Those of us who work with the MDS 3.0 on a daily basis often feel as though we have been in continuous motion, striving to keep abreast of the constant tool changes since it was launched on October 1, 2010.

The importance of protecting against infection in an LTC facility is clear. For the health of staff and residents, good practices are required throughout the laundry cycle.

Microorganisms from blood, urine and other body fluids are frequently found in sheets, blankets, towels and other textiles. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posits that actual disease transmission via linens is rare and occurs almost exclusively as a result of improper handling. In other words, infection from linens is preventable.

Peter Ducker, one of the most renowned management minds of our generation, offers this observation:“Good intentions don’t move mountains, bulldozers do!” If your facility repeatedly receives poor surveys, it’s time to bring in the heavy management equipment and get everyone motivated to bulldoze the way to better results.

Thomas Gale has more than a few words to share about getting creative today. Gale, a healthcare lending veteran and vice president with securities firm Lancaster Pollard, authored last year’s popular Long-Term Living article, “Alternative senior housing funding options,” which detailed nontraditional methods of accessing capital in 2011 and 2012.

Design considerations, whether for a new property, one being refurbished or one undergoing top-to-bottom renovations, are critical to a property’s success. The appearance of the community should get prospective residents and their families through the front door. Once inside, the design and décor should make them want to stay.

It’s one of the more immediate issues in any given long-term care facility, yet can be difficult to resolve. Accessing needed pain medications for residents in a timely manner is stressful for both the people who hurt and the nurses who seek a prescriber’s signature.

Some say telemedicine will play a critical role in the U.S. healthcare system’s progression and in improving outcomes in LTC facilities. In fact, telemedicine and telehealth are already finding their way into long-term care, and some facilities are using these tools to reduce readmission rates or costs, perhaps without even knowing it.

Information technology is on its way to becoming the hottest topic in long-term and post-acute care—if it can just wrestle that label from our importunate friend “reimbursement cuts.”

Recently released data from NIC MAP shows a continuation of existing trends in nursing care properties, as occupancy continues to marginally decline and rent growth remains stable.

In 4Q11, nursing care occupancy was 88.2 percent, a decline of 0.1 percent from the prior quarter and a 0.2 percent decline from one year ago. Absorption continued to post modest declines, with the number of occupied beds decreasing by 0.3 percent during 4Q11.