operations; Lyn Bentley, Director Regulatory Services and Survey; Peter Gruhn, Director, Research; Janice Zalen, Senior Director, Special Programs, AHCA, Washington, DC; Karl Polzer, Senior Director, Assisted Living Policy, NCAL, Washington, DC

Session Description: This session is designed to update association members on survey and regulatory issues.

Preventable Hospitalization – 3:30pm – 5:00pm

Speakers: David Gifford, MD, Senior Vice President, Quality and Regulatory Affairs, AHCA, Washington, DC; Stephen Jencks, MD, MPH, Consultant, Healthcare Quality and Safety, Baltimore, MD

Session Description: Preventable hospital admissions are a major issue confronting all healthcare providers.  CMS demonstration programs, payment changes, and regulatory changes, as a result of health care reform, are requiring providers to re-examine hospital admissions and readmissions in which they are involved, particularly those they initiate.  

Monday, September 19, 2011 – 8:00am – 10:00am

SA-1 State Affiliate Session: Best Practices

Session Leader: Steve Ackerson, President, Affiliated State Health Care Association Executives (ASHCAE), Executive Director, Iowa Health Care Association (IHCA), West Des Moines, IA

Session Description: This session is designed to offer state affiliate staff an opportunity to address issues and share best practices.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011 – 2:00pm – 4:00pm

P-1 – The Me Factor: Strategies for Establishing Self-care Practices

Speaker: Marcie Stern, MHA, RLC, Motivational Speaker and Coach, Vocal Consulting, Homewood, IL

Session Description: Caregivers are constantly planning, questioning and doing things for others in their life while not taking the time to do the same for themselves. They tend to over-commit, multi-task, and put others’ needs ahead of their own. As a result, they feel unfocused, unfulfilled, exhausted and wondering “What about me?”  This is an interactive and experiential workshop that will leave participants focused, energized and ready for action! Participants will be guided through thoughtful, hands-on exercises allowing them to create personal and meaningful action plans they can implement immediately.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011 – 2:00pm – 4:00pm

P-2 – Get Unstuck & Out of Pain – Using the Mind-Body Connection to Heal & Enhance Life

Speaker: Soleil Hepner, International Mind/Body Educator, Stress to Success, Mercer Island, WA

Session Description:  Raise the corners of your mouth – feel lighter?  Listen to soft waves – Dream bigger?  Scrunch into a ball – seem all too familiar?  Our physical body works synergistically with our Mind and Emotions to connect us to What’s Happening Now in our life.  Lose that connection and the result can often be found in physical pain and a sense of being stuck.  In this experiential session, you’ll learn the power of the Mind-Body Connection and apply it to Healing & Enhancing your life - for how can you control the world around you - if you don’t even know what’s going on inside of you?

Meet Ups

Meet Ups are Back! Sometimes the best ideas come from a casual sharing of information. To harness that energy, AHCA/NCAL has designed a networking opportunity for the Las Vegas Convention. Join us in the Exhibit Hall for Meet Ups. Meet Ups are an opportunity for people to get together to have a conversation about topics of mutual interest. These Meet Ups are moderated but the conversations are attendee driven. To participate, choose a Meet Up from the schedule, head into the Meet Up space in the Exhibit Hall and gather with other LTC professionals to ask questions, share best practices, discuss concerns, and gain information in a relaxed manner. CEUs are not available for Meet Ups. Topics and facilitators are still being finalized. Please check back often for new details.

Monday, September 19, 2011

11:45am – 12:30pm – AALNA/NCAL – The Role of Nurses in Assisted Living

Facilitators: Shelley Sabo, Senior Director Quality and Workforce, NCAL, Washington, DC; Josh Allen RN, President, AALNA, Napa, CA

Join assisted living nurses from across the nation at this special event to network and share innovative practices for the nurse in assisted living!  AALNA and NCAL will hold this open forum for this special group of professionals.  This will be the launch of our joint assisted living nurse forum which will continue after convention with regular conference calls.  So become part of this new group and help us further the role of the assisted living nurse.

12:45pm – 1:30pm – Strategies for Providing Pain Care Education

Facilitators: Lori A Ladd, MSN, ACNS-BC, Area Director Medical Liaisons, Purdue Pharma L.P.; Mary Cook, PharmD, Senior Area Director Medical Liaisons, Purdue Pharma L.P.

Quality pain care requires a true partnership and a commitment by all staff members.  And yet, while critically important, educating all staff about pain care can be challenging.  Join your colleagues in an open forum to discuss innovative strategies and resources to simplify the education process and enhance quality of care.

1:45pm – 2:30pm – A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future (session for Future Leader participants)

Facilitators: Robert Van Dyk, Chair, AHCA, President and CEO VanDyk Healthcare, Ridgewood, NJ; Daniel Pink, Author, A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future, Washington, DC

A casual discussion with Daniel Pink, the author of A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

11:45am – 12:30pm – Principles of Staffing

Facilitator: Irene Fleshner, Senior Vice President Strategic Nursing Initiatives, Genesis HealthCare, Kennett Square, PA

Participate in a discussion on how to meet the staffing needs in increasingly diverse and medically-complex populations. 

12:45pm – 1:30pm – Independent Owners – Electronic Medical Records (EMR)/Information Technology (IT) Issues

Facilitator: Tom Coble, IO Council Chair, President & CEO, Elmbrook Management Company, Ardmore, OK

Independent Owners (IO) will discuss their experiences in implementing EMR and other IT solutions.  This facilitated discussion will include sharing both lessons learned and successful outcomes.