McKnight's Podcast

McKnights

Conversations with industry newsmakers in the Homecare, Long Term Care, and Senior Living market.

  1. 5d ago

    ‘Unconscious competence’ and other long-term benefits of the quest for Quality Award recognition

    A relentless focus on process improvement and culture change has catapulted Clarkston Health and Rehabilitation Center into elite territory, making it one of only two nursing homes nationwide to earn the American Health Care Association’s prestigious Gold Quality Award this year. In this episode of the McKnight’s Newsmakers podcast, leaders from the Washington facility and parent company Cascadia Healthcare shared how a five-year transformation turned a struggling building into a regional powerhouse. "Making the informal formal and then responding to the criteria ... becomes a cycle of evaluation and improvement," said Maryruth Butler, director of quality and integrity for Cascadia. The awards program’s years-long process builds knowledge and confidence that Butler describes as “unconscious competence” among operations and care teams. When Cascadia acquired Clarkston in 2021, the building faced severe operational headwinds, including low census and a history of high administrative turnover. According to Chief Nursing Officer Jami Johnson, establishing reliable, standardized processes and fostering staff buy-in were pivotal to turning the tide. That structural shift allowed the sole skilled nursing facility in its county to double its resident census, expand specialized clinical offerings like parenteral nutrition, and navigate state regulatory surveys with zero clinical deficiencies. Beyond facility gains, guests tell moderator and McKnight’s editor Kimberly Marselas how Cascadia leverages its growing network of quality award recipients to elevate performance across all its properties. New discoveries and strategies from the chain’s silver and gold winners are supporting the quest for quality at newly acquired and turn-around facilities. “The sharing of best practices really has helped our organization as a whole,” adds Kate Hawkins, regional clinical resource for Cascadia Healthcare in Washington. “Reaching out to sister [facilities] and again just sharing that best practice has really moved a lot of mountains very quickly." Check out the full episode — and our previous conversation with fellow Gold Winner Todd-Dickey Nursing and Rehabilitation — to learn more about how these leaders are driving clinical excellence, building organizational consistency and sustaining long-term quality momentum. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    ‘Unconscious competence’ and other long-term benefits of the quest for Quality Award recognition

  2. Sep 24

    TheKey’s secret sauce: Don’t try to please everyone, zip codes matter

    One of the biggest pain points for TheKey, which serves private-pay clients primarily, is affordability, CEO Chris Gerard told McKnight’s Home Care. Also, the population that can pay for the firm’s services is even smaller given that the company specializes in longer-term, higher-utilization clients. One of the secrets of the firm’s success is matching the caregiver’s capabilities and  personality with the client's needs and being available early in the episode of care, he said. This means putting lot of energy and effort into the first seven to 14 days the client is on service. The company recently left the Australian market, which was a franchise business. TheKey is a bit immune from the caregiver shortage in the United States because clients receive more intensive care and for a longer time than those at most agencies. This allows the company to give caregivers more stable clients and more hours. As a result, turnover is less of a problem at TheKey compared to other agencies, Gerard said. One of TheKey’s most successful service lines is geriatric care management, a lesser-known service that provides a “household quarterback” to manage all aspects of a loved one’s care — from trips to the physician’s office to durable medical equipment maintenance.Follow us on social media:X: @McKHomeCareFacebook: McKnight's Home CareLinkedIn: McKnight's Home CareInstagram: mcknights_homecareFollow TheKey on social mediaFacebook: TheKeyLinkedIn: TheKeyInstagram: thekeyhomecareShow contributors:McKnight’s Home Care Editor Liza Berger; Chris Gerard, CEO, TheKey Home Care  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    TheKey’s secret sauce: Don’t try to please everyone, zip codes matter

  3. Sep 22

    Amid this state’s Rural Health win for skilled nursing, plenty of funding gaps remain

    The conversation highlights three primary themes surrounding initial implementation: Targeted infrastructure vs. comprehensive care: Initial grants focus heavily on expanding physical capacity, such as ventilator and in-house dialysis service lines at specific facilities, rather than broader operational supports needed to address an increasingly complex patient population.Workforce access bottlenecks: While state funds target Licensed Nursing Assistant development, broader health workforce tuition initiatives requiring multi-year rural commitments often fail to accommodate the non-traditional schedules and preparation required for existing facility staff to advance. That won’t be solved by the latest federal funding.New resources in aging settings. Physical equipment grants often overlook the costly building renovations and specialized staffing required to modernize facilities built decades ago.Addressing the gap between capital equipment grants and comprehensive operational support remains a primary focus for state advocates trying to ensure that rural health spending truly converts to long-term success. "Even if you can connect a need to a particular line in a grant-making opportunity, there's still a lot more that needs to come together to make that program successful," Labun notes in the episode. "It's not as simple as handing out some equipment to make some of these programs a success." Listen in to the full episode of McKnight's Newsmakers for more insights on how rural skilled nursing facilities are navigating federal grants, workforce bottlenecks and continuing to advocate for complex care initiatives.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Amid this state’s Rural Health win for skilled nursing, plenty of funding gaps remain

  4. Sep 17

    Home health, hospice moratorium is not sustainable for long term, NPHI CEO says

    A short-term home health and moratorium was a necessary action because of rampant fraud in the hospice sector, said Tom Koutsoumpas, founder and CEO of the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI). Still, the moratorium, which is designed to contain and address egregious activities, is meant to be a short-term solution, said Koutsoumpas, who was involved when the benefit was created in the 1980s. There has been an overreaction during the moratorium, he noted, and acknowledged that some of his members have been subject to unnecessary audits. While the question of the moratorium has divided provider organizations, more imperative is that the community as a whole support and encourage the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in their fraud-fighting efforts, he said. The organization’s support of the moratorium and may be one reason why NPHI has experienced a surge of new members of late. On another subject, he is excited about the attention palliative care has been receiving from CMS in rulemaking. NPHI has proposed a palliative care model that would be adjacent to the hospice benefit. More details are forthcoming, he said.Follow us on social media:X: @McKHomeCareFacebook: McKnight's Home CareLinkedIn: McKnight's Home CareInstagram: mcknights_homecareFollow NPHI on social media:X: @NPHIhealthFacebook: National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice InnovationLinkedIn: National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI)Show contributors:McKnight’s Home Care Editor Liza Berger; Tom Koutsoumpas, founder and CEO, National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Home health, hospice moratorium is not sustainable for long term, NPHI CEO says

  5. Sep 1

    ‘Multi-year marathon’ leads Indiana nursing home to nation’s top quality honor

    Out of thousands of skilled nursing facilities nationwide, only two earned the prestigious Gold - Excellence in Quality Award from the American Health Care Association this year. One of those top honors belongs to Todd-Dickey Nursing and Rehabilitation, a 62-bed facility in southern Indiana that proves size is no barrier to achieving high-level operational excellence. In this episode, Executive Director Wendy Broughton and Janean Kinzie, vice president of parent company American Senior Communities, detail the behind-the-scenes work to maintain a stringent focus on quality for six years — and how some friendly competition helped deliver excellence. The discussion highlighted the key drivers behind the facility’s success, starting with a deeply rooted culture of local commitment and retention. As the only nursing facility in its county, Todd-Dickey relies on a tight-knit staff — some with over 40 years of tenure — who view their work as "family taking care of family," Broughton tells McKnight’s Long-Term Care News Editor Kimberly Marselas. "It’s a multi-year marathon of putting things together and looking at those challenges and taking one thing at a time,” she says. “If you do good quality of care, the awards will come." Maintaining open lines of communication, setting clear expectations during initial job interviews, and keeping floor staff directly involved in quality metrics were crucial strategies for sustaining momentum on the path from Bronze to Gold. Rather than viewing quality initiatives as temporary fixes for isolated issues, ASC focuses on analytical evaluation and regional training seminars across its portfolio. That’s given it more than 80 Quality Award winners in recent years. And good ol’ "Hoosier competitiveness" continues to push facilities across the state to elevate their standard of care year after year, she adds Listen to the full episode to learn more about Todd-Dickey’s journey to Gold, the role of corporate support in quality improvement and how competition can drive higher standards in long-term care. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    ‘Multi-year marathon’ leads Indiana nursing home to nation’s top quality honor

  6. Jul 30

    House call firm Ennoble Care finds success serving high-needs Medicare patients

    As a house call firm, Ennoble Care brings the most skilled clinicians to a patient’s house to provide essentially a doctor's office inside, CEO Kush Das explained. That slowly progresses to more longitudinal care with nurses and social workers and care managers supporting patients. The company serves both Medicare and Medicare Advantage patients, depending on the market. About 1 of every 2 Medicare patients it serves is in the ACO REACH model, Das explained. He is proud of the work of the Complex Care Alliance, which has advocated for high-needs Medicare patients in accountable care. He is bullish on the LEAD model, which will take the place of the REACH Model starting in 2027. The latest physician fee schedule proposed rule reflects the work involved in operating a house call company, he said. The company, which doubled in the last 12 months, will continue on a similar growth trajectory, he said. The federal hospice moratorium — which he believes in — will hurt the company's efforts to grow hospice in the short term, he said.    Follow us on social media: X: @McKHomeCare Facebook: McKnight's Home Care LinkedIn: McKnight's Home Care Instagram: mcknights_homecare Follow Ennoble Care on social media: Facebook: Ennoble Care LinkedIn: Ennoble Care Instagram: ennoblecare Show contributors:McKnight’s Home Care Editor Liza Berger; Kush Das, CEO, Ennoble Care Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    House call firm Ennoble Care finds success serving high-needs Medicare patients

  7. Jul 9

    What US home care nurses can learn and the old ‘black bag': A conversation

    he International Home Care Nurses Organization is a gathering of international nurses — ranging from RNs to clergy, aides and therapists — who come together to share what they know about home healthcare nursing. Susan Hinck, PhD, president of organization, and Marilyn Harris, RN, a board member, recently returned from a three-day global conference in London at which nurses represented 33 countries. It’s helpful to learn what other countries are doing in the area of home healthcare nursing, Hinck said. The Scandinavian countries —with their universal access to healthcare — in particular are an international model of strong home care nursing. Technology has allowed nurses in the home to provide more hands-on care, Hinck said.  And the increased focus on social determinants of health has helped to improve the health of home care patients, Harris noted. Follow us on social media: X: @McKHomeCare Facebook: McKnight's Home Care LinkedIn: McKnight's Home Care Instagram: mcknights_homecare Follow the International Home Care Nurses Organization on social media: X: @IHCNO_Nurse Facebook: International Home Care Nurses Organization LinkedIn: International Home Care Nurses Organization Show contributors:McKnight’s Home Care Editor Liza Berger; Susan Hinck, PhD, president, International Home Care Nurses Organization; and Marilyn Harris, RN, board member, International Home Care Nurses Organization     Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    What US home care nurses can learn and the old ‘black bag': A conversation

  8. Jun 18

    Mastering brand evolution in senior living

    The Kendal Corporation spent two years on a system-wide rebranding that recently was unveiled. The process involved engaging residents, employees and others to build a brand that better aligned with their perceptions while honoring the system's heritage. In this Newsmakers podcast episode, McKnight's Senior Living Editor Lois Bowers speaks with Morgan Lamphere, Kendal's senior director of communications, marketing and sales. She details Kendal's experience and shares lessons for other organizations considering a rebrand. This discussion is an essential listen for anyone interested in organizational change, mission-driven branding and balancing tradition with innovation in the senior living sector. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Mastering brand evolution in senior living
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Conversations with industry newsmakers in the Homecare, Long Term Care, and Senior Living market.

Information

  • Creator
    McKnights
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    367
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    McKnight's Podcast

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