DOH-Association Meeting Focuses on Professional Service Shortages for Nursing Home Residents
(Aug. 19, 2024) In a regular meeting with nursing home associations on Aug. 15th, the Department of Health (DOH) focused on shortages of professionals affecting nursing home residents, as well as the three most frequently cited deficiencies. The Department noted that it is aware of the shortage of dentists participating in the Medicaid program and the challenges nursing homes face in providing residents with access to dental care. However, it stressed that nursing homes are responsible for providing access to all covered services necessary to attain or maintain the resident's highest practicable physical, mental, and psychosocial well-being. Facilities that encounter shortages that impede their ability to make needed services available should document their efforts to obtain the services and flag concerns with the residents' medical providers and the facility's medical director.
LeadingAge NY asked for the Department's active support and engagement in addressing shortages. The association noted that, in addition to dentists, there are also shortages of behavioral health professionals, such as psychiatrists and psychologists. It also pointed to the appropriation of funds to the Department's Center for Health Workforce Innovation and asked the Office of Aging and Long-Term Care to work to ensure that these funds are appropriately targeted to long-term care settings. The Department requested information regarding other health care providers that are difficult to access for nursing home residents. LeadingAge NY members are encouraged to contact Karen Lipson via email to share their challenges in accessing specific provider types.
The Department also discussed the three most frequently cited deficiencies: F684 (Quality of Care), F600 (Free from Abuse and Neglect), and F604 (Free from Restraints). The discussion of the quality of care deficiencies focused on two examples, the first involving a failure to implement comfort measures and the second involving a failure to respond to an acute change in condition. The abuse and neglect discussion focused on resident-on-resident abuse. The Department stressed the facility's responsibility to implement care plans that include steps to prevent aggressive behaviors and protect other residents. It noted that a "reasonable person standard" is applied in determining whether there was psychosocial harm, in accordance with the 2022 updates to the outcome severity grid. Finally, the Department discussed the need to use the least restrictive form of restraint for the shortest duration possible and to engage in ongoing evaluation of the need for restraints when they are implemented.
The Department publicized some upcoming trainings, including the following:
- Sept. 11th at 12 p.m.: Psychotropic Use in Adult Care Facilities (ACFs)
- Oct. 9th at 12 p.m.: Transitions from Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs) to the Community
- Dec. 4th: Annual Nursing Home Education Day with Teepa Snow
Invitations to register for these trainings will be coming soon.
A list of trainings already presented thus far this year, with links to the recordings, is available here. This list and the recordings are maintained in the Health Commerce System (HCS). The recording of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT)/Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Bill of Rights training was also just posted. More information about that training and how to access it is here.
Contact: Karen Lipson, klipson@leadingageny.org