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Back to: WALA Home > Industry Insider > News Index > WALA News for August 30, 2005
1) Cris Ros-Dukler Leaving BQA Cris Ros-Dukler, the Director of the Bureau of Quality Assurance, will be leaving the Bureau in September. She has taken a position as Vice President of Growth and Development with a Chicago-based healthcare company, and will work in the Milwaukee area. Her last day with BQA will be September 9. WALA wishes Cris all the best in her new position. 2) WALA Fall Symposium Sept. 21-Oct. 5 "Admit Who You Are Admitting: Action Plans for Rising Acuity and Retention," WALA's 2005 Fall Symposium, will be held in each of the 5 BQA regions from September 21 to October 5. This WALA training seminar will feature an interactive workshop covering trends in state and national assisted living acuity, comparing your marketing materials and strategy to your acuity, creating an action plan to market and sell your position, and communicating your action plan to staff. New this year is a free Q & A session with BQA regulators from the Assisted Living Section. All providers will have the opportunity to ask questions in an informal, give-and-take session. This portion of the symposium is free of charge, and attendance for the rest of the day is not required. (Due to the last-minute addition of this item, BQA staff will be unavailable in Appleton.) Further, WALA will review regulatory issues and recent changes, budget updates and the latest from the state. We will highlight the proposed HFS 83 changes in training, staffing, assessments and ISPs. The locations and dates for WALA's 2005 Fall Symposium are:
3) Health Alert – Contaminated Mouthwash The Centers for Disease Control has issued a public health alert for alcohol-free mouthwash distributed directly to hospitals and long-term care providers, which has been found to be contaminated with pneumonia-causing B. cepacia bacteria. The mouthwash was manufactured for Medline Industries of Mundelein, IL and distributed in 2 and 4 oz. bottles alone or as part of a "personal hygiene hospital admission kit." If you have any of this mouthwash, check the 7- or 8-digit lot number stamped on the bottom of each bottle. Suspect lot numbers include 0503*** through 0508*** and 0503**** through 0508**** (asterisks represent any digit). The complete advisory can be viewed on the CDC website at http://www.phppo.cdc.gov/HAN/ArchiveSys/ 4) CMS Medicare Part D Toolkit Now Available A free toolkit from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is now available with specific information for assisted living and long-term care providers on the Medicare Part D changes that will take effect in January. It includes relevant dates, data about formularies and details about dual eligibility for Medicare and Medicaid. WALA and ALFA are recommending that all of our members take advantage of this free resource. The toolkit can be downloaded at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/medlearn/provtoolkit.pdf 5) ABCs of Alzheimer’s and Dementia Coming to Madison The south-central Wisconsin chapter of the Alzheimer's Association will be presenting a three-part educational series for families of those diagnosed with Alzheimer's or related dementia. "ABCs of Alzheimer's and Dementia" is designed to enhance participants' understanding of the disease, how it affects the patient and how to cope on a daily basis. Sessions will be held on Wednesdays, October
5, 12 and 19, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Lake Edge Lutheran Church in Madison.
The sessions are free, but donations are
appreciated. For more details or to register, contact the Alzheimer's Association
at 608/232-3400.
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