Telehealth has been steadily gaining traction in the United States since the pandemic began, reports MarketWatch. 

A recent National Center for Health Statistics report found more than one in three adults in 2021 reported using telemedicine in 2020, and use was more prevalent among older adults, women and those in urban areas. Women were much more likely than men to use telemedicine, whereas 43% of adults aged 65 or more years leveraged telemedicine versus 29% of those aged 18 to 29. Older adults — namely, older women — might gain the most benefit from telehealth, although previous research has found that older adults often have the least access to technology due to poor engagement, age discrimination and noninclusion in product design. 

The use of telehealth by older women counters the ageist stereotype that older adults are not receptive to technology. Yet the pandemic-induced migration to telemedicine has led to an even more profound disparity in health outcomes for groups such as older adults, those with chronic conditions and members of ethnic minorities. 

PointClickCare holds top ranking as long-term care software provider

PointClickCare Technologies recently announced that it was recognized by KLAS Research as the Best in KLAS long-term care software segment winner for 2023 for the fourth consecutive year.

KLAS is a research and insights firm focused on improving healthcare by amplifying payer and provider voices.

The firm’s 2023 “Best in KLAS: Software & Services Report” recognizes software and services companies that excel in helping healthcare professionals improve care.

All rankings are a direct result of the feedback of thousands of providers over the past year and signify to the healthcare IT industry the commitment and partnership that the top vendors should provide.

“We are honored to be recognized as the leader in long-term care software and will continue to connect care across the continuum to enhance care collaboration, strengthen provider productivity, improve care outcomes and help to reduce costs,” PointClickCare Chief Strategy Officer Kari Hall said.

Alliance Laundry Systems, a large commercial laundry equipment seller, recently acquired the distribution assets of California-based commercial laundry Taylor Houseman. 

“This acquisition further solidifies our capacity to provide exceptional services in the significant California market,” said Craig Dakauskas, senior vice president, Americas Commercial, Alliance Laundry Systems. 

Alliance reports that it also recently reorganized its North America sales team into three regions: Northeast, Central and West Coast, the latter of which will include Latin America.

JVK adds to LAVATEC lineup

Commercial laundry operator JVK has invested in additional LAVATEC equipment to expand capacity and speed up processing. The company, which serves five long-term care facilities in addition to other commercial clients, said it processed 36 million pounds of laundry last year and hopes to boost that by eight million more this year. 

“We have been servicing healthcare institutions almost since the first day,” said Vinny Samuel, president and co-owner. “Today it accounts for 50% of our business, and the other half is hospitality-driven.”

The company dates to 2004 and services customers in Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. Recent upgrades include six 330-pound capacity dryers that now are helping operations run more efficiently. 

TRSA launches new laundry website

TRSA, the association for linen, uniform and facility services providers, has launched LaundryServices.org to connect healthcare institutions and other consumer-oriented businesses with commercial laundry providers. The website educates users about the benefits of commercial laundries, including practices that support environmental and supply chain sustainability.

A directory enables businesses to locate nearby providers, whereas videos explain how commercial laundry works and highlights the requirements of Clean Green and Hygienically Clean certifications. The certification programs demonstrate commercial laundries’ commitment to environmental sustainability and hygiene.  

Wound-related costs and number of cell tissue product applications were significantly lower for cryopreserved human skin when compared with bilayered living cell construct and dermal skin substitutes, researchers concluded in a study published in the May issue of Advances in Skin & Wound Care.

The study authors analyzed commercial insurance claims data from 2010 to 2018. They concluded that a statistically significant reduction occurred in the cost of treating diabetic foot ulcers and venous leg ulcers with cryopreserved skin. 

Swift touts outcomes  

With Swift Medical’s artificial intelligence-powered wound care platform deployed across almost 4,000 healthcare facilities in North America, the technology has been shown to speed up wound healing by 37% and reduce wound prevalence by 35%, according to statistics published by the company in June.

The platform also was linked to a 62% reduction in hospital length of stay. Long-term care length of stay was not addressed.

“These outcomes demonstrate the impact of having the most powerful wound image dataset in the world and its ability to deliver high quality wound care with reduced costs,” CEO Brian Litten said.

The Swift Skin & Wound mobile application enables any mobile device to be equipped with AI-powered imaging capabilities to capture high-precision 3-D images, measurements and other clinical data. The imaging enables real-time patient monitoring and decision-making.

Medline optimizes Remedy Skin Care line

Medline recently announced a repackaging initiative for its Remedy Skin Care line as part of what the company says is its commitment to making skin care more intuitive for clinicians. The firm unveiled the changes for attendees at this year’s WOCNext conference in June.

In addition to a unique color coding system meant to enhance efficiency, other advances include packaging and labeling designed to be more useful, as well as education for nurses.

Enhanced color coding on both ends of the product packaging also aligns with the new Coalition for At-Risk Skin’s 21 consensus statements.

Residents need not bathe every day, but once or twice a week helps most residents avoid skin breakdowns, according to DailyCaring.com, a website that addresses various care issues.

Older adults tend to be less active than younger adults, so they don’t need to bathe as often. Conversely, however, body odor is a development that is best avoided.

An exception to less frequent bathing schedules may be needed for residents living with dementia; daily bathing may be a part of their daily routines.

The website also recommends using warm washcloths to wipe armpits, the groin area, genitals, feet and any skin folds to help minimize body odor in between full baths.

The website adds that it is essential to consider residents’ specific health conditions when choosing a bathing schedule. Some people may need to bathe more frequently than others, for medical reasons.

» Invacare’s Birdie Evo XPLUS lift takes hold

Invacare Corporation’s recently unveiled Birdie Evo XPLUS lift is gaining popularity in the United States, according to the firm. 

The product’s technology is desgined to help maximize comfort and security when lifting or transferring a resident to or from a bed, chair or floor, Invacare said. Features:

• Slow’R integrated dampener – This piece of hardware, built into the boom, is meant to reduce rocking movement, resulting in a stable and more comfortable experience for the end user and steady lift control for the caregiver.

• Ergonomic sling hook – This hook with a nose is designed to help prevent sling loops from sliding out unintentionally, helping reduce the risk of injury, and it has a wide base that allows for easy strap positioning.

» Resident handling equipment market has predicted value of more than $14 billion

The global patient handling equipment market is estimated to be worth $10.4 billion this year and is poised to reach $14.0 billion by 2027, according to a new report by MarketsandMarkets. 

The growth is partly fueled by the growing number of obese and geriatric populations.

A new memory care unit in upstate New York underscores growing demands from communities serving older adults with specialized needs.

“The demand for dedicated memory care services in Central New York has continued to increase far beyond what our community can currently support,” said Kim Townsend, CEO of Loretto.

The healthcare company opened its memory special care unit in early January by renovating an entire floor of its main campus to support the unique needs of those in the most advanced stages of the disease. After nine months of planning and three months of construction, the new 12th floor unit offers 30 individual rooms.

Features include wayfinding cues; sensory stimulation through touch, sounds, and a scent system to help residents feel calm; and walls camouflaged with landscapes and familiar home scenes to trigger memories, direct residents and keep them safe.

» New guidelines tout benefits of automatic doors in facilities

Automated door systems can be a versatile solution for resident rooms, reducing potential injury by eliminating the need to use a heavy manual door, the American Association of Automatic Door Manufacturers said in new guidelines.

Unique benefits include access control, wander management and touch-free operation. Automatic doors come in three types: sliding, swing and folding, and can be fit to resident room entries. Sliding doors in particular are made to withstand the influx and outflow.

» Mannington Commercial adds to LVT line 

The Realities III line of luxury vinyl tile includes 48 enhanced wood visuals and colors, all of them suited for healthcare and senior living and care facilities, where hygiene, easy maintenance, cost savings and efficient installation are priorities. 

Those latest wood visuals are designed specifically to coordinate with items from Mannington’s Spacia Collection LVT and Amtico LVT colors, making it easier for healthcare and long-term care designers to create a unified, high-performance space. Rolls available in a variety of widths also reduce seams, making floors easier to install and clean.

Luna, a provider of in-home physical therapy, announced in March that it had launched a
partnership with Providence, a Western US not-for-profit health system that includes several skilled nursing facilities. Luna’s technology platform will expand access to outpatient physical therapy for Providence patients being discharged.

The platform allows patients and physical therapists to communicate and discuss care needs between visits. The same therapist will treat the person for the entirety of the treatment plan. People also will use the platform to make appointments and perform prescribed and monitored exercises between virtual visits.

The partnership is expected to reduce the number of referrals that go outside the system. A 2021 Luna study found US health systems lose an estimated $2.5 billion in potential revenue from therapy referrals.

“Luna’s in-home physical therapy provides relief for health systems operating at capacity and needing more access,” said Palak Shah, co-founder and head of clinical operations at Luna. 

» Resistance training urged for sarcopenia

Older adults with age-related skeletal muscle loss, or sarcopenia, improved their sleep and inflammatory status when participating in a 12-week course of resistance exercise, a study found.

Sarcopenia has been found to affect 15% of adults aged 60 or more years and 46% of those aged 80 and older, according to Brazilian researchers.

Investigators examined how resistance training could help address links between sarcopenia, sleep deprivation and age-related inflammation. Fourteen participants with diagnosed sarcopenia and an average age of 75 took part in training three times per week for three months, assisted by physical therapists, nutritionists and physicians. Exercises worked large muscle groups, progressing from moderate intensity to 80% of maximum force in the last eight weeks.

Participants improved on all metrics of muscle strength, including handgrip and leg torque, as well as sleep quality and inflammation.

Full findings were published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.

Workforce Development Guide – digital

2023 Workforce Development Guide – PDF

The American Society of Consultant Pharmacists has announced its key initiatives for 2023:

• Vaccinations in long-term care settings. “LTC pharmacies and pharmacists were asked and have built significant infrastructure to support being responsible for older adult vaccinations in long-term care,” said Chad Worz, PharmD, ASCP’s chief executive. 
• High-risk medications. ASCP is also participating in a two-year quality improvement project to demonstrate the impact on consultant pharmacists on the use of high-risk medications with the IPRO Quality Innovation Network-Quality Improvement Organization (QIN-QIO), a collaboration of three organizations with decades of experience working as Medicare QIOs in the Northeast
• Antipsychotic measurement reform for skilled nursing facilities. ASCP will continue to partner with other advocacy and professional associations on Project PAUSE and efforts to improve how psychoactive medications are measured, said Worz, who recently was selected to serve on a Technical Expert Panel for the Refinement of the Nursing Home Antipsychotic Medication Measures that convened in February.

»  Geri-Care announces partnership on injection pen protection technology

Geri-Care announced that it has partnered with TempraMed to market temperature-shield devices to protect temperature-sensitive medication from extreme cold and heat. VIVI devices encourage safe transport of injection pens, enabling compliance with medication care plans without worrying about how temperature will affect the potency of their injection pen. 

The VIVI Cap is suitable for use with a wide range of pre-filled and refillable insulin pens. It requires no refrigeration, ice packs, external power or batteries.

Greystone, national commercial real estate finance firm, ranked No. 1 based on dollar volume of multifamily and healthcare commitments issued by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development in fiscal year 2022. The firm originated and obtained commitments for 177 multifamily and healthcare facility HUD-insured loans totaling $3.6 billion, representing 14.2% overall market share. Greystone ranked highest based on dollar volume under the healthcare LEAN program, with $676 million in origination for 46 healthcare properties, which include assisted living communities and nursing homes. 

» Great Elm Capital, Berkadia launch joint venture healthcare financing group

Great Elm Capital Corp. and an affiliate of Berkadia Commercial Mortgage will form Great Elm Healthcare Finance in a joint venture to provide venture capital to companies focused on skilled nursing facilities and senior living communities as well as acute care facilities and specialty pharmacies, the companies announced.

Berkadia, according to GECC, will be a strategic minority partner in the joint venture.

Headquartered in Nashville, TN, GEHF will be led by Michael Gervais as CEO, Ray Zilke as vice president of portfolio and Chad Kerr as vice president of credit, along with a management team with “substantial” expertise in healthcare real estate.

GEHF also will be supported by Great Elm Specialty Finance’s existing infrastructure, according to the announcement.

» Medicare Advantage premiums to decline by almost 8%

Consumer groups applauded the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for lowering Medicare Advantage plan premiums. Beneficiaries will see the projected average premium for MA plans decrease almost 8%, from $19.52 in 2022 to $18 per month next year. The announcement came before open enrollment, which runs from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7. CMS projects that enrollment will reach 31.8 million people in 2023.

The news followed warnings from LeadingAge, which told McKnight’s that provider pressure to accept low-ball contracts with Medicare Advantage plans would force some organizations into “a death spiral.”

The healthcare sector set records for the level of costs and recovery times following data breaches for the 12th consecutive year, according to IBM. The industry as a whole has the longest breach cycle of any industry, according to the firm’s “X-Force Cost of a Data Breach” report. Providers average 11 months to identify and contain security incidents, with average costs exceeding $10 million, up 9.4% from 2021, according to IBM. 

» NY rolls out robot companions for seniors 

A tabletop robot designed specifically for older adults is making its way into the homes of 800 older adults, including some in congregate settings. The NY Office for the Aging partnered with Intuition Robotics to place artificial intelligence-powered robotic companions that communicate with older adults in a way similar to Amazon’s Alexa. It can empathize with humans and respond to voice and body movements, according to the company. The technology could offer relaxation cues, physical exercises, nutrition conversations and medication reminders. 

» Netsmart adds Zimmet’s CORE Analytics 

Netsmart added Zimmet Healthcare’s CORE Analytics claims data solution to its suite of electronic health records and related service offerings in early August. Netsmart said the integration made its solutions the only in the market capable of calculating quality measures and Five-Star ratings leveraging Minimum Data Set, Payroll-Based Journaling and UB-04 claims data. 

Netsmart provides technology and services to more than 50% of US long-term care facilities. 

The CORE solutions includes CORE Reimbursement, which identifies Patient-Driven Payment Model revenue opportunities; Value-Based Post- Acute eXchange, VPAX, which measures clinical and financial outcomes to partners; and Medicare Advantage Post-Acute eXchange, MAPAX, which quantifies clinical and financial performance. 

“We can expand the capabilities of our comprehensive tools to unite the clinical, claims and staffing data to provide a holistic view of an organization. Our clients will be able to rely on the same tools and support they’ve come to expect, with the ability to leverage solutions across the Netsmart CareFabric platform,” Zimmet Healthcare President and CEO Marc Zimmet said.