Mass Senior Care’s 2021 Virtual Spring Conference
Thursday, May 6, 2021
Please join us for Mass Senior Care Association’s 2021 virtual Spring Conference on Thursday, May 6, 2021. As we begin to slowly emerge from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is critical that we begin to take steps to move forward. Our dynamic conference speakers, Steven Littlehale, MS, CGNS-BC, Chief Innovation Officer at Zimmet Healthcare Service Group and Martha Hayward, founding member of the Conversation Project and Lead Faculty for Patient Centered Care with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) will offer their respective perspectives on how the CMS Five Star System and our approaches to End of Life Conversations have been impacted by COVID-19 and will offer strategies we can implement to help our staff and our organizations adjust to the new operating environment.
To register for the 2021 Spring Conference, please click here. If you are a non-member and would like to register, please contact info@maseniorcare.org.
Thank you to our Sponsors!
Visit the 2021 Virtual Spring Conference Sponsor Guide
CLA, Premier Sponsor
HealthPRO Heritage, Quality Leader Sponsor
Marcum, Educational Partner
Thank you to our Lunch Sponsors!
Atlantic Charter/Sallop Insurance
Program Agenda
Morning Session: 9:30 am – 11:30 am – 2 CEUs
Welcome and Opening Remarks
- Tara M. Gregorio, President, Massachusetts Senior Care Association
- Tom Lavallee, Chair, Mass Senior Care Association Board of Directors and Chief Operating Officer, Alliance Health & Human Services
Morning Keynote: Five-Star and the Complete 180
Steven Littlehale, MS, CGNS-BC, Chief Innovation Officer at Zimmet Healthcare Service Group
Session Description: We didn't expect the infection control surveys to count, but they did. We didn't expect our MDS data to be used, but it is. What impact did this have on your Five-Star rating and how should you move forward. In this session we will describe how a Five-Star rating is calculated, review the original plan from CMS regarding infection control surveys & MDS and Five-Star, discuss CMS’ 180-degree turnaround regarding counting infection control surveys and MDS use and define how infection control survey outcomes vary bey geography and COVID outbreaks. Let's discuss!
ProtectNursingHomes.org: Yale data tool helps SNFs control infection, understand staff-driven interconnectivity
David Wilkinson, JD, Executive Director, Tobin Center at Yale University
A new resource provides rich detail on staff interconnectivity that has long been desired by SNF administrators and health leads, but that has been difficult to attain. In short, SNFs often employ or contract with staff who work at one more other nursing homes. ProtectNursingHomes.org shows how nursing homes are connected to one another by the staff that they share. It can be a helpful tool in outbreak management for COVID as well as other infections that more routinely challenge nursing homes (the flu, c.diff, etc). With it, a SNF leader can discover how many other SNF facilities their home is connected to. It shares the degree of connectivity for each connected home to help inform SNF leaders on when to take elevated precautionary measures to prevent infection.
Specifically, data presented on ProtectNursingHomes.org allows public health officials and nursing home decision-makers to:
- Activate an early warning system to let connected nursing homes know when there is an outbreak in a home with shared staff
- Identify hyper-connected homes where levels of connectivity risk may justify elevated monitoring and protective measures
- Prepare for future outbreaks by developing informed staffing plans and guidelines for workers visiting multiples sites
The site is supported by the Tobin Center at Yale and US Digital Response.
Sponsor Roundtable Discussions: 11:30am – 12:00pm
Join one of the Sponsor Roundtable Discussion sessions from 11:30am to 12:00pm on May 6th. Click here for the topics and meeting link information.
Presenters: Sean P. Morrison, Manager, Health Care and Mark Cummings, Principal, Health Care
Description: Join CLA’s team for a Roundtable Q & A: Provider Relief Funding and Massachusetts Medicaid Rate Environment and Implications on your Organization. The session will focus on discussion surrounding the Department of Health and Human Services’ Provider Relief Fund (PRF) and Commonwealth of Massachusetts Medicaid rate environment. Including any recent updates and strategies or key considerations for Providers.
Census + Network: Making Connections + Cultivating Growth, Presented by HealthPRO Heritage
Presenters: Erin Dunn, VP of Strategic Partnerships and Linda Senecal, Regional Director of Business Development
Description: Join us for a lively Roundtable discussion where we will share strategies for success in the vital arena of census + network development. There will be a heavy focus on how to establish new + rejuvenate prior relationships with both upstream + downstream partners through use of data analytics, communication strategies + best practices. With PDPM, COVID-19 and the ever-changing landscape of healthcare – our first + last points of contact at our organizations are the keys to longevity + sustainability when it comes to securing market share + steady census streams. Join us for a fun + interactive discussion that will give participants tangible takeaways to leverage for success!
Tax Law Changes – Will it cost you or save you?, Presented by Marcum
Presenter: Mary Antonetti, Partner, Tax and Business Services
Description: With the change in administration and the COVID-19 pandemic a host of legislative changes have come along that could result in tax savings to your organization for both for-profit and tax exempt organizations. The Employee Retention Tax Credit is a must know for your organization. This credit is ongoing throughout 2021 and could potentially bring cash to your organization. While most organizations are focusing on PPP and other stimulus programs, the recently issued guidance on “Qualified Residential Living Facilities” and the impact on the deductibility of interest expenses under section 163(j) has gone under the radar. For some organizations, this method change may be beneficial. Finally, the current news cycle keeps taxes on the minds of many individuals and organizations. While we do not have a crystal ball to know what will happen, we can provide insight into some of the current proposals.
Afternoon Session: 1:00pm – 3:00pm - 2 CEUs
Afternoon Keynote: The Conversation Project
Martha Hayward, a founding member of the Conversation Project and Lead Faculty for Patient Centered Care with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI)
Session Description: Let’s talk about the effects of loss during the COVID 19 pandemic. This session will offer an introduction to the Conversation Project, a national campaign to help talk about end of life care. Participants will learn about tools and strategies to build skills at all levels of staffing to engage in conversations and respect the wishes of residents. Building skills in confronting end of life care can help nursing home staff to provide even more compassionate care as well as reducing the trauma and stress of loss for residents, families and staff.
CEUs: Up to 4
The Massachusetts Senior Care Association has qualified for “deemed status #NH-09015-007” from the Board of Registration of Nursing Home Administrators for Administrators. This program also meets continuing education requirements for nurses in Massachusetts. An application for social work continuing education credits has been submitted. Please contact info@maseniorcare.org for the status of social work CE accreditation. All paid webinar attendees will receive a certificate of attendance via the email address they registered with.
Program Fees: (Must be paid in full prior to attending webinar)
Mass Senior Care Members: $75.00 per person
Non Members: $150.00 per person
Virtual Meeting information: Meeting log in information will be sent once program payment has been received.
Cancellation Policy: Mass Senior Care must be notified in writing no later than 48 hours prior to the start of the webinar for a credit of equal amount to be issued to your Mass Senior Care account. No refunds will be given. Cancellations should be emailed to info@maseniorcare.org.
Premier Sponsor
Quality Leader Sponsor
Educational Partner