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Virginia Health Care Association | Virginia Center for Assisted Living

Recap: Assisted Living Symposium

Recap: Assisted Living Symposium

Over 110 assisted living providers gathered for the annual VCAL Assisted Living Symposium on July 24 to hear from a great line up of speakers.  Members heard directly from the Department of Social Services (DSS) leadership about the agency’s commitment to partnering with providers to keep people safe from abuse and neglect and how implementation of the new standards is proceeding.  Attendees also heard the case for tracking data to improve quality, advice on how to avoid medication errors and train staff accordingly, as well as a testimonial on the value of applying for an AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award. 

To kick off the Symposium, VHCA-VCAL President and CEO Keith Hare described the association’s commitment to serving assisted living providers.  He urged members to reach out directly to VHCA-VCAL staff for help with their questions and concerns. 

New DSS Commissioner Duke Storen then took the podium to talk about the work underway at his agency. He noted that with 580 assisted living facilities in Virginia, having well-functioning assisted living facilities is so important. He shared his opinion that the term “assisted living facility” does not ring true to him because he knows that these communities are not “facilities.” He said, “You all are running homes for people with vibrant lives.  Having a home that is safe, healthy, and nurturing is so important. Thank you for creating homes that treat people with dignity and provide such important services.”

Storen went on to describe his belief that DSS and providers are partners in this important work. He said, “People don’t live in isolation or in programs, they live in families and communities.  We weave these things together to keep people safe from abuse and neglect.” 

Storen then offered insights into his priorities for DSS including:

  1. Improved customer service: The agency is working on launching a new information system/portal. Feedback from providers on what the system should include is needed.
  2. Improved mental health services: The Northam Administration is working to make the systems that support Virginians with mental health needs better.
  3. Building a culture at DSS of positive interactions.
  4. Coordinated effort to help those populations in greatest need.

AHCA/NCAL’s Associate Vice President, Workforce and Quality Improvement Lindsay Schwartz, PhD emphasized the importance of data and how it can be used to improve quality.  She offered suggestions on steps members can take to improve quality including:  

  1. Start a safety committee that includes someone from every department – dietary, housekeeping, etc.
  2. Look at Hospital Compare—be interested in hospital quality data, because hospitals are interested in your quality data. In particular, hospitals emphasize customer satisfaction metrics.
  3. Use the tools to build quality including the AHCA/NCAL Quality Initiative goals, LTC Trend Tracker, and the AHCA/NCAL National Quality Awards

Tara Davis-Ragland, Division Director for Adult Licensing Programs, Missy Currier, Associate Director-Adult Licensing Programs, and Mike Hoback, Associate Director, at DSS reviewed the top 10 most cited violations during inspections (administration of medication issues; building maintenance issues); ISP issues (signatures, signed and dated, etc.); medication management plans; and staff personal and social data and a range of issued and questions stemming from implementation of the new standards. 

The panelists encouraged providers to get to know their licensing administrators (LAs) and to reach out to the LAs with any questions. 

Todd King, PharmD,CGP, Director Clinical Services, LTC at Omnicare, a CVS Health Company offered advice on how to avoid medication management errors and how to train staff to avoid medication problems. He reviewed high risk medications, safe written and verbal communications, the risks of human errors, safe labeling and packaging, and system-related factors.  He emphasized the need for providers to verify that medication orders are correct and have been accurately filled. He also cautioned against relying on fax machines to relay prescription orders.  He quipped, “The 1980s want their fax machines back—they are a source of medication errors.”

Elissa Clark, Regional Director of Operations at Sunrise Senior Living, shared how Sunrise’s participation in the AHCA/NCAL National Quality Awards program has had positive impact on their operations, including improved care for residents, greater accountability, and benefits for staff recruitment and retention.