Each year, HDG’s thought leaders publish blog posts covering the most significant happenings and trends of the aging services industry. Read on for a recap of HDG’s most-read blog posts of 2022 and a look into the trends of 2023.

2022’s Most-read Blog Posts

  1. “QSO-22-19-NH: What Changed in Appendix PP and How to Prepare”

    The release of QSO-22-19-NH had the skilled nursing industry abuzz in late June with all the revisions to the Surveyor Guidance affecting Phases 2 and 3 of the Requirements of Participation (ROP).The original release of Phase 2 dates to 2017 and Phase 3 to 2019. Shortly after the release of Phase 3, the global pandemic caused the health care industry as a whole to focus on many operational adjustments to continuously align best practices and recommendations around COVID-19. In this blog post, we shifted our focus back to overall operations and the State Operations Manual (SOM), with the biggest topic of conversation being the release of this memo, where we find numerous language and interpretation guidance changes in Appendix PP.Continue reading…
  2. “Understanding the Cost Structure of a PACE Program”

    Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) is a fully capitated, fully integrated, and comprehensive care program for adults age 55 or older living with chronic illnesses or disabilities. PACE has become the gold standard of care for the frail elderly. As the name suggests, PACE is an “all-inclusive” model of care, which means PACE organizations are at full risk and required to provide, or plan to provide, all service needs of their participants under a capitated payment system. A complete understanding of the cost structure of PACE and key drivers of fixed and variable costs is critical for PACE organizations to effectively manage risk and optimize financial performance. So what does the cost structure of a PACE program look like and what are the critical cost elements that influence financial performance? Continue reading…

  3. “Crafting a Culture of Meaningful Work”

    The staffing challenges in skilled nursing care continue to plague the industry, impacting resident care and overall operating margins. So how do we convince these employees to stay? Although good pay, promotional opportunities, flexibility, and career advancement are important to workers, meaningful work and purpose drive employee satisfaction and engagement. Individuals experience meaningful work when the work aligns with their values, they have strong relationships with co-workers, they can do their best work, and the work is inspiring.Continue reading…

Looking Ahead to 2023

As a national thought leader in senior living, post-acute, and long-term care, HDG releases our Top Trends white paper each year, our look into the year ahead. Read our “2023 Top Trends in Aging Services” paper now for a look at the trends, challenges, and opportunities facing aging services providers in the next year.