News In Brief - February 27, 2014

Legislative Update
At the current pace, Oregon’s short legislative session is anticipated to end next week, short of its constitutional “sine die” of March 9. The Ways and Means Co-Chair’s budget is expected to be released on Friday and taken up on Monday. To date, the Campaign’s Special Purpose Appropriation Funding Request continues to be viewed positively by legislators. Following Tuesday’s policy committee deadline to move bills, bill activity moves to the Finance, Rules, and Ways and Means Committees. Wednesday’s Ways and Means Subcommittee on Human Services agenda included the following bills for a possible work session:

For more information on these bills as well as others of being tracked by LeadingAge Oregon, access LeadingAge Oregon's Bill Report as of Wednesday.

Join us for free AgeTech West webinar
Figuring out what kind of technology platforms to adopt can be difficult unless you can see and hear how the technology works, and learn how other organizations are using it. AgeTech West will attempt to start answering some of those questions for you with its first webinar on April 8, “Boost Census and Streamline Placements through Web-based Technology.” Participants will learn about OpenPlacement, a new web-based platform that can connect nursing homes, assisted living and residential care facilities to discharge planners, care seekers and caregivers. Learn more. Register for the webinar. (AgeTech West is a collaborative founded by LeadingAge California, LeadingAge Oregon and Leading Age Washington).

HUD’s Portland office last in line for consolidation
HUD’s Portland Multifamily Housing Program operations are scheduled to be relocated to San Francisco by the summer of 2015, according to HUD’s updated Multifamily Transformation plans. HUD is consolidating its 17 multifamily housing field offices into 5 hubs and 7 satellite offices. The San Francisco hub (and Denver satellite office) will be the fifth and final hub to be consolidated under the transformation plan. Read more.

Board of Nursing seeks CNA2s to provide input on new training curriculums
The State Board of Nursing is seeking individuals who are certified as CNA2s to provide their perspective and input as the board develops two new CNA2 training curriculums for long-term care and acute care. Long-term care providers are being asked to spread the word and encourage their CNA2s to consider participating in the CNA2 Stakeholder group. Stakeholder meeting dates and locations are listed on the OSBN web site. Contact Debbie Buck ([email protected]) or Penny Patterson ([email protected]) for questions or to register for upcoming meetings.

Draft rules issued for Early Discussion and Resolution process for adverse events
The Oregon Patient Safety Commission has published draft rules for the Early Discussion and Resolution Process, which was authorized by the legislature to provide a confidential, voluntary and structured way for healthcare providers to notify, discuss and (if necessary) mediate adverse events as an alternative to litigation. According to Commission Executive Director Bethany Walmsley, similar programs in other states have led to a reduction in health care lawsuits and legal costs and faster resolution of claims. The Commission plans to launch the process July 1.

APD hires new Deputy Director
The Aging and People with Disabilities (APD) division of the Department of Human Services has announced that Ashley Carson Cottingham has been hired as Deputy Director. An attorney, Cottingham worked on Capitol Hill as staff director for aging-related committees, was Executive Director of the national non-profit organization Older Women’s League, and most recently was Director of Policy and Advocacy for Compassion & Choices, an organization dedicated to improving care and expanding choices at the end of life. She will begin her new job April 8.

OLRO issues alert regarding medication history data in Electronic Health Records
The DHS Office of Licensing and Regulatory Oversight (OLRO) has forwarded to nursing facilities an alert regarding potentially inaccurate medication history records in Electronic Health Records (EHR). Read the alert.

FDA offers Patient Lifts Safety Guide
The Food and Drug Administration has produced a guide with general safety information regarding the use of lifts in institutional and home settings. The colorful, easy-to-read guide includes sections on such areas as selecting sling size, preparing the equipment and environment, safety checks and best practices in lifting and lowering. Access the guide.

LeadingAge provides summary of nursing facility regulatory activity for 2013-2014
Having trouble keeping track of the regulatory changes impacting nursing facilities this past year? LeadingAge has made it easier for you by publishing a Summary of Nursing Facility Regulatory Activity from February 2013 to February 2014. Access the summary.

Department of Labor posts information on new wage and hour rules for home care workers
This past September the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) published final rules that repealed the “companionship exemption” utilized by many home care employers. The rule clarifies that direct care workers are entitled to: minimum wage for all services; overtime when hours worked exceed 40 hours per week; and compensation for time spent traveling between clients. The rules are effective January 1, 2015. Learn more about what employers must do to comply with federal wage and overtime laws for home care workers on the DOL home care information page.

Still time to register for next week’s Community-based Care (ALF/RCF) Nurse class
There’s still time to register for our new three-day class for nurses in ALFs and RCFs, which will be held March 5-7 at Sysco Food Services in Wilsonville. Designed for both experienced and new nurses, the class will provide a thorough overview of the special role of the nurse in these community settings and how the nurse can establish systems to ensure high quality health services. Read more. Register for the class.

Volunteer Recognition Luncheon scheduled for April 29 at Mennonite Village
Once again this year we are traveling down to Albany for our Volunteer of the Year Luncheon. This luncheon honors residents of LeadingAge Oregon member communities who volunteer either in the senior housing community or in their community at large. The program started around 1995 with each LeadingAge Oregon provider member eligible to elect one volunteer or volunteer committee to honor. The honorees are recognized at the luncheon with a slide presentation and a display of collages representing them at work. Contact Karen Nichols for more information about how to honor your resident volunteer, [email protected].

Value First partners with Medline for cost savings, clinical and quality solutions
Value First, the group purchasing organization owned by LeadingAge Oregon and other LeadingAge state affiliates, recently selected Medline Industries as its newest healthcare product supplier and clinical education partner. Medline is providing its extensive portfolio of products to Value First members at significant savings. The company also offers quality assurance and clinical education programs, the abaqis quality management system, the INTERACT eCurriculum training program and 240 free online courses through Medline University. For more information on how you can save money through Value First, contact Karen Nichols at [email protected]. Read more about the Value First/Medline partnership.