Healthcare Headlines Blog
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March 22, 2018
By Susan Feeney, Senior Director of Communications and Public Policy, Kindred Healthcare
In 2018, seismic changes taking place in healthcare will help trigger the evolution of our nation’s healthcare system, including services available to the aging population.
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February 13, 2018
By Rob Wileman, VP IT Enterprise Architectures & Analytics
Errors during the exchange of patient information between acute and post-acute settings often lead to higher patient and family dissatisfaction, an increased risk of readmission and higher costs of care. Due to the lack of electronic medical record adoption and overall system limitations to meet the needs of complex patients, providers must consider all options to improve acute to post-acute information exchange.
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December 19, 2017
By Kindred Healthcare
If you aren’t ready for the impact of MACRA, now is the time to prepare. Even though the CMS released the final rule on MACRA implementation in 2016, and the first performance period under MACRA began in January 2017, there still seems to be a lot of confusion as to what it actually is.
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June 30, 2017
By Kindred Healthcare
As a healthcare professional, keeping up with the key trends that drive consumers’ decisions is integral to your success and the health of your patients. There are three key consumer trends, all heavily influenced by the Baby Boomer population, driving the industry in 2017 and beyond that you should know about.
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February 17, 2015
By Kindred Healthcare
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is a process in which a patient breathes 100 percent oxygen at above-normal atmospheric pressure. The process increases the delivery of oxygen to the body, enhancing the body’s natural healing process.
The Hyperbaric Manager at Kindred Hospital Kansas City has seen the positive effects of HBOT on persistent wounds firsthand.
"For those who have tried other therapies with no results, they can find great benefits with hyperbaric oxygen wound therapy," she says. It can be "life-changing," she adds, when a patient no longer has to deal with a wound that wouldn't heal and was impacting his daily life.
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July 29, 2014
By Kindred Healthcare
Patients, their family members and friends are often overwhelmed during care transitions so we have compiled some frequently asked questions about our long-term acute care hospitals. Whether you are a patient, loved one or healthcare professional, here are a few things about our transitional care hospitals you should know:
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June 18, 2014
By Kindred Healthcare
Aphasia is a little-known language disorder that affects nearly one-third of stroke victims. It occurs when there is damage to the communications hub in the left side of the brain. While aphasia disrupts communication skills, it does not affect a person’s thinking skills.
There are many types of aphasia, but the most general categories are receptive and expressive aphasia. With receptive aphasia, the person can hear a voice or read print, but may not understand the meaning of the message. With expressive aphasia, the person knows what he or she wants to say yet has difficulty communicating it to others.
Someone with receptive aphasia may:
- Have difficulty comprehending what others say
- Have difficulty with reading comprehension
- Be unaware that they are using words incorrectly
Someone with expressive aphasia may:
- Be able to understand what others say
- Have difficulty saying what they are thinking
- Speak in a jumbled manner
- Say a word different than the one they want to say
- Have difficulty writing
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May 29, 2014
By Kindred Healthcare
It is widely recognized by policymakers and payers that our nation’s healthcare system is fragmented, creating gaps in care for patients. Researchers believe that part of this fragmentation is a result of the separate payments furnished by Medicare for each provider type that a patient may encounter during a single care episode.
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January 9, 2014
By Kindred Healthcare
Advance Directives, or Living Wills, allow you to document your wishes for end-of-life medical care. In the event that you become incapacitated and unable to express your wishes, Living Wills guide your loved ones and medical professionals involved in your care when important decisions about life-sustaining treatment must be made.
Patients are asked if they have Advance Directives when they are admitted to a Kindred facility, said Kathee Paradowski, Clinical Informaticist Consultant in Kindred’s Hospital Division.
“The goal of an Advance Directive is to make sure that patients are making informed decisions and that we’re following their wishes,” Ms. Paradowski said.
Once the patient’s wishes have been determined, the physician writes orders based on the patient’s desires and the Advance Directives are entered into the patient’s record.
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December 19, 2013
By Kindred Healthcare
Have you ever heard the term “bed sore” before? “Bed sore” is another way of saying “pressure ulcer,” a condition that occurs when pressure, with or without friction, builds up in an area of the body, such as the sacrum, coccyx, heels or hips, particularly in an immobile person. Pressure obstructs blood flow to the soft tissue, causing injury to the area. Because pressure ulcers can develop in patients confined to wheelchairs or beds in a hospital or long-term care facility, caregivers must be well trained in preventing pressure ulcers and treating them early and effectively when they do develop. The more advanced a pressure ulcer gets, the harder it is to treat and the longer it may take to heal.
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