My appointment to chair the Education Subcommittee coincided with my taking on the role of Director of Nursing Home Patient Safety for the Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) that covers our state.  Over the past 8 months I have had to opportunity to travel around the state, meeting with nursing home staff, other stakeholders and developing educational programs.  One of our key efforts is the reduction of antipsychotic medication use.  While we have made significant improvement in California, nearly 1 in 7 long stay residents are still on antipsychotics.  Continued improvement in this and other areas requires a true team approach.  Physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants can write orders, but staff must be fully engaged in creating an atmosphere that is conducive to successfully improving the care of residents.

The 2016 Annual Meeting will focus on many of the key areas that are at the forefront of nursing home clinical care today.  Starting with a focus on antipsychotic medications, we will have a true interdisciplinary focus, with presentations from a physician, a pharmacist and an attorney, the latter bringing to fore the issue of informed consent.  Carrying on from last years meeting, there will be presentations regarding appropriate medication use and the concept of “deprescribing.”  I have often stated that I have discontinued more medications in my career as a geriatrician than I have started, and I look forward to hearing feedback from the participants in regard to this concept! 

One of the myths that I have propagated myself over the years is that nurses are great at diagnosing urinary tract infections.  In fact, nurses are really good at flipping coins!  “It’s not always a UTI,” will address this key issue that rolls into the arena of antibiotic stewardship and the impact of improper diagnosis of UTI’s on nursing home residents.  In the spirit of addressing issues that are often left uncovered, we have have presentations on the importance of recognizing issues around sexuality in long term care residents.

The healthcare world is rapidly evolving around us, and it behooves us to stay on top of all of the changes that are occurring.  Value based purchasing and bundled care programs will be discussed from the perspective of how we will play a very important part in helping facilities achieve success in these arenas.  We will be hearing about programs meant to improve the coordination of care in facilities and will also hear the latest in regards to policy efforts that will affect the way we are reimbursed.  The issue of end of life and palliative care is at the forefront of many healthcare discussions today and the annual meeting will keep the spotlight firmly on this important issue.

Finally, technology is advancing rapidly around us and the impact of technology on both the care delivered in nursing homes and the documentation of such care is constantly evolving.  We will hear about technological advances, in particular pertaining to telemedicine, as well as the impact of technology on our practice.

It is the hope of our education committee that you and your team will register now and attend our meeting. Please join us as we adjust our care practices to line up with best practices.

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