News & Events

Comprehensive Therapy Specialists (CTS) is active in many organizations, as well as frequently creates content for top industry events.

Get the latest via our social connections. Follow us on...

CTS LinkedIn Company Page CTS Facebook Page

Industry News

January 2018 - National Partnership to Improve Dementia Care in Nursing Homes: Late Adopter Data Report

CMS recently announced that the National Partnership met its goal of reducing the national prevalence of antipsychotic medication use in long-stay nursing home residents by 30 percent by the end of 2016. It also announced a new goal of a 15 percent reduction in those homes with currently limited reduction rates.

Nursing homes with low rates of antipsychotic medication use are encouraged to continue their efforts and maintain their success,while those with high rates of use are to work to decrease antipsychotic medication use by 15 percent for long-stay residents by the end of 2019. These homes have been identified as late adopters.

This quarterly data report is specific to the progress of the late adopters.

Click here to view the pdf data.

January 2018 - National Partnership to Improve Dementia Care in Nursing Homes: Antipsychotic Medication Use Data Report

The National Partnership to Improve Dementia Care in Nursing Homes is committed to improving the quality of care for individuals with dementia living in nursing homes. The National Partnership has a mission to deliver health care that is person-centered, comprehensive and interdisciplinary with a specific focus on protecting residents from being prescribed antipsychotic medications unless there is a valid, clinical indication and a systematic process to evaluate each individual’s need. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) promotes a multidimensional approach that includes; research, partnerships and state-based coalitions, revised surveyor guidance, training for providers and surveyors and public reporting.

CMS is tracking the progress of the National Partnership by reviewing publicly reported measures. The official measure of the Partnership is the percentage of long-stay nursing home residents who are receiving an antipsychotic medication, excluding those residents diagnosed with schizophrenia, Huntington's Disease or Tourette’s Syndrome. In 2011Q4, 23.9 percent of long-stay nursing home residents were receiving an antipsychotic medication; since then there has been a decrease of 35.4 percent to a national prevalence of 15.4 percent in 2017Q3. Success has varied by state and CMS region, with some states and regions having seen a reduction of greater than 35 percent.

Click here to view the pdf data.

A four-quarter average of this measure is posted to the Nursing Home Compare website at https://www.medicare.gov/nursinghomecompare/

October 2017 - National Partnership to Improve Dementia Care in Nursing Homes: Antipsychotic Medication Use Data Report

The National Partnership to Improve Dementia Care in Nursing Homes is committed to improving the quality of care for individuals with dementia living in nursing homes. The National Partnership has a mission to deliver health care that is person-centered, comprehensive and interdisciplinary with a specific focus on protecting residents from being prescribed antipsychotic medicationsunless there is a valid, clinical indication and a systematic process to evaluate each individual’s need. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) promotes a multidimensional approach that includes; research, partnerships and state-based coalitions, revised surveyor guidance, training for providers and surveyors and public reporting.

CMS is tracking the progress of the National Partnership by reviewing publicly reported measures. The official measure of the Partnership is the percentage of long-stay nursing home residents who are receiving an antipsychotic medication, excluding those residents diagnosed with schizophrenia, Huntington's Disease or Tourette’s Syndrome. In 2011Q4, 23.9 percent of long-stay nursing home residents were receiving an antipsychotic medication; since then there has been a decrease of 35 percent to a national prevalence of 15.5 percent in 2017Q2. Success has varied by state and CMS region, with some states and regions having seen a reduction of greater than 35 percent.

Click here to view the pdf data.

A four-quarter average of this measure is posted to the Nursing Home Compare website at https://www.medicare.gov/nursinghomecompare/

March 2017 - National Partnership to Improve Dementia Care in Nursing Homes: Antipsychotic Medication Use Data Report

The National Partnership to Improve Dementia Care in Nursing Homes is committed to improving the quality of care for individuals with dementia living in nursing homes. The National Partnership has a mission to deliver health care that is person-centered, comprehensive and interdisciplinary with a specific focus on protecting residents from being prescribed antipsychotic medications unless there is a valid, clinical indication and a systematic process to evaluate each individual’s need. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) promotes a multidimensional approach that includes; research, partnerships and state-based coalitions, revised surveyor guidance, training for providers and surveyors and public reporting.

CMS is tracking the progress of the National Partnership by reviewing publicly reported measures. The official measure of the Partnership is the percentage of long-stay nursing home residents who are receiving an antipsychotic medication, excluding those residents diagnosed with schizophrenia, Huntington's Disease or Tourette’s Syndrome. In 2011Q4, 23.9 percent of long-stay nursing home residents were receiving an antipsychotic medication; since then there has been a decrease of 33.2 percent to a national prevalence of 16 percent in 2016Q4. Success has varied by state and CMS region, with many states and regions having seen a reduction of greater than 30 percent.

Click here to view the pdf data.

November 2016 - National Partnership to Improve Dementia Care and QAPI MLN Connects® National Provider Call

This call focuses on effective care transitions between long-term and acute care settings, highlighting transitions that involve residents with dementia. This is critical for residents with dementia, as care transitions can cause heightened anxiety and aggression. Communication should be optimized, as care transitions are high-risk periods for nursing home residents. Additionally, CMS subject matter experts share updates on the progress of the National Partnership to Improve Dementia Care in Nursing Homes and Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement (QAPI).

Click here to view the pdf data from the Partnership.
Click here to view the pdf data to compare data from previous quarters.

Antipsychotic Medication Use Data Reports

CMS is tracking the progress of the National Partnership by reviewing publicly reported measures. The official measure of the Partnership is the percentage of long-stay nursing home residents who are receiving an antipsychotic medication, excluding those residents diagnosed with schizophrenia, Huntington's Disease or Tourette’s Syndrome. In 2011Q4 23.9 percent of long-stay nursing home residents were receiving an antipsychotic medication; since then there has been a decrease of 30.3 percent to a national prevalence of 16.6 percent in 2016Q1. Success has varied by state and CMS region, with some states and regions having seen a reduction of greater than 30 percent.

Click here to view the excel spreadsheet.
Click here to view the excel spreadsheet to compare from previous quarters.

May 2015 - Summary of Indiana Residential Survey Tag Report

LeadingAge Indiana provided a chart with the most frequently cited residential tags for March 2015. 11 Tags were cited one time at a deficiency level during the month: R0090, R0118, R0144, R0147, R0157, R0214, R0240, R0246, R0272, R0301 and R0304.

Click here for more info: www.iahsa.com.

February 2015 - Flu Season Continues; Severe for People 65 and Older

Flu Update: While our vaccine this year is not keeping us safe from H3N2 strains of the flu we must still encourage vaccination. There is no need to give momentum to additional subtypes/strains of the flu virus!

Mismatched H3N2 flu viruses continue to predominate across the country, hitting older people hard. The flu-associated hospitalization rate among people 65 and older this week is the highest rate recorded since CDC began tracking that data in 2005. Overall nearly 60 percent of flu-associated hospitalizations have been among people 65 years and older. At the current rate of hospitalization, more than 92,000 people 65 and older would have been hospitalized in the US so far this season. Nearly 94 percent of all adults hospitalized for flu this season have had at least one reported underlying medical condition; the most commonly reported conditions are heart disease, metabolic disorders including diabetes, and obesity.

Continue reading this article at www.cdc.gov.

Partnership to Improve Dementia Care in Nursing Homes Antipsychotic Drug use in Nursing Homes Trend Update

CMS is tracking the progress of the Partnership by reviewing publicly reported measures. The official measure of the Partnership is a the percent of long-stay nursing home residents who are receiving an antipsychotic medication, excluding those residents diagnosed with schizophrenia, Huntington's Disease or Tourette’s Syndrome. In 2011Q4 23.9% of long-stay nursing home residents were receiving an antipsychotic medication; since then there has been a decrease of 18.8% to a national prevalence of 19.4% in 2014Q2. Success has varied by state and CMS region, with some states and regions having seen a reduction of greater than 20%.

Click here to view the pdf data from the Partnership.

Antipsychotics reduction goal raised to 30% by end of 2016, CMS and provider groups announce

September 2014, McKnight's - "Long-term care providers are being asked to reduce the use of antipsychotic medications among residents by 25% by the end of 2015, and 30% by the end of 2016.

The National Partnership to Improve Dementia Care, a public-private coalition that includes the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living and LeadingAge, announced the goal Friday in a conference call with members of the media."

Click here to read the article.

Nursing homes face federal False Claims Act charges for allegedly overmedicating residents with antipsychotics, other drugs

September 2014, McKnight's - "A man who entered Country Villa West in 2009 was given the antipsychotics Haldol and Risperdal without his consent or his family's consent, and without physician orders, the complaint charges. Within two weeks, he was taken to the hospital with heart failure symptoms and was diagnosed with a host of conditions including an infected pressure ulcer and sepsis. This is presented in the complaint as one example of the “non-existent, grossly inadequate, materially substandard, and/or worthless services” for which the nursing homes billed Medicare and Medicaid, in violation of the False Claims Act."

Click here to read the article.

TOP

 

Speaking Engagements

2015 Presentations

LeadingAge Indiana 2015 Spring Conference and Trade Show, Dr. Lisa O'Hara presented "It is Time to Discuss the Other Psychotropic Medications - A Review of Antidepressants, Anxiolytics, and Sedative/Hypnotics", May 5, 2015.

2015 Forum on Aging and Annual Meeting, Dr. Lisa O'Hara presented "Council on Aging of Southwestern Ohio", March 3-4, 2015.

2014 Presentations

2014 ASCP Annual Meeting & Exhibition, Dr. Lisa M. O'Hara presented "Fundamentals of Consultant Pharmacy Practice", November 5-7, 2014.

LeadingAge Indiana Program Webinar Series, Dr. O'Hara presented "On a Scale of 1 to 10 Rate Your Pain", October 23 & November 13, 2014.

Madison County Triad Meeting, addressing the danger of taking too many prescribed medications especially in addition to over the counter drugs and supplements. August 21st, 2014.

“Outwit, Outlast, Outplay: How to be a Provider “Survivor” and Reduce the Use of Antipsychotics,” LSN Annual Meeting and Exhibition, Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont, IL. May 1st, 2014.

“How to Cultivate Your Garden, Removing the Weeds – Antipsychotics,” Health Care Excel - Kentucky, Nursing Home Quality Care Collaborative, A Learning and Action and Network Meeting #3 Growing a Quality Garden, Swope Scout Center, Louisville, KY. April 8th, 2014.

“Outwit, Outlast, Outplay: How to be a Nursing Facility “Survivor” of the CMS Initiative to Reduce the Use of Antipsychotics,” The Annual Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care Quality Conference 2014, Embassy Suites, Little Rock, AR. April 4th, 2014.

“Unnecessary Medications: Commonly Practiced and Risky Business,” Council on Aging’s 2014 Forum on Aging and Annual Meeting presented by Helping Hands Healthcare, Sharonville Convention Center, Cincinnati, OH. March 4th, 2014.

TOP

 

CTS in the News

February 2016 - CMS Partnership to Improve Dementia Care

We are excited to announce our presentation, The Three R’s: Re-Educate, Reevaluate, Reinvent The Pathway to a Successful Behavioral Management Meeting has been included in the Dementia series that Great Plains sponsored. This presentation has been included as a recommended resource under the National Partnership to Improve Dementia Care section.

Visit the National Advancing Excellence website to view this presentation!

November 2014 - Dr. Lisa M. O'Hara won "People's Choice"

Dr. Lisa M. O'Hara won "People's Choice" for their poster presentation at the Annual ASCP meeting. CTS, along with Williams Bros. Health Care Pharmacy, presented their research on the "Clinical Pharmacist Impact on Heart Failure Guideline Compliance and Hospitalization Rates in the Long Term Care Setting." If you're interested in reviewing their data, please contact Lisa O'Hara.



October 2014 - "Dr. Lisa O’Hara Sets Objectives to Reduce Psychotropic Medications and Expand the Role of the Pharmacist"

As industry leaders in the reduction of antipsychotics, Dr. Lisa O’Hara and her team at Comprehensive Therapy Specialists, LLC are setting a course to expand and enhance their consulting footprint. Lisa is now focusing 100% of her energy on helping those in the senior care industry meet the new reduction specifications set by The National Partnership to Improve Dementia Care, as well as advance the role of the pharmacist in the healthcare community.

With the recent announcement from CMS on the reduction guidelines for 2015, there is an increased urgency to develop plans on achieving that 25% reduction. Dr. O’Hara feels very confident that the programs and practices that CTS has implemented over the last few years will further catapult their success at antipsychotic reductions. CTS’ current antipsychotic usage rate is 15.2% compared to the national rate of 19.8% (CTS 36.4% vs. National 17.1% reduction since initiatives started).

“Not only are we setting records for antipsychotic reductions, we’re improving the lives of our patients,” says Dr. O’Hara. “Our goal, plain and simple, is to ensure our patients ‘age in place’ and experience better health-related outcomes through our comprehensive medication therapy management programs. Our patients are our number one concern.”

Dr. O’Hara is also working to advance the role of the pharmacist by providing comprehensive medication regimen reviews/reconciliation, patient and caregiver education/counseling, and creating positive working relationships with other healthcare professionals using an application of well-established guidelines and protocols. Lisa states “this approach to care will improve time spent aging in place as well as facility compliance with State and Federal regulations during all levels of care.”

In September of 2014, CTS launched their new website and have plans to build it into an all-encompassing industry resource that will include practice guidelines, useful links/handouts, and her team’s research outcomes.

“I really want to change the industry,” says Dr. O’Hara, “My goal is to make this information accessible to everyone and provide a forum that will ultimately set the stage for better healthcare for our patients.”

August 2014 - "Dennis Lanane: Triad Meeting" - The Herald Bulletin, Madison County, IN

"In August, our program was about how we need to be careful on the number of prescriptions we are taking. We need to make sure if we have more than one doctor to be sure they all know what prescriptions the other doctors have you taking. Also, when you go to the doctors, be sure and tell them if you are taking over-the-counter medicines, herbs or supplements

Explained how a Comprehensive Therapy Specialists tries to help seniors "age in place" and experience better health-related outcomes through comprehensive medication therapy management. A big part of their program is to evaluate your current prescriptions and over-the-counter meds and supplements you are taking that could cause you to have such negative reactions that you could be hospitalized.There are startling statistics about the number of people who end up in emergency rooms because of life-threatening negative interactions to their prescriptions."

Dennis Lanane is chairman of Madison County Triad. His column appears the first Sunday of each month of The Herald Bulletin..

May 2014 - Dr. Lisa O'Hara was a featured presenter at the Life Services Network 2014 Annual Meeting and Exhibition

Outwit, Outlast, Outplay: How to be a Provider "Survivor" and Reduce the Use of Antipsychotics

Thursday, May 1 - 4:00 - 5:30pm

• Analyze standards of practice as they relate to the use of antipsychotics: Indications, Dosing, Monitoring, and Gradual Dose Reductions.

• Discuss typical and atypical antipsychotics currently available, how they differ from one another, and why these differences should drive product selection.

• Identify pharmacological approaches for the treatment of BPSD, which do not include and potentially avoid the need for antipsychotics.

Click here for more information about the exhibition.

TOP

 

Recent Newsletters

In our eNewsletter you'll get info on compliance, f-tags, reductions, events and advice from Dr. O'Hara and our team. Sign up for our Newsletter and get the latest info from our team. Please contact us if you have any questions about the information.

TOP

 

Sign up for Our eNewsletter

TOP