Legislative and Agency Corner

• CDC To Collect Data On Teens With Autism – disabilityscoop.com
• Trump Signs Extension Of Program That Helps People Leave Institutions – disabilityscoop.com
• CMS Promotes the New Electronic System for Provider Reimbursement Review Board Appeals – longtermcareleader.com
• Updated List of Excluded Individuals and Entities (LEIE) Database File – longtermcareleader.com
• IRS Finalized Rule Affecting Deduction Eligibility for Pass-Through Entities – longtermcareleader.com
• New HHS Report Addresses Health Care Industry Cybersecurity – longtermcareleader.com

AHCA/NCAL Learning Management Website

AHCA/NCAL has a comprehensive online Learning Management System to support the training needs of its members. The website, known as ahcancalED, contains a wealth of information including educational programs, webinars, instructional videos, training courses, and other tools. It is available free to AHCA/NCAL members.

"We created ahcancalED for our members who do not have the time or budget to develop the newest in-service training," said Dr. David Gifford, AHCA/NCAL Senior Vice President of Quality and Regulatory Affairs. "Our objective also was to provide the best and latest educational tools, especially as CMS increases its regulatory requirements about staff training and competency in a number of areas. ahcancalED is designed to help individuals in our profession do a better job of caring for patients and residents and advance in their careers."

The information on ahcancalED is structured to make the online learning experience engaging, meaningful, and interactive for users. The fresh graphics and clearly defined sections within the site make it easy for users to navigate and find the information they need. The site also allows users to track their own learning progress.

Teams of experts from around the country working with AHCA/NCAL staff helped to create the content. "We will constantly be adding new programs and materials so that we can keep the site fresh and dynamic," said Gifford. "We'll continue to look for new ways the site can grow and serve our members. It's a great value-added benefit and a tangible example of our commitment to enhancing quality."

ahcancalED can be accessed at https://educate.ahcancal.org/. Suggestions for content or other site enhancements can be submitted to the ahcancalED team at educate@ahca.org. AHCA/NCAL welcomes ideas that will help improve quality and strengthen the knowledge, skills and attitudes of staff in the long term and post-acute care community.

Webinars of Interest

Stay informed and tune in to ahcancalED for several pre-recorded and live webinars on topics impacting the long-term care profession. The upcoming webinars you may find of interest can be found here. 

You also might be interested in an AADMD Virtual Grand Rounds Aging in Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities webinar, which can be viewed here.  The ARC has also has webinars this year that might be of interest.

From the Blog of Josh Linkner

Noted on the Josh Linkner blog, “To Josh Linkner, creativity and innovation are the lifeblood of all human progress. As such, he’s spent his career harnessing the power of creative disruption.  His journey has been non-traditional at every step. As the founder and CEO of four tech companies, Josh built his businesses from a blank page into a combined value of over $200 million. As a hyper-growth CEO of over 20 years, he’s used innovative approaches to topple competitors, fight through adversity, and achieve at the highest levels.”  The bio section of Linkner’s blog goes on to include that, “Josh is an internationally-recognized thought leader and top-rated keynote speaker on innovation, creativity, reinvention, and hyper-growth leadership. His keynotes are focused on not only inspiring audiences, but also sharing actionable strategies to drive meaningful outcomes.” 

Read some of Linkner’s blogs below.  In addition, you can view some of his keynote speaking addresses here.

• Why a Culture of Innovation is the Only Path to Sustainable Growth and Success
• The 14 Rules of History-Making Teams
• Skip the Resolution; Go With a New Year’s Theme Instead
• Lady Gaga’s First Song; Picasso’s First Painting
• The Tyranny of Good Enough
• The Power of Surprise and Delight
• Heads Down vs. Heads Up
• Setbacks: Game Over or Game On?
• A Simple Approach to Boost the Appeal of Your Product or Service
• What’s Your Firebird?

National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities

The National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities (NASUAD) holds a monthly call or webinar concerning topics of interest to those who work in the field of aging and disability.  One of the past calls focused on resources for people with Alzheimer’s and related dementias and their caregivers.  Information about future calls, and audio recording of previous ones, can be found here. 

Upcoming 2019 Events

• Long Term Care and the Law Conference – February 27 – March 1, 2019
• AHCA’s ID/DD Hill Fly-In Event – March 6, 2019 (contact dhalvorson@ahca.org for further info)
• AHCA/NCAL Quality Summit (Tampa, FL) – March 18 – 20, 2019
• AHCA/NCAL Independent Owner Leadership Conference 2019 (Tampa, FL) – March 20 – 22, 2019    
• AHCA/NCAL 70th Annual Convention & Expo – October 13-16, 2019

2019 Health Care Observances

February 2019 marks, among other observances, American Heart Month, National Cancer Prevention Month, and AMD/Low Vision Awareness Month.  The 2019 Healthcare Observances Calendar can be found here.