CAST staff are compiling learnings from the LeadingAge Annual Meeting & EXPO held Oct. 29-Nov. 1, 2017, in New Orleans. One topic we’ll share right away is the importance of minimizing legal risk when using electronic medical records. We are also gearing up to present our CAST Technology Selection Tools and a recent case study at the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC)’s Annual Meeting.
This month, we also release two new CAST case studies and congratulate LeadingAge CAST Supporters on new partnerships and a LeadingAge Provider Member on an award for an innovative program. Finally, we tell you how gaming technologies are changing the game in physical therapy in senior living. Let’s get started.
CAST in Spotlight at ONC Annual Meeting
CAST’s Online Technology Selection Tools and a recent CAST case study will be in the spotlight at the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC)’s Annual Meeting later this month.
As a presenter at the “Deep Dive: Resources and Case Studies to Support Long Term and Post-Acute Care Health IT Adoption and Health Information Exchange” on Friday Dec. 1, I will share the tools and a case study from Camelot Brookside Care Center of Central Control, Inc.
This skilled nursing facility quickly reduced hospital readmissions by more than half, with minimal investment, by collecting residents’ vital signs electronically. Constant Care Technology’s CareConnection system was the solution to measure vital signs automatically, in real time, error-free. The ONC annual meeting will take place Nov. 30 – Dec. 1, 2017, in Washington, DC.
ONC Health IT Playbook to Feature CAST EHR Selection Tool
I am pleased to announce that the ONC’s updated Health IT Playbook will feature CAST’s Electronic Health Records (EHR) Selection Tool in its EHR section for the second year in a row. The playbook will be released later this year.
CAST Session Highlights Minimizing Legal Risk of EMRs
If you missed the recent LeadingAge Annual Meeting & EXPO, pay attention to this. One of the speakers noted that long-term care providers should make it a priority to minimize legal risk around electronic medical records (EMRs).
This kind of litigation is rising faster than other types of lawsuits against LTC providers, said presenter Richard Guttman, senior vice president of risk and compliance for PointClickCare, a LeadingAge Gold Partner with CAST Focus. Stay tuned for more on the conference happenings.
CAST Releases 2 Case Studies
CAST has released two new case studies showing the success of technology in senior living.
- Network Overhaul Yields Hassle-free Wi-Fi: Different television and internet services at Vinson Hall Retirement Community left residents with reliability issues, inconsistent access—and many complaints. Vinson Hall worked with LeadingAge CAST Supporter ProviNET Solutions to overhaul the network, giving residents a top-notch Wi-Fi experience.
- Captioned Telephones Assuage Loneliness for Seniors with Hearing Loss: CAST Business Associate Hamilton CapTel is helping residents at Life Care Services with hearing loss to use their phones again. The project is re-connecting residents at these senior living communities to friends and family and reducing social isolation.
Grants
The National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR), part of the Administration for Community Living, has announced several research grants. The Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) Phase I grants include 10 awards totaling $1,000,000. Applications are due Jan. 16, 2018.
NIDILRR will also be awarding grants through its new Advanced Rehabilitation Research Training (ARRT) Program: Community Living and Participation Forecast 1, Employment Forecast 1, and Health and Function Forecast 1.
CAST Member News
This month in CAST member news, LeadingAge CAST Supporters Lyft and Netsmart forge new partnerships.
Trends
A combination of telehealth kiosks and nurse consultations are improving health at LeadingAge Provider Member Lutheran Senior Services (LSS). Please join me in congratulating LSS for Project Wellness, which has been named Affordable Housing Innovative Program of the Year by the American Association of Service Coordinators.
Gaming technologies and virtual reality are encouraging older adults to stick with physical therapy. As a result, assisted living and skilled nursing providers and continuing care retirement communities are investing in these technologies and adjusting their care practices to fit, says a recent article in Senior Housing News. The article quotes me as saying there are clear advantages to gamification of therapy, including higher patient engagement and the ability to better measure progress.
Please Contact Me
If you have news to share with CAST or if I can be of assistance in any way, please don’t hesitate to contact me.